Effective use of data literature review
Education Scotland undertook a rapid evidence review of literature on the effective use of data for improvement in local authorities, schools and early learning settings. The review focused on finding out how schools and local authorities use data effectively.
The review focused on finding out how schools and local authorities:
- identify types of data to use for improvement
- use data for school improvement to secure improved outcomes for learners
- train staff at all levels to use data for school improvement
- create a data culture
- develop and implement effective policy, guidance and processes around the effective use of data
- spread and sustain practice in using data for improvement
Findings
The findings were analysed and summarised into 6 main themes:
- Establishing the purpose and use of data.
- Defining and classifying data.
- Creating effective processes and systems.
- Interpreting and analysing data.
- Developing a data informed culture.
- Using data for improvement.
The main conclusions from each theme are outlined in this report.
The review draws upon a relatively small sample of relevant national and international research. It is therefore limited in scope and is primarily intended to support discussion and reflection.
Approximately 70 articles or texts were reviewed. These covered the period from 2003 to 2023 and were gathered from the following contexts: Scotland, the wider UK, Europe, Canada, the USA, New Zealand and Australia.
Priority was given to peer reviewed articles, identified from the following databases:
- Idox Knowledge and Evidence (Scottish Government library)
- The National Library of Scotland
- The General Teaching Council of Scotland (GTCS) research database
A Google advanced included a specific search of information published by:
- Education Scotland
- Scottish Government
- Education Endowment Foundation (EEF)
- The National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER)
- Scottish Educational Research Association (SERA)
- British Educational Research Association (BERA)
- Department for Education (DFE)
- Education Wales
Articles and recommended texts from The Children and Young Peoples Improvement Collaborative (CYPIC) and the Education Scotland Self Evaluation for Continuous Improvement (SECI) programme were also referenced.
Limitations
The review draws upon a relatively small sample of relevant national and international research. It is therefore limited in scope and is primarily intended to support discussion and reflection.
Methodology
Approximately 70 articles or texts were reviewed. These covered the period from 2003 to 2023 and were gathered from the following contexts: Scotland, the wider UK, Europe, Canada, the USA, New Zealand and Australia.
Priority was given to peer reviewed articles, identified from the following databases:
- Idox Knowledge and Evidence (Scottish Government library)
- The National Library of Scotland
- The General Teaching Council of Scotland (GTCS) research database
A Google advanced included a specific search of information published by:
- Education Scotland
- Scottish Government
- Education Endowment Foundation (EEF)
- The National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER)
- Scottish Educational Research Association (SERA)
- British Educational Research Association (BERA)
- Department for Education (DFE)
- Education Wales
Articles and recommended texts from The Children and Young Peoples Improvement Collaborative (CYPIC) and the Education Scotland Self Evaluation for Continuous Improvement (SECI) programme were also referenced.
Findings
Findings were analysed and have been summarised into 6 main themes:
- Establishing the purpose and use of data.
- Defining and classifying data.
- Creating effective processes and systems.
- Interpreting and analysing data.
- Developing a data informed culture.
- Using data for improvement.
The main conclusions from each theme are outlined below.
Glossary
A glossary of commonly used terms was created to support understanding of this review.
A glossary of commonly used terms was created to support understanding of this review.
