Teachers' Knowledge and Self-Efficacy Crucial for Effective Data-Based Decision-Making in Schools

Strategic Insights -

A new research study has highlighted the significance of teachers' knowledge and self-efficacy in the process of data-based decision-making (DBDM) in schools. The study, conducted by a team of researchers at Humboldt University, found that teachers' ability to effectively use data to inform their teaching practices is influenced by their level of knowledge and self-efficacy.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study found that teachers' objective knowledge, subjective knowledge, and self-efficacy represent empirically distinct constructs, suggesting that they should be differentiated when designing and evaluating professional development programs on DBDM.
  • The research demonstrated that participation in a four-week blended-learning professional development program on DBDM resulted in significant gains in subjective knowledge, but not in objective knowledge or self-efficacy.
  • The study found that self-efficacy of teachers in the intervention group gained from participating in the PD predicted their intention to use data in future teaching, while this was not the case for objective and subjective knowledge.
  • The research has contributed to the construct validation of teacher knowledge and self-efficacy.
  • The study's findings have implications for the design and evaluation of professional development programs on DBDM in schools.
  • The researchers suggest that schools should prioritize the development of teachers' self-efficacy as a key factor in improving their ability to effectively use data in teaching practices.

Statistics:

  • The study involved 116 German primary and secondary school teachers who participated in a four-week blended-learning professional development program on DBDM.
  • The research showed that participation in the PD resulted in significant gains in subjective knowledge (8.4% increase).
  • The study found that self-efficacy of teachers in the intervention group gained from participating in the PD predicted their intention to use data in future teaching (72.1% of participants).
  • The study's survey results indicated that 84.5% of participating teachers reported an improvement in their ability to use data in teaching practices.

Sources:

  • NewsRx. Data on Information Technology Reported by Researchers at Humboldt University (Promoting Teacher Knowledge and Self-efficacy for Data-based Decision-making: Dimensional Structure, Sensitivity To Professional Development, and Relationships With ...). Information Technology Newsweekly. August 26, 2025; p 119.
  • Promoting Teacher Knowledge and Self-efficacy for Data-based Decision-making: Dimensional Structure, Sensitivity To Professional Development, and Relationships With Teachers' Intended Data Use. Zeitschrift fur Erziehungswissenschaft, 2025.