"We're not data analysts": Teachers's perspectives on factors impacting their use of student assessment data

Cynthia P. Raffe and Tony Loughland
University of New South Wales, Australia

Education systems worldwide have encouraged data use initiatives with the aim of improving student learning through data-driven decision making (DDDM). Despite this, the adoption of DDDM practices by Australian teachers has been slow. Investigating current organisational activities at a micro level is imperative for any change initiative to gain momentum and adoption. To examine the underlying factors contributing to the minimal change in teachers' data practices, the study examines primary teachers' perspectives on issues relating to their ability to collect and analyse student assessment data. The study also adopts an inter-disciplinary lens through the use of a business process change management framework. Drawing on data from twenty-three semi-structured interviews with experienced teachers, sixteen salient factors are identified as affecting teachers' use of student assessment data to guide instruction. This paper argues that addressing these factors is the precursor to incorporating lasting changes in teachers' data practices.
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Authors: Cynthia P. Raffe is a PhD candidate in the School of Education at the University of New South Wales, Australia. Her research interests target individualised student learning by promoting and augmenting data-driven decision making for teachers through examining organisational routines of schools. She has extensive experience leading large-scale change management data initiatives across international and multinational organisations. Email: c.raffe@unsw.edu.au Tony Loughland is the Academic Director of Professional Experience in the School of Education at the University of New South Wales. Tony is an experienced educator who likes to work from practice to theory and back again. His research interests lie in teacher professional learning across the continuum from graduate to lead teacher. He is currently leading a project investigating the feasibility of a responsive, needs-based staffing system for NSW. Email: tony.loughland@unsw.edu.au Please cite as: Raffe, C. P. & Loughland, T. (2021). "We're not data analysts": Teachers's perspectives on factors impacting their use of student assessment data. Issues in Educational Research, 31(1), 224-240. http://www.iier.org.au/iier31/raffe.pdf