Tools of the trade: a look at educators’ use of assessment systems

Teachers' actual proficiencies in data-driven decision-making remain relatively low.

“Despite many studies on DDDM, teachers' actual proficiencies remain relatively low.”

Several studies have highlighted the importance of capturing qualitative data.

“Whilst most technology-based systems emphasise numerical data and statistics, several studies have also highlighted the importance of capturing qualitative data (Farley-Ripple et al., 2021).”

The appropriateness of data display increases the likelihood of their utilisation.

“Apart from the quality of data, the appropriateness of data display increases the likelihood of their utilisation (Farley-Ripple et al., 2021).”

Query tools and visualisation allow users to execute complex queries and generate customised reports and visualisation based on their requirements.

“Query tools and visualisation allow users to execute complex queries and generate customised reports and visualisation based on their requirements (Farley-Ripple et al., 2021;Rankin, 2016).”

Teachers' low level of data literacy is widely documented in the literature.

“Teachers' low level of data literacy is widely documented in the literature (e.g.Farley-Ripple et al., 2021;Hellmuth & Stewart, 2015;Jimerson & Wayman, 2015;Jimerson et al., 2021;van Geel et al., 2017;Wayman et al., 2017).”

Teachers' involvement is critical to encourage data use within schools.

“As key users of data systems, teachers' involvement is critical to encourage data use within schools (Farley-Ripple et al., 2021).”

It is necessary to include context-based interpretations and decisions and the link between reporting features and interpretation and use of data.

“Whilst validity issues focus on intended interpretation and use, it was argued that it is necessary to include context-based interpretations and decisions and the link between reporting features and interpretation and use of data (Farley-Ripple et al., 2021).”

Despite generally low usage of data systems, teachers access data reports more notably than others, indicating some shared perceptions of usefulness.

“Despite generally low usage of data systems, there are reports that teachers access data reports more notably than others, indicating some shared perceptions of usefulness (Farley-Ripple et al., 2021).”

Teachers find that data systems often lack valuable data for DDDM.

“Teachers find that data systems often lack valuable data for DDDM (Farley-Ripple et al., 2021).”

If teachers can make sense of the data and draw insights from them to inform their decisions related to learning and teaching, they are more likely to access the data systems.

“If teachers can make sense of the data and draw insights from them to inform their decisions related to learning and teaching, they are more likely to access the data systems (Farley-Ripple et al., 2021).”

The mismatch between system design and teachers' needs might cause poor system design outcomes.

“This might be due to the mismatch between system design and teachers' needs (Farley-Ripple et al., 2021).”

A technology-based data system that can store, analyse, and display all relevant data, including individual, school, and system data, and quantitative and qualitative data, would increase the likelihood of teachers' use of this system to support their decisions related to learning and teaching.

“A technology-based data system that can store, analyse, and display all relevant data, including individual, school, and system data, and quantitative and qualitative data (Farley-Ripple et al., 2021) would increase the likelihood of teachers' use of this system to support inform their decisions related to earning and teaching (Rankin, 2016(Rankin, , 2014)).”

Quality content and visual display are important.

“Building on the adage that data systems are only as good as the data inputted, quality content and visual display are important (Farley-Ripple et al., 2021).”

Several studies in this review revealed system characteristics that influence teachers' data use.

“Several studies in this review revealed system characteristics that influence teachers' data use (Farley-Ripple et al., 2021;Rankin, 2016;Schildkamp et al., 2014).”

Personal factors that constrain teacher data use include negative perception of the reliability and validity of data.

“These include their negative perception of the reliability and validity of data (Farley-Ripple et al., 2021;Moss, 2013)”

Personal factors that constrain teacher data use include low level of data literacy.

“and low level of data literacy (Farley-Ripple et al., 2021).”