Participants’ Reports of Using Data for Instructional Decisions: The Creation of a Questionnaire

• In Event: New Views on Formative Assessments

Abstract

As part of an external evaluation of a non-profit professional development provider, researchers created and piloted an educator data-use questionnaire. Researchers based the questionnaire on the provider’s logic model; a review of the literature; and input from external and internal experts, the non-profit staff members, and pre-testing. The pre-questionnaire return rate was 71% (115 of 162). The post-questionnaire rate was 61%. Of the 115 with pre-questionnaires, 43% returned the post. Five of six sections of the questionnaire had strong internal consistency, using data for—flexible grouping, differentiated instruction, evaluations of instructional effectiveness, communication, and the data decision-making process. An open-ended item on the data decision-making process was also created successfully. The sixth section on formative assessments will be revised.

Authors

• Caitlin Scott, Education Northwest

• Jason Greenberg Motamedi, Education Northwest

• Angela Roccograndi, Education Northwest