Understanding Teachers' Collaboration on Data Use

• In Event: Evidence Use in Professional Learning Communities

Abstract

Objectives
Worldwide, teachers are expected to build their practice upon knowledge rather than intuition (OECD, 2013). Research puts forward that collaboration (e.g., in PLCs) is indispensable in view of data use for school improvement (Daly, 2012; Marsh, 2012; Hubbard, Datnow & Pruyn, 2014). However, there is lack of research that investigates the central role of collaboration in teachers’ data use. This study therefore focuses on how collaboration on data use impacts teachers’ use of learning outcomes and on how collaboration on data use can be explained by person-related and data-related factors.

Perspective(s)/Theoretical framework
Research on data use generally delimits the concept ‘data’ to cognitive output indicators (Schildkamp, Ehren & Lai, 2012; Schildkamp & Kuyper, 2010). Because these indicators on itself fail to provide a complete picture of pupil development, we include cognitive as well as non-cognitive learning outcomes into this study’s conceptualization of data.
Evidence suggests that collaboration is a potential catalyst for teachers’ data use because of the opportunity to share experience and knowledge and the development of supportive relationships among team members (Handelzalts, 2009). Several researchers state that attitude and self-efficacy are critical in the process of data use (Kowalski & Lasley, 2009; Schildkamp et al., 2012). Previous research also shows that data use is influenced by data-related factors, such as the relevance of available data (Kowalski & Lasley, 2009; Pierce & Chick, 2011; Schildkamp & Teddlie, 2008).

Methods and data sources
A quantitative research approach was conducted. Data where gathered through an online survey including a stratified sample of 1472 teachers within 63 primary schools and 54 secondary schools. Data were analyzed through Structural Equation Modeling, taking into account the nested structure of the data (teachers within schools). The construct validity of the instrument was tested through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses.

Results
Based on the descriptive results, it appears that the use of learning outcomes is not a standard practice among teachers. The explanatory results show that the more teachers report collaboration on data use the more they use learning outcomes to inform their practice. Furthermore, it appears that teachers’ attitude has nothing but an indirect impact on their use of learning outcomes through collaboration. Self-efficacy is proven to have a direct as well as an indirect impact on teachers’ use of learning outcomes. Relevance is shown to have a direct impact on teachers’ use of learning outcomes.

Significance
The results indicate that in research as well as in policy-making a stronger focus should lie on collaboration with regard to data use since the extent of collaboration in schools directly influences teachers’ use of learning outcomes. Furthermore, this study provides new insights with regard to the impact of user-related and data-related factors on teachers’ data use.

Authors

• Roos Van Van Gasse, University of Antwerp

• Kristin Vanlommel, University of Antwerp

• Jan Vanhoof, Antwerp University

• Peter Van Petegem, University of Antwerp