SDP Winter Workshop 2025

** This session is open to both C15 and C16 fellows **

PREWORK: None

SESSION DESCRIPTION:
Managing your own data projects is challenging, but as your career progresses, you may also take on the responsibility of managing people within data teams. This adds a new layer of complexity, particularly in the K-12 education sector, where navigating union and non-union employer groups can present unique challenges.
This session focuses on the strategies, tools, and leadership skills needed to build and lead high-performing data teams that consistently deliver impactful results. It is designed to help early-career data professionals gain a clear understanding of the tools, approaches, and mindset required for supervising staff effectively. By the end of the session, attendees will be better equipped to transition into leadership roles and set themselves—and their teams—up for success.

SESSION MATIERALS:

** This session is open to both C15 and C16 fellows **

PREWORK: None

SESSION DESCRIPTION:
Clustering is a fundamental component of data science’s machine learning toolbox. This session will explore the foundational concepts of clustering, and, through practical examples, provide insights into how it may be useful for analyzing education-related data. As part of this session, an R-based Jupyter notebook will be provided to participants as a reference if they wish to implement k-means clustering in their work.

What is clustering?

• In which situations would clustering be helpful/appropriate?
• How do you conduct a clustering analysis and interpret the results?
• Use some examples from ETSU’s work to walk through the process

SESSION MATERIALS:

** This session is open to both C15 and C16 fellows **

PREWORK: ** Submission Required ** 

Submit your own data or problem prior and we will pick a couple to use as a walk-through example of the process. submit your work to this folder here by January 31.

Those interested in walking through the process of narrowing their data focus can submit their data set, or a description of what their data is, along with anything they are being asked to do with the data, or any information they have about why they are using the data.

SESSION DESCRIPTION:

This session invites participants to submit their data sets or describe their data challenges, providing a hands-on experience in narrowing down data focus effectively. Learn the importance of honing in on the right data parameters before diving into analysis, and discover the research-backed 6 Steps to streamline your data focus for more impactful results. Additionally, explore why data literacy and strategic thinking are crucial components to implement alongside data tools. Join us to enhance your data strategy and make informed, data-driven decisions with confidence.

SESSION MATIERALS: See below

** This session is open to both C15 and C16 fellows **

PREWORK: ** No Submission Required ** 

Come with access to your LLM of choice. A paid account is not required for most use cases.

SESSION DESCRIPTION:
This workshop showcases the many ways that other fellows are integrating LLMs into their day-to-day work right now. This session pushes beyond abstractions and demonstrates practical applications proven effective by fellows in our cohort. We will highlight applications across quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods work. Examples include named entity recognition for user tracking, developing evaluative rubrics aligned with standards, and theorizing counter-arguments for high-stakes presentations. Participants will learn practical techniques to adapt LLMs for automating processes, generating insights, and enhancing workflows, while small-group collaboration will provide support for brainstorming and developing personalized use cases. Attendees will leave with actionable ideas and a clear starting point for leveraging LLMs in their own work.

SESSION MATIERALS:

** This session is open to both C15 and C16 fellows **

SESSION RECORDING: To Be Posted

PRE WORK:
Participants should complete the brief pre-session survey here by January 29th. Responses will help inform facilitation of the session. 

SESSION DESCRIPTION:
The journey to impactful change begins with the end in mind, and it's helpful to have a map to guide the way. Learn about how Guilford County Schools developed and applied the Roadmap to Success framework to systemically support strategic implementation and progress monitoring. Participants will leave with proven tools and processes, including Theories of Change, Logic Models, and Progress Monitoring Plans, to foster continuous improvement. Grounded in implementation science, the session emphasizes strategic alignment and data use to prevent "initiative-itis" - a focus on busyness over productivity. Through interactive discussions and reflection, participants will explore practical applications and uncover opportunities to build systemic progress monitoring in their own contexts, ensuring meaningful and sustainable results.

SESSION MATERIALS: