Identify the data source that is most trustworthy for each of the situations below. They will appear one at a time, and you will receive feedback after each answer.

1. Collecting information as to why students skip class:
   1. Teachers’ explanation
   2. Students’ explanations
   3. Current research on why students skip class

   Students’ accounts are most trustworthy because their reasons provide more relevance than teachers on skipping class. Teachers can only speculate or provide opinions.

2. Determining the effectiveness of professional development:
   1. Participants' feedback at the end of professional development
   2. Degree of interaction among participants during the professional development
   3. Ongoing formative assessment from professional development throughout implementation

   Ongoing formative assessment of the professional development allows data to be collected, reviewed, and analyzed. The analysis can be used to determine the degree to which the implementation aligns with the intent of the professional development.

3. Identifying an appropriate data source:
   1. Suggestions from educators
   2. Use of the “right” questions
   3. Base identification on available data sources

   Using the “right” questions to identify an appopriate data source saves time by focusing on data sources that have a higher probability of providing relevant solutions to problems.

4. Determining appropriate tasks for action plans:
   1. Guessing
   2. Collaborating with colleagues
   3. Using data that supports the learning goal

   Using data that supports the learning goal increases the probability that your tasks address the solutions for the identified goal.