Professional Development Effects on Teachers' Perceptions in Analyzing and Using Student Data

In a school district in Southern New Jersey, teachers have struggled to analyze student district data to make informed instructional decisions. There is a demand for teachers to use data to inform instruction, but teachers often lack sufficient knowledge in data disaggregation. The purpose of this study was to note the effects of professional development (PD) on data-driven decision making practices by collecting survey data before and after participation in a training module. Guided by the theories of knowledge management (KM) and data literacy, the research questions examined teachers' perceptions on PD's impact toward using data. A quasi-experimental quantitative study was employed. Surveys on data-driven decision making were administered to 50 teachers before and after a PD session on how to analyze and use student data and modify instructional practices. ANOVA was utilized to examine mean differences. The results indicated a significant increase in teachers' perceived abilities to analyze student data and use data to modify instruction after completing PD. The results of this study suggest that implementing PD programs could help teachers effectively use data to improve instructional practices. This study contributed to social change because participants were able to increase their capacity to analyze and use student data by participating in targeted professional development. This research has significant implications for educators who are concerned with using data to increase students' academic success.