User Guide (Administrators) The Maths Tracker by the Schools Development Group is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike.

User Guide

(Administrators)

The Maths Tracker by the Schools Development Group is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.Based on a work at www.acara.edu.au.

http://schoolsdevelopmentgroup.org/

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/

http://creativecommons.org/choose/www.acara.edu.au

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/

Introduction

The Maths Tracker has been developed as part of a joint project between the Schools Development Group and the Department of Education of WA.

The Schools Development Group is a not-for-profit organisation established in 1980 due to a need to provide exchange on co- operative teaching approaches and school design improvements. The activities of the Group have come from identified needs in public education by educators and parents in schools as well supporting education specialists. Visit www.schoolsdevelopmentgroup.org for more information.

The Maths Tracker is a culmination of two years work. The working party comprised of Administrators, Classroom Teachers and Numeracy Specialists from schools across the state including Huntingdale Primary School, Highgate Primary School, Halls Creek Primary School, O’Connor Primary School and Jurien Bay District High as well as Consultants from the Department of Education (WA).

http://www.schoolsdevelopmentgroup.org/

Rationale and Aims

The purpose of The Maths Tracker is to provide teachers with a resource that assists with planning, teaching and assessment of the mathematics contained in the Australian Curriculum (v5.2). It contains the Content Descriptors taken directly from ACARA documents. Each Content Descriptor has been linked to checkpoints that have been carefully written as student behaviours that are observable and recordable.

The Maths Tracker has the facility to monitor student progress through the content and their assigned grades for each semester. It also has the capacity for teachers to write brief anecdotal notes about their students. An important function of The Maths Tracker is to be a resource that collects comprehensive data on numeracy development for a whole school, year level, class and individual students. It is possible to roll the data over from year to year, thus providing a valuable means of effective communication between the admin team and teachers within a school.

Proficiency Strands:

The Maths Tracker contains elaborations of the Content Strand of Australian Curriculum Mathematics only. Teachers also need to be cognisant of the Proficiency Strands of Understanding, Fluency, Problem-Solving and Reasoning. These describe the ‘doing of the maths’ or the skills required to work mathematically. The students’ aptitude for the proficiencies will guide the teacher when assigning grades or making decisions about the achievement of particular Content Descriptors. Some of the checkpoints in The Maths Tracker lend themselves to the assessment of the proficiencies. These typically begin with verbs such as “describe” , “explain” , “justify” etc... Teachers are encouraged to consider both Content and Proficiency Strands equally when making an on-balance judgements about student achievement.

First Steps in Maths and Teaching Points

The Maths Tracker contains references to First Steps in Mathematics. First Steps in Mathematics is a series of teacher resource books that is organised around sets of mathematics outcomes for Number, Measurement, Space, and Chance and Data. The series will help teachers to diagnose, plan, implement and judge the effectiveness of the learning experiences they provide for students. A hyperlink to this resource is on the Title Page and can be freely accessed with a DET (WA) Portal log-in. The reference is written as a link to Key Understandings which is denoted as “KU”.

Some of the checkpoints have clarifying teaching points that have been written by experienced Numeracy Specialists as an elaboration to the Content Descriptor or Checkpoint.

http://k10syllabus.det.wa.edu.au/associated/private/First_Steps/first_steps_maths.html

The Maths Tracker : The Schools Development

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Moderation and Consistency

• The accuracy of any whole school monitoring system is always dependent upon the quality and consistency of teacher judgement. Moderation between teachers is essential if consistency is to be maintained. It is envisaged that the Maths Tracker will provide the catalyst for professional conversations around the planning, teaching and assessment of Australian Curriculum Mathematics and can be used as a basis for collaborative planning and the analysis of whole school strengths and weaknesses in the teaching of numeracy.


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A few notes:

• This program requires you to enable macros on your computer in order to read it. (See slide 10) This is not possible if you have your security settings set to high. The setting needs to be medium.

• The screen shots in this powerpoint were taken from a computer using Excel 2007. Most schools are currently using Excel 2003. The screens and messages may look slightly different. (There is a possible upgrade for schools to Excel 2007 soon)

• It is important that schools devise protocols for the effective sharing of files. The Admin version of the programme should be kept on a secure drive for admin use only and the teacher files should be kept on a shared drive that is accessible to all teachers and admin. The teacher files may be copied and updated elsewhere (eg at home or on personal laptops) ...but it is essential that all changes are re-saved into the shared drive. Admin staff need to take care to only make updates to teacher files if it is the current and up to date file to safeguard against lost data.

