Date of Conferral
2022
Degree
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
School
Education
Advisor
Michelle McCraney
Abstract
A school in South Carolina developed a strategic plan to implement a professional learning community structure in the school, where teachers work together to evaluate student data to improve instruction. However, teachers at the school did not understand how to use data-driven instructional practices to drive classroom instruction. The purpose of this study was to explore understanding of elementary teachers at this school in South Carolina how to use data-driven instructional practices. The framework for this study was the learning target theory of action, focusing on researching the data-driven instructional practices teachers used when working with data. The research questions were created to explore the data-driven instructional practices teachers at this school in South Carolina used and how they perceived the practices in their classrooms. A basic qualitative research design was used, and 10 semi structured interviews were conducted with kindergarten through fifth-grade teachers. The interviews were transcribed, and open coding was used to identify common themes. Teachers at the study site used a variety of assessment data to guide classroom practices, but few teachers could provide a clear account regarding their data collection methods. Based on the teacher documentation provided during the interviews, a 3-day professional development was created for collecting, recording, and using formative assessments. This study supports positive social change by providing teachers with strategies to collect and use formative assessment data to improve student performance on district and state testing.
Recommended Citation
Tucker, Kristi Cathcart, "Elementary Teachers’ Use of Data-Driven Instructional Practices" (2022). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 13852.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/13852
