Harnessing Data To Empower Learning
August 28, 2018

Harnessing Data To Empower Learning

Renton Prep prides itself on using the latest technology to enhance student learning. As the director of Renton Prep, Dr. Michelle Zimmerman, PhD uses her considerable knowledge and educational background to make technology and data useful in the classroom.

A Proud University of Washington Alumnus

Dr. Zimmerman was recently interviewed by her alma mater, the University of Washington. In the video below, Dr. Zimmerman outlines the reasons she wanted to be an educator and what she is most passionate about in teaching. She credits her professors at the University of Washington with encouraging her own innate curiosity about learning, which helped inspire her career in education.

Why Technology Matters

As a Microsoft Showcase School, Renton Prep is also a leader in integrating technology in the classroom. One of the key ways data collection and technology play a role is through mentoring. Students record their sessions so they can get immediate feedback on their performances. Gathering this data also helps to further analyze it at a later date. Dr. Zimmerman discusses a certain mentoring situation in the video. She mentions how a child’s engagement with education can increase dramatically when they are teaching a younger student. And conversely, she discusses how a younger student can benefit from the direct contact with their peer.

More than Test Scores

Student growth has long been measured by one metric: standardized test scores. However, memorizing information for standardized tests is not the single sufficient way to measure academic progress. On the contrary, engagement with others and with the material can be a clear indicator of future success. At Renton Prep, students, parents, and educators are evaluated using new technology and capturing different types of data, including a student’s interaction with another.

Local Leader in Technology

At Renton Prep, technology is at the heart of our mission. We believe that introducing students to technology at a young age and instructing them on how to use it is key to their success. Our world economy heavily relies on technology, and students should learn how and when to use this technology to their advantage as early as possible. For more information about Renton Prep and our technology-based approach, contact us today.

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