Slide No

Contents Summary of Content

3 Diagram Visual overview of how the Maths Tracker is organised

4 Initial set-up of the Maths Tracker How to set The Maths Tracker up on your shared drive

8 Copying student information from Integris Copy information from Integris

13 Enabling Macros Security information

16 Custom Menu : Admin Tab Extra menu option for administrators (password protected)

17 Folder Selection How to link Student and Teacher files to The Maths Tracker

18 Import Integris Student Files How to import student information from csv files

19 Export Selected Teacher (Form) Files How to send files to teachers

22 Import all Teacher (Form) Files in selected folder How to retrieve files from teachers

23 New students and student leaving How to manage student movement

25 Updated Versions of the programme How to import data from old versions to new.


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Please refer to Teacher’s Guide for explanation of tabs commonTo both Admin and Teachers

The Maths Tracker Schools Development Group TEMPLATE

School Admin CopyContains data on all students in the school and is to be stored in a secure drive with Admin access

only

ReportsGenerated about achievement of Whole School,

Year Level, Classroom, Groups and Individual Students

Teacher CopyContains data on student in one class only and is to be stored in a shared drive with Admin and

Teacher access

Student Data Copied from Integris

Import

Export

1. Create a new folder named “The Maths Tracker “Name of School” in a secure drive that is admin access only. Save the template (excel doc) to this folder.

2. . Create 2 sub folders in this folder. Name these:

i. Student Input (This will contain student details)

ii. Reports (This will be a holding folder for any reports that are run at particular times)

Initial set-up of the Maths Tracker


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http://schoolsdevelopmentgroup.org/

Initial set-up of the Maths Tracker (your folder should look like this)


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Folder is named with YOUR school and is located in a secure

drive. (ADMIN ONLY)

Folder contain 2 sub – folders and 1 excel

document

3. Create a new folder in a shared drive that all teachers and admin staff can access.

Name this folder “Teacher Feedback Files”

Initial set-up of the Maths Tracker


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Admin Folder:•Template excel doc•Student Input•Reports

Teacher Feedback Files Folder:

(empty at this stage)

IN SECURE DRIVE IN SHARED DRIVE

WARNING!

• PLEASE DO NOT attempt to open or use The Maths Tracker until you have saved your student data .....

Follow the instructions on next three slides to save “csv files” from Integris.

Copying student information from Integris

1. Open Integris. You are about to make a list of students for each year level. Using binoculars icon, identify the list of required students using drop down boxes. Click Find .

Using the Year group filter, search for each year level , one at a time.


2. Highlight all students in that group and click Select. This builds a ‘browse set’

3. Click the “Send Letter” icon (It looks like a letter and a pencil) then select“Produce a CSV file for use in subsequent mail merge” . Click OK.


4. There should be a message “building files” Save CSV file in the Student Input Folder that was

created in the secure drive earlier. (eg Year K.csv, Year 6.csv)

5. Repeat this process until all year groups have been saved. Your Student Input Folder should now contain CSV files for all year groups in your school.

Student Input Folder

!One csv file for each year level in your school(These files contain personal information about your students.....please ensure they are in a SECURE drive.

Open The Maths Tracker...

In order to use the document, you will need to enable macros. Please ensure that the security settings on your computer are set to “medium” ....macros cannot be enabled if the settings are too high.

Enabling macros

When the programme is opened a security warning will appear. 1. Click ‘Options’ . 2. Select “Enable this content on the security warning pop-up. 3. Click “OK”

1.

2.

3.

Enabling macros

A new tab called “Add-ins” will appear across top of page. Click this to view a custom toolbar menu containing the following tabs:

•Students•Achievements•Reports•Tables•Query•Utilities•Admin•Save/Quit

Add-ins Tab

Enabling macros

This custom menu contains all functions that you will need to operate and maintain The Maths Tracker. It is not necessary to use any of the other standard Excel functions. (....in fact it is BEST not to)

As the Administrator, you now need to activate the Admin tab to display extra menu items.

Custom Menu : Admin Tab

This tab allows extra Admin menus to be displayed. Click Display Admin Menus. It is password protected . The password is PASSWORD (all caps) There is also an extra tab on left named “Folder Selection”


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Folder Selection This tab is where links are made to your student input files (csv files from Integris) and also to Teacher Feedback and Reports Files.


