tandfonline.com – What data do practitioners use and why? Evidence from Germany comparing schools in different contexts

ABSTRACT

Poor performance in international student assessment has led to calls to enhance evidence-based practice in the German educational system. Yet indications about the extent to which German practitioners use data is limited, and little is known about factors influencing data-driven school improvement. Using data from three studies and comparing schools in different circumstances, we examined the perceived usefulness and the application of 13 different sources of information that can inform teachers’ and school leaders’ practice by means of standardised questionnaires. The results showed that practitioners attributed little usefulness to a standards-based reform and consequently hardly used these data. Instead, they claimed to prefer process-oriented information sources, such as student feedback. A comparison of the different samples indicated that data use might be lower in schools in challenging circumstances. In face-to-face interviews, a considerable proportion of the interviewees mentioned little data use due to a lack of time. Furthermore, problems in recontextualising evidence and adapting it to personal needs were mentioned. Some practitioners also stated shortcomings in the quality and validity of the data, which was particularly true for findings from school inspections and standardised testing of students.