Data - A Leadership Tool
Data is an important tool for teachers to consider when imagining a direction or a solution to any problem teacher leaders are looking to solve. Schildkamp (2019) speaks of using data to inform strategies to support school improvement, but identifies that this is synonymous in many ways with student achievement and learning (p. 260). More strongly, Schildkamp (2019) argues that data should also inform school leadership of which goals to pursue (p. 261). The types of data to consider are as follows:
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Formal data, which is collected systemically through quantitative and qualitative means
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Informal data, such as a teacher recording observations on students as their professional judgement sees fit
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Research results, where teachers access and apply research findings from reputable sources
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Big data, in which data stands apart compared to other types of data based on Volume, Variety, and Velocity.
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Schildkamp (2019) continues by identifying a need for data analysis by collaborative efforts in order to inform what action the data suggests to take, and I agree strongly with this last point. Collaboration is key to teacher leadership, but it is especially useful in data analysis and problem solving as group efforts, in my experience, increases access to what researchers call "Divergent Thinking," or, as Gralewski and Karwowski (2019) express it, "a fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration of thinking," (p. 2), which is more likely to lead to better and more creative solutions. Again, in my experience, manufacturing companies use this approach effectively and frequently: Material Review Boards (MRBs) assembled to evaluate nonconforming items and create solutions rely on multiple people with varying roles to develop ideas from engineering, quality, manufacturing, management, etc.
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Data and collaboration are two key features that teacher leaders should harness to be truly effective in their roles and as innovators in their community.
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Gralewski, J., & Karwowski, M. (2019). Are teachers’ ratings of students’ creativity related to students’ divergent thinking? A meta-analysis. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 33, 100583-. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2019.100583
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Schildkamp, K. (2019). Data-based decision-making for school improvement: Research insights and gaps. Educational Research (Windsor), 61(3), 257–273. https://doi.org/10.1080/00131881.2019.1625716
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