Preparing preservice teachers to be data literate: a Queensland case study

ABSTRACT

Data driven pedagogy has been introduced into Australian schools over the last decade to improve student learning outcomes, but are teacher educators preparing preservice teachers to be data literate? We used a survey to investigate ready-to-graduate preservice teachers’ beliefs regarding their knowledge and skills in data literacy. Before entering a course on data literacy their belief responses indicated that they had basic data interpretation knowledge, but they were unsure of how to translate that knowledge into the classroom to improve student outcomes. The survey was administered again after a data literacy course, which included a five-week supervised professional experience task of observing data being used in schools to drive pedagogy. The post-course survey responses showed students increased confidence in their ability to interpret and use data, suggesting that a data literacy course linked to the professional experience task improves teachers’ sense of preparedness to use data in the classroom. Keywords: Data literacy; professional learning.

KEYWORDS:

• Data literacy
• professional learning

Ethics statement included in body of manuscript (if relevant)

Ethics approval for this study was granted by the University of the Sunshine Coast ethics committee (ethics approval E/17/086).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Michael Carey

Dr Michael Carey specialises in TESOL, language and literacy assessment and testing, coordinates Secondary Education programs, and supervises research students in various fields of linguistics.

Peter Grainger

Dr Peter Grainger’s research focuses on assessment (grading tools), second language learning (Japanese) and peer review processes in tertiary educational institutions.

Michael Christie

Assoc Prof Michael Christie teaches Master of Education courses on action research and researches ICT in higher education, adult education, PhD supervision and cross-cultural issues.