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Ethos of evaluation
Building and ethos of inquiry, data collection and evaluation
Many schools are currently engaged in inquiry-based approaches or action-based research. Having a school background or ethos of data gathering at every level to improve practice, means that school data gathering for mental health and wellbeing occurs within a more general framework and level of acceptance than in a school that has had less experience. Building an ethos of enquiry and data collection can also develop a genuine learning community in practical terms.
It may be that a first step or a parallel process for schools engaged in the MindMatters Planning Cycle and using the MindMatters Implementation Model, is to engage in an enquiry question and build expertise from classroom and workplace directions in using data. Engaging staff in the use of data in both a formative and summative way can lead to an ethos of data collection.
Practical steps for schools to build an ethos of data gathering and analysis:
- gaining feedback regularly from students, parents and the community
- Involving students themselves in data collection and analysis
- Using enquiry methods with students
- Reviewing the student grading and reporting systems of the school
- Using data on performance feedback across the staff
- Monitoring the mental health and wellbeing programs and resources
- School records incidences that reflect mental health wellbeing
- Staff help design questionnaires
- Data is used at staff conferences and for professional development.
See section 3.4 of the 2010 draft version of Whole School Matters.