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1.

1. Click ‘Folder Selection’ and then ‘Select All’2. Click “Browse” button in Student Input row. Select the file you created in

secure drive name “Student Input” 3. Repeat for Teacher Feedback and Reports Folders (remember the Teacher

Feedback Files are in a different drive) Click OK. The title page will be displayed with these links. Check that they are correct.

2 & 3

Import Integris Student Files


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Click the Students Tab then click the “Import Integris Student Files”

You will see a message in bottom left hand corner of screen saying “Please wait ....importing student data”. When it is complete, all of the students in your school will be displayed in alphabetical order.

Click Utilities tab and then “View Title Page” to get back to title page.

You are now going to import your student details into the programme.

Export Selected Teacher (Form) Files


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You are now going to export a copy of the programme for each class (form) in your school.

.

1. Using the Tables tab, click Form. You will see a list of all the classes (room numbers) in your school.

2. Type a Y next to every one of them that you wish to create a file for. Most likely, this will be all of them. Click Save this file in the Save/Quit tab

1. 2.

3.

3. Click Admin tab, then “Export selected Teacher (Form) files”.

4. You will see a message in bottom left hand corner of screen saying “Please wait....saving teacher file for Room 01, then progress through until all Room numbers have been saved.


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You have just created a teacher file for each class and they are saved in the folder named “Teacher Feedback Files” that you created in the shared drive during initial set up.

At this point, go to Save/Quit tab and Close this file. Make sure you select “yes” to save changes. (It is best not to have the admin version open at the same time as a teacher file ....as it can be confusing)

Now go to Teacher Feedback files (in shared drive) ....these are the files that your teacher can access to view and update their student information. Notice the Form and date issued information in cells with yellow background ......this colour differentiates a teacher file from the admin file (it is the only visible difference). Teacher files and Admin files work in exactly the same way...but only have data for that particular class.

Import all Teacher (Form) Files in selected folder


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The teachers will now go ahead and update information on their files. At some point in time, usually at the end of a term or semester, the Administrators will want to collate the data back into the master copy kept in the secure drive. Make sure the teachers are aware that you are going to do this so that they have their updated files saved in the nominated shared drive.

Open the admin version of the programme. Display admin menus. Click Admin tab and then “Import all Teacher(Form) Files in selected folder”

There will be a message in bottom left hand corner of screen saying “Please wait, importing teacher feedback data from students achievement data entry for room ....” The teachers data is now saved into the admin version of the programme.

New Students and Students leaving your school

When a new student arrives:

1.Save a new csv file for that class from Integris. Save this in Student Input folder. When computer gives message “File already exists, do you want to replace it...click yes.2.Open Admin menus on admin version in secure drive. 3.Follow procedure for “Import Integris Student Files.”4.Follow procedure for “Import all Teacher (Form) Files in selected folder”5.Follow procedure for “Export Selected Teacher (Form) ....but only place a “Y” next to the class that you wish to update with new student.

6.IMPORTANT NOTE: Make sure the teacher is aware that you are updating the teacher file. You need to be sure that the file is the current file and all teacher updates that have been made are saved.

When a new student leaves:

To save any data on that student (in case he/she returns to school or you want to send data on to new school)

1.Run a report from current teacher file on the individual student for each content strand. Save reports as a file in that student’s name in a folder marked “Students left” or something to that effect.

2.Once data has been saved, update teacher file as per instructions for a new student (previous slide)

3.Once again....make sure techer is aware that you are updatuig the file in the shared drive. It is envisaged that an update of students coming or going need only be done periodically.

UPDATES It will be necessary to send updated versions of The Maths Tracker throughout the year. We will be making minor changes and upgrades as issues and concerns are raised.

Updated versions will be emailed to you .

When you receive it....1. Open NEW version in usual manner and enable macros. Display admin menu. 2. Select “Import all data from previous version of the program”3. This will prompt you to sect the folder where previous version is stored4. There is no need to re select the links to sub-folders. Open previous version. Copy

cells B7 : E9 on title page and paste this into cells B7:E9 on new version.

User Guide (Administrators) The Maths Tracker by the Schools Development Group is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike.

Documents

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numeracy development

school strengths

teaching of numeracy

oconnor primary school

highgate primary school

huntingdale primary

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