Guidelines for using data
Effective self-assessment, improving classroom practice, and reporting to the community involves schools collecting, analysing and presenting data. The ability to investigate, reflect on and make the most of available data is a core competency for everyone in schools – leaders, teachers and support staff.
Schools are awash with data … While volumes of data are extruded about and from schools, teaching continues without the benefits of such data.
- John Hattie, What is the nature of evidence that makes a difference to learning?
A note on qualitative and quantitative data
The advice in this section often distinguishes between qualitative and quantitative data. These types of data have different strengths, sometimes require different considerations when analysing them, and are each more useful for answering different questions. This means that you should not use only one type of data or the other.