Changing teacher attitudes through data analysis

The focus of this research thesis is a middle school in a moderately sized urban setting designated by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education as consistently underperforming as determined by lack of progress on statewide yearly assessments. Beginning in September of 2010, all staff participated in a yearlong district initiated data analysis process to identify systemic underachievement, and then to use that information to redesign curriculum and instruction. This investigation included individual interviews with 6 representative staff members focusing on the attitudinal changes noted in the two surveys as well as the impact of data analysis on instructional design. The individual interviews were followed by a focus group to discuss the themes emerged from the teacher interview responses. Faculty surveys were used as historical data sources. This case study asks: Does participating in data analysis impact teachers' attitudes relative to the relationship between student achievement and their instructional practices? Qualitative analysis of teacher responses in individual interviews as well as the focus group conversation was completed to ascertain the degree to which data analysis played a role in changing teacher attitudes. Key findings included that even after data analysis to find root causes of student lack of achievement, teachers continued to have the attitude that poverty and lack of family structure were important indicators for student lack of achievement, that teachers did not significantly change their instructional practices following intensive data analysis training, and that teachers found minimal value in the training and the time invested in data analysis professional development. Recommendations included personalizing both the data and the analysis for each teacher to impact instructional design and change in teacher attitude toward student achievement.