Data Use for Continuous Instructional Improvement in Early Childhood Education Settings

Long considered a best practice, early childhood educators are now strongly encouraged, if not mandated, to collect and use data to inform instructional practices. However, the methods, processes, and abilities of educators surrounding ongoing data collection and use are largely unknown. Also, there is little evidence on how best to prepare educators to incorporate data use into instructional practices, or the amounts and types of training offered to those in the field. The goal of this article is to better understand what ongoing data collection and use looks like in early childhood education and identify how to prepare and support educators in their efforts to improve child outcomes. We first examine the literature surrounding methods of collecting and using data to individualize instruction, and the factors that influence this process in educational settings. We then review instructional continuous data use cycles, to better understand common components across cycles. Last, we present findings from an exploratory