Data use for instructional decision making: Teacher perspectives

Wendy Cavendish, Ryan Davey, Emily Garmizo and Angelic Prom
University of Miami, USA

Student data is central to educational evaluation and decision-making within school systems across the globe. Teacher perspectives of data utility for pedagogy as well as their beliefs in their data competence are critical to the effective use of data in these settings. Results from this study, conducted with 39 public school teachers in the U.S., indicate that teacher attitudes toward data are relatively positive; however, more experienced teachers report greater data competence than novice teachers. Qualitative findings reveal teachers' preference for formative assessments to guide instructional decision-making, and teachers report a need for ongoing professional development (PD) to support their data use. We provide recommendations for teacher PD to support more meaningful use of data.
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Authors: Wendy Cavendish PhD is a Professor at Rowan University and Professor Emerita in the Department of Teaching and Learning at the University of Miami, USA. She has extensive experience as both a K-12 public school teacher and as a teacher educator. Her research interests include student and teacher voice in educational decision-making and teacher professional development for asset-based pedagogies. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2229-2246 Email: wcavendish@miami.edu Ryan Davey MSEd is a graduate of the University of Miami School of Education and Human Development and is continuing his doctoral education at Florida State University, USA. Previously, he completed research on the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on student assessment. His passion is researching education and political science. Email: rjd190@miami.edu Emily Garmizo BS is pursuing a Master of Science in Special Education at the University of Miami, USA. She received her bachelor degree from the University of Florida and has worked in early childhood education. She is passionate about her students and providing them with tools for success. Email: eag2044@miami.edu Angelic Prom MSEd is a recent graduate of the Masters Program in Education and Social Change, University of Miami, USA. Angelic has experience working in K-6 education settings and is interested in student focused education research. Email: angelic.prom16@gmail.com Please cite as: Cavendish, W., Davey, R., Garmizo, E. & Prom, A. (2026). Data use for instructional decision making: Teacher perspectives. Issues in Educational Research, 36(1), 40-52. http://www.iier.org.au/iier36/cavendish.pdf