Collaboratively Learning How To Use Data: The Process of Knowledge Creation

Data-based decision making in education has become increasingly important. In the Netherlands, school leaders and teachers work together in data teams to collaboratively create knowledge on data use to improve their education. However, more insight into the process of knowledge creation is required to further support data use in schools. We used Nonaka and Takeuchi’s model of knowledge creation to study this. All (21 and 24) meetings of two data teams were transcribed, coded and analyzed in this qualitative micro-process case study. Results showed, for example, that over time, both data teams reflected more often on their work and increasingly discussed the use of data. Differences existed as one team evaluated the quality of their data more often and thoroughly.