Class Feedback Results

To follow Larry Ferlazzo's example, I'm posting my class feedback results from my end of year suvey. I'll put the questions followed by the highest percentage rating, just to save typing since I don't want to take the time to screen shot the charts and graphs that google forms made for me.

 I didn't split these by class period or anything, although I think for next year I'll take the trouble to make a different form for separate classes to get a better idea. This will be really important for me next year since I'll be co-teaching with two different teachers and teaching 4 different subjects. I'm excited for the challenge.

• I felt challenged by this class: 41% neutral
• I felt like Mr. Hyland respected me: 46% agree
• I felt like Mr. Hyland gave me useful feedback: 70% agree
• I felt like Mr. Hyland was fair: 63% agree
• Mr. Hyland had high expectations of me: 50% agree
• I tried my hardest to do my best in class: 37% each (tie) strongly agree and agree
• My grades reflected the quality of my work: 52% agree
• Mr. Hyland encouraged me to do my best: 43% agree
• I felt safe in Mr. Hyland's class: 54% agree
• The class was well organized: 59% agree
• I enjoyed being in this class: 41% agree
• I always followed Mr. Hyland's instructions: 41% neutral

 I also had 5 short answer questions where students could type a response. Some did not, and others made what seemed like sarcastic comments (hard to tell if they were serious). However, there are some gold nuggets that told me what I needed to hear from students (that's the point after all!). Many of these comments referred to our penultimate activity--watching Star Wars after a series of lessons on the Hero's Journey, so if you follow the link below and scan those comments, you'll note some fanboys.

 I also co-teach one period, so I included my co-teacher and co-teach class on the questionnaire. You'll see her name in there as well. Here's the link to my full results, and--as un-scientific as they are--I'm proud of them this year. I always have plenty of room to improve. My goals for next year include inching forward on tech integration in my classroom lessons.

A Week to Save 20 Minutes!

So, I have responded to feedback regarding my auto emailer (posted about earlier) by adding 4 lines of code that will automatically pull column headers from my spreadsheet.  First the code and then an explanation of what it does:

var ss = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet();
  var sheet = ss.getSheets()[0];
  var headers = sheet.getSheetValues(1,1,1,-1);
  var Properties = headers[0]

Since I'm new at this Javascript thing, it's highly possible that most people could accomplish the same thing with a shorter amount of code.  Also, I'm not even sure I need the first two lines.  If I understand it (doubtful), the first line gets the active sheet--my sheet, but it could be any sheet that the code is attached to, so now I can transport the code.  The second line gets the first sheet (the little tabs at the bottom of the spreadsheet, this is the difference between a "workbook" and a "sheet" in excel)--so just in case I have content on the second sheet, my script won't get confused.  The third line makes a two dimensional array object (I'm sure that's not the right term) with content starting from the 1st row, 1st column, 1 row deep, and all the way to the last column with content ( the -1 argument says "find the last column with content).  Because it's a nested array, I had to pull out the header content by setting Properties equal to the first element of the array.

In the previous version you'll notice that I had hand-written the elements in the Properties array.  What that meant was if I changed my headers on the spreadsheet--or really, the question titles on the google form that populates the spreadsheet--my script would still send an email with the original headers.  I would have to change them all by hand.  My new code makes the script pull the headers each time automatically, so if I change them between emails, it will automatically be correct on the next email.

This became necessary when my product tester requested some new data be collected with the form.  I'm too lazy to rewrite that long list of headers (I currently have like 25 on the live form!), so instead of spending 20 minutes retyping a list, I spent the better part of a week on w3schools and google script tutorials and other javascript sites learning what I needed.  "A week to save 20 minutes!" you say, but it was a week to save a 20 minutes that will with certainty be repeated.  The unknown is how often and how many times I'll have to repeat it.

My next task will be to make the same type of change for the if, then statement that currently has a "k < 12" parameter in it.  The 12 could easily turn into 13 if I change my questions again and I want the script to know when to cut off the data table in my email.

Behavior Data Collection

Well, the revolution has begun.  Quietly and a few teachers at a time.  I sent out a behavior tracking form (Google Form) for a student's Behavior Contract by using a shortened link from goo.gl . All of the teachers used the link on the first day to track behavior.  Not a single teacher asked for the paper form (I also offered that in case someone did not want to use the link).  It could have been a combination of the particular teachers this student has (they're more willing to use tech?) and/or the particular behaviors we're tracking (they're affecting grades in your class: use my form to get more support!).  I'm anxious to see if the participation level continues.

One neat thing is that I was able to provide instant feedback for the whole day to my school psych who is about to be a Google convert.

Another small move in the right direction was that another teacher and I in the department have made a de facto policy shift that should simplify everyone's lives and paperwork in the long run.  We, due to some rare moon alignment of circumstances, have the ability this semester to make a specific change to just under half of the students we serve.  This will be enough of a start that our co-workers will judge for themselves how effective the change is.

Sadly, I can't share my google form results publicly due to confidentiality.  When I get a chance, I will take a screen shot of the summary of results and scrub the names.
I hope that in the future we can use automatic methods for a big portion of our case management and data collection.