Digital inequities and data-driven leadership: A study on data utilization by school leaders in Panama's Indigenous communities

• In Event: National education policies vis-à-vis Indigenous student outcomes

Proposal

Introduction

This study examines how school leaders in Indigenous schools in Panama use data to enhance performance compared to school leaders in non-Indigenous areas. While principals play a key role in guiding data for daily instruction and school-wide improvements, data can sometimes reinforce systemic inequities, hindering progress for marginalized groups. Indigenous communities face unique challenges in accessing, managing, and using data due to limited infrastructure, bureaucratic barriers, and inadequate training.

Relevance to CIES 2025

Aligned with the theme "Envisioning Education in a Digital Society," this study highlights data leadership in Panama, a region rarely studied in global educational research. It explores how data practices can promote justice or reinforce barriers, focusing on Indigenous school leaders. The study addresses the unique challenges principals in Indigenous communities face and how their specific contexts influence data usage and leadership within a centralized educational system.

Purpose of the research

School leaders are increasingly required to use data to improve performance and student achievement (Halverson et al., 2007). This includes helping teachers use data for daily instructional decisions (Coburn & Turner, 2011; Neumerski, 2013) and addressing school-wide issues (Earl & Katz, 2006). However, data use and federal mandates have often reinforced racial hierarchies and systems of oppression instead of promoting equity (Gutiérrez, 2008).

Data leadership is crucial for a school's improvement, with principals overseeing data systems (Schildkamp, 2019). Leaders foster a culture where teachers engage with data (Park et al., 2013) and ensure access to necessary data and time for analysis to drive changes (Datnow & Hubbard, 2016). Effective data leadership enables schools to address instructional challenges (Poortman & Schildkamp, 2016) and promote racial equity (Bowers & Choi, 2023; Roegman et al., 2022).

Much of the research on data use in educational leadership focuses on schooling in the United States, where federal mandates for testing and data reporting shape state-level educational decisions. In this study, we extend the research on data use to Panama, a country with a centralized education system.

This study aims to identify contextual differences among leaders that may impact data leadership in Panama. Our research objectives include:

Examine Indigenous school leaders' challenges in using data to improve performance, focusing on limited access to digital infrastructure, training, and support.
Compare data leadership practices among Indigenous, rural, and urban school leaders to highlight how contextual differences affect data use in decision-making.


Methodology

This qualitative study employed stratified sampling to interview school leaders from Panama's rural, urban, and Indigenous areas. Ninety schools were selected, resulting in 46 interviews: 21 rural, 12 urban, and 13 Indigenous. This distribution reflected Panama’s school demographics, with a slight underrepresentation of urban schools and an overrepresentation of Indigenous schools, allowing for cautious generalization. The interviews examined data use, leadership challenges, and future expectations, offering insights into how leaders manage data for instructional and decision-making across regions.

The interview data were analyzed inductively through an iterative process (Charmaz, 2006), using in vivo codes to capture participants' words (Bogdan & Biklen, 2007). Descriptor codes identified differences between urban, rural, and Indigenous schools, facilitating thematic analysis of data leadership and usage. This revealed how geographical and community factors shape practices, especially in Indigenous areas, highlighting the need for tailored strategies to address the unique challenges of Indigenous education in Panama.

The study's stratified sampling and inductive coding methods provide insights into how geographic, economic, and cultural factors shape educational outcomes, especially in marginalized communities. It emphasizes data equity, culturally responsive leadership, and adapting data management to local contexts for global equity.

Success and Limitations

The overrepresentation of Indigenous schools allowed for detailed analysis and comparison with other groups, providing a comprehensive understanding of data management practices in school leaders of Indigenous areas. However, the focus on one stakeholder was a limitation. Future research opportunities should include administrators, teachers, and parents to broaden the findings and offer a more complete view of the educational landscape.

Impact and findings

The research uncovered several critical insights that highlight the key challenges and opportunities within the scope of this study. The most relevant findings are as follows:


Access to Training and Resources: Indigenous communities have the highest percentage (24.23%) of individuals reporting little or no training in digital tools, compared to rural (15%) and urban areas (8.75%). This lack of training limits their ability to engage with digital education platforms and data-driven decision-making. A principal from the Ngabe Buble Nedrini community illustrated this point.

“Yes, we were trained previously and many years ago, but we have not received training currently. I am receiving training because I am preparing for university now, but not from MEDUCA.”


Data Management and Technological Infrastructure: Due to unstable platforms and systemic issues, Indigenous areas face challenges in managing and sharing data. While urban areas experience fewer problems, 30.45% of Indigenous communities depend on manual data entry and repetitive reporting. Unlike urban automation, reliance on manual processes limits Indigenous participation in digital education initiatives. A principal from the Ngabe Bugle Ñokribo community emphasized this issue.


“We go out to the urban area to do the work, and the school keeps its information, its platform, and everything. But sometimes we have to do it manually, not everything is digital.”

· Equity and Inclusion: There is a significant disparity in the mobilization required for data reporting, with 96.8% of Indigenous areas facing difficulties, compared to 3.2% in rural and none in urban areas. This gap highlights unequal resource access, limiting Indigenous participation in data-driven decisions and worsening inequalities. One Emberá community principal noted this issue.

“It would be great if we, and the supervisor, handled things more by e-mail. Why? Because it’s easier than heading out to the regional office. To get to the regional office, you must take a canoe and ground transportation, and the principal pays for everything out-of-pocket.”

The study highlights the crucial importance of data leadership in promoting educational equity, particularly for Indigenous principals facing significant data access challenges. It critiques data colonialism, advocating for locally informed models and culturally responsive leadership to address disparities across various contexts.

Authors

• Maria Alejandra Quintero, Quality Leadership University

• Mariana Leon, Quality Leadership University

• Rachel Roegman, University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign

• Katisha Ramos, Quality Leadership University