Data for Decision Making in Technical Education Programs: Findings From Washington State

• In Event: Using Data to Improve Student, Program, and Campus Outcomes

Abstract

Community colleges have made progress in the past decade around incorporating data into their decision making processes but faculty who direct career and technical education (CTE) programs still face difficulty accessing and using data to improve programs. In this study, part of a multi-year research project funded by the National Science Foundation Advanced Technological Education program, the authors implement multiple strands of qualitative inquiry to explore how technical education faculty at three career and technical colleges (CTCs) in Washington State access and use student-level data to improve programs and pathways. The study’s findings reveal promising pockets of faculty entrepreneurship in pursuing data to improve outcomes but broader patterns suggest substantial opportunities to expand the use of data among CTE faculty.

Authors

• Grant Blume, University of Washington

• Elizabeth Meza, University of Washington - Seattle

• Krystle Balhan, Seattle Central College

• Zachary Rubin, Green River College

• Kendrick Hang, Green River College

• William M. Zumeta, University of Washington