Big data is a newer educational trend that has come about within the last ten years. Big data is a term used to describe sets of data that are so large that they can only be analyzed by computers. Within a school, big data is used to analyze student assessments, behavior, and attendance. Big data looks at individual students and individualizes their instruction to meet their learning needs. 

Below is a video where Kenneth Cukier, author of the book, "Learning with Big Data: the Future of Education," discusses the meaning of data and some of the pros and cons associated with it.

Pros of Big Data for teachers and students:

• Improves student results
• Helps set up a data trail so a deeper understanding of the student's learning patterns and behavior is developed.
• Selects better groups for students to work with for group work. Students are grouped together with similar learning needs.
• Students get to see whether they answered questions correctly in real time.
• Students will have a customized learning program tailored to fit their learning needs and learning style.
• Students will be able to work at their own pace and learn things that are interesting to them.
• Big Data differentiates for teachers. Teachers know in real time exactly what each student needs.
• Teacher can monitor students to determine which topics need more discussion for deeper learning for students.
• Creates a digital record for each student
• More course completion and lower dropout rates.
• Less cheating or turning in of other student't work

Drawbacks of Big Data:

• Sometimes there is too much data and teachers do not know where to start or what to do with the data.
• Privacy for students
• Students do not own or control their data. Sometimes after work is turned in, they can never retrieve it again.
• Data follows the students. Therefore something minor that happened in the past may shift an educators opinion of a child before they meet them.
• Interpreting data accurately takes a great deal of time. Most teachers do not have enough time during the day to go through heavy amounts of data and impact real change without assistance or training.

Above is a Ted Talks video about Big Data. This is a great video because it really breaks down why big data will help schools and what to do once the data is generated.

If data is all stored in one place for a child, it allows educators to better serve the child from cradle to college. They are able to look at his "digital backpack" to make the best decisions for the child. This will allow the child to be the most successful throughout life.