Data teams for school improvement

Abstract

The use of data for educational decision making has never been more prevalent. However, teachers and school leaders need support in data use. Support can be provided by means of professional development in the form of “data teams”. This study followed the functioning of 4 data teams over a period of 2 years, applying a qualitative case study design. The findings show that data use is not a linear process, and that teams go through different feedback loops to reach higher levels of depth of inquiry. The data team procedure is a promising way of enhancing data-based decision making in schools.

Keywords:

• data use
• data teams
• teacher professional development
• qualitative case studies

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the Stichting Carmelcollege for making this project possible.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. In The Netherlands, students enter secondary education at the age of 12. Roughly three tracks can be distinguished. The pre-vocational track (lower level) takes 4 years and prepares for secondary vocational education. Senior general secondary education (middle level) prepares for higher professional education and takes 5 years. The third track (higher level) prepares for college directly and takes 6 years.

2. Students choose a profile in which coherent subjects are offered, for example “culture and society”.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Kim Schildkamp

Dr. Kim Schildkamp is an associate professor in the Faculty of Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences of the University of Twente. Kim’s research focuses on “data-based decision making for school improvement”. She is a board member of the International Congress for School Effectiveness and Improvement (ICSEI) and chair of the ICSEI data use network. She has published widely on the use of data.

Cindy L. Poortman

Dr. Cindy Poortman is an assistant professor at the University of Twente Institute for Teacher Training and Professional Development. Her main research interests concern teacher professional development in teams.

Adam Handelzalts

Dr. Adam Handelzalts is the managing director of the teacher college at the Faculty of Psychology and Education of VU University Amsterdam. His main areas of interest are collaborative (design) work of teachers and teachers’ professional development.