Data Systems and Reports as Active Participants in Data Interpretation
Open accessAbstract
Most data-informed decision-making in education is undermined by flawed interpretations. Educator-driven interventions to improve data use are beneficial but not omnipotent, as data misunderstandings persist at schools and school districts commended for ideal data use support. Meanwhile, most data systems and reports display figures without supporting guidance concerning the data's proper interpretation, and data reports often do not reflect best design practices for effective communication of data. Yet there are strong evidence data systems and reports, if modified to adhere to research-based best practices, can play an active role in supporting understanding of the data and appropriate use of the data. This paper features examples of how Over-the-Counter Data Standards can be applied to data systems and reports in order to report data to educators in ways most likely to render appropriate interpretation. These standards are derived from a quantitative study of 211 educators and a qualitative study of over 300 studies and other expert sources investigating how to best improve data systems and reports. This paper's examples involve enhancing data with labels, supplemental documentation, a help system, effective package/display, and adequate content. Educators' data interpretations were 205 to 436 percent more accurate depending on the standard applied to their data reporting tools.
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The challenge of merging various sources of students' data and generating results that can easily be understood and interpreted by teachers exacerbates the issue of teachers struggling with interpreting data.
“This issue is exacerbated by the challenge of merging various sources of students' data and generating results that can easily be understood and interpreted by teachers (Rankin, 2016).”
From Using information and communication technology (ICT)-based data systems to support teacher data-driven decision-making: Insights from the literature (2013–2023) (2024) · cites this paper as Rankin, 2016
The use of data reporting standards in education is critically important for improved accuracy of teachers' data interpretation accuracy.
“The use of data reporting standards in education is critically important for improved accuracy of teachers' data interpretation accuracy (Rankin, 2016), which has been reported as frequently inaccurate.”
From Using information and communication technology (ICT)-based data systems to support teacher data-driven decision-making: Insights from the literature (2013–2023) (2024) · cites this paper as Rankin, 2016
Appropriate and effective display of comprehensive data ensures quick and accurate information retrieval to make timely informed decisions.
“Rankin (2016) and Schildkamp et al. (2014) argue that appropriate and effective display of comprehensive data ensures quick and accurate information retrieval to make timely informed decisions.”
From Using information and communication technology (ICT)-based data systems to support teacher data-driven decision-making: Insights from the literature (2013–2023) (2024) · cites this paper as Rankin (2016)
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).”
From Using information and communication technology (ICT)-based data systems to support teacher data-driven decision-making: Insights from the literature (2013–2023) (2024) · cites this paper as Rankin, 2016
A solution to data misinterpretation is the application of appropriate labelling conventions to information technology.
“According to Rankin (2016), a solution to data misinterpretation is the application of appropriate labelling conventions to information technology.”
From Using information and communication technology (ICT)-based data systems to support teacher data-driven decision-making: Insights from the literature (2013–2023) (2024) · cites this paper as Rankin (2016)
Efficient data access means user-friendliness, system speed and updates, timely data, and longitudinal data.
“Efficient data access means user-friendliness, system speed and updates, timely data, and longitudinal data (Cho & Wayman, 2014;Rankin, 2016;Wayman et al., 2017).”
From Using information and communication technology (ICT)-based data systems to support teacher data-driven decision-making: Insights from the literature (2013–2023) (2024) · cites this paper as Rankin, 2016
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).”
From Using information and communication technology (ICT)-based data systems to support teacher data-driven decision-making: Insights from the literature (2013–2023) (2024) · cites this paper as Rankin, 2016
Powerful query tools are important to extract data appropriately based on the privileges and levels of data access and allow users to execute complex queries, generate customised reports and visualisation based on their requirements.
“Studies have shown the importance of powerful query tools to extract data appropriately based on the privileges and levels of data access and allow users to execute complex queries generate customised reports and visualisation based on their requirements (Rankin, 2016).”
From Using information and communication technology (ICT)-based data systems to support teacher data-driven decision-making: Insights from the literature (2013–2023) (2024) · cites this paper as Rankin, 2016
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)).”
From Using information and communication technology (ICT)-based data systems to support teacher data-driven decision-making: Insights from the literature (2013–2023) (2024) · cites this paper as Rankin, 2016
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Alonzo, D., Quimno, V., Townend, G., & Oo, C. Z. (2024) · Educational Assessment, Evaluation and Accountability · doi:10.1007/s11092-024-09443-8 · Cited by 16 · see citing works
“Efficient data access means user-friendliness, system speed and updates, timely data, and longitudinal data (Cho & Wayman, 2014; Rankin, 2016; Wayman et al., 2017).”
Influential
- Authors
- Rankin, J. G.
- Affiliations
- University of Cambridge (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Rankin, Jenny Grant
- ORCID
- Rankin, Jenny Grant
- Venue
- Universal Journal of Educational Research
- Published
- 2016-11
- Volume
- 4
- Issue
- 11
- Pages
- 2493-2501
- ISSN
- 2332-3205 (ISSN-L)
- 2332-3213
- OpenAlex
- W2547920411
- Cited by
- 5
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2024: 1 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 1 · 2017: 1
- FWCI
- 0.63
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- diamond
- doi.org
- Licence
- cc-by
- Locations
- Universal Journal of Educational Research (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Information Systems and Management › Educational Assessment and Improvement
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition › Data Visualization and Analytics
- Social Sciences › Education › Educational Research and Methods
- Keywords
- educational information systems, data reports, data interpretation, data-informed decision making, data visualization, data transmission, data annotation, help systems
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