Research highlights how teachers use data to improve learning

Associate Professor Mohamed Alansari from Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa Massey University's Institute of Education led the research for the New Zealand Council for Educational Research with funding from the Ministry of Education. The project provides the first national snapshot of data capabilities across primary and intermediate schools, offering insights into how teachers collect, interpret and act on information to improve teaching and learning.

The report, Teachers as data navigators: Using data to improve teaching and learning, draws on survey responses from 971 teachers from 263 schools. It found teachers are generally confident using data to inform their practice, particularly when interpreting assessment information and identifying students' learning needs. However, it also identified opportunities to strengthen collaborative discussions about data and develop more consistent understandings of equity in schools.

Dr Alansari says teachers today rely on much more than assessment results to understand how their students are progressing.

"Schools routinely gather all sorts of information about leadership practices, teaching and learning. That includes assessment data, student and whānau voice, classroom observations, teaching surveys and in-the-moment insights about how students are navigating school academically and socially."

He says the research set out to better understand whether teachers had the capabilities to make sense of this growing volume of information and whether those capabilities aligned with international best practice and policy expectations.

"There had not previously been an attempt to provide a national snapshot of data capabilities in Aotearoa New Zealand schools, including how these capabilities could be strengthened. This research is our attempt to look deeply and systematically at that topic."

While teachers reported high levels of confidence across most areas of data use, one finding stood out.

"Teachers rated their data discussion skills comparatively lower than other areas in the survey. That surprised me because teachers in New Zealand are generally collaborative and are used to working in teams, year levels or syndicates."

The finding points to the need for more professional learning and development that helps teachers have productive conversations about data and use those insights to guide teaching decisions.

The research also found teachers held differing views about what equity looks like in practice. Some associated equity with treating everyone the same, while others saw it as responding to the different needs of learners.

"Developing shared definitions and understandings of what equity and equitable outcomes mean is likely to sharpen schools' focus on how to achieve them in their own contexts."

The findings come as schools continue adapting to new assessment tools and reporting requirements, making effective use of data an increasing priority across the education sector.

Dr Alansari says the report's central message is captured in its title.

"Teachers are data navigators. They spend their time observing, gathering information and making professional evaluative judgements about the impact of their teaching on student outcomes through navigating mountains of data.

"Unless teachers are supported to do that well, it becomes much harder to identify the impact of good teaching on student engagement and achievement."

Beyond identifying areas for improvement, the research has also produced a practical tool for schools. Drawing on international evidence, the team developed a data capabilities survey that schools can use to review their own practices and identify priorities for future professional learning and development.

Dr Alansari hopes future research will examine how the tool influences leadership practices and whether strengthening teachers' data capabilities leads to improved engagement and achievement for learners.

You can read the report here.