Data-driven decision making in one Northern Ontario school : where are we now? what do we need to move forward?

Abstract

This study examined teachers' perceptions in one school regarding data-driven decision making (DDDM) in their practice and what they identified as their needs to move forward. A questionnaire was used to determine the teachers' perceptions of their school's capacity to use DDDM, the teachers' own understanding of DDDM concepts, and what teachers identify as their needs to move forward in order to answer the questions guiding the study : Where are we now? What do we need to move forward? An action research methodology was used to examine the teachers' perceptions about their school's capacity to use data, their classroom assessment practices and knowledge about using data to guide instruction. In conclusion, the teachers perceived their school's capacity to use DDDM as limited to moderate. In order to move forward the teachers idenitifed the following needs : time, professional development, technology support and training, and trust. The findings in this study may give further direction to schools using data to improve student achievement.