Those asked to make valid decisions with data don’t have the technical knowledge to understand nuance around data quality, assessment aims, and statistical limitations that influence how they should interpret the data. This reality is what Greg Thompson, Leslie Rutkowski, and David Rutkowski call the validity paradox. Educators can surmount this paradox by following a five-step model in which they make a claim, make the opposite claim, and then determine how well both claims are supported by the available evidence. This process can enable practicing educators to make more valid decisions based on data.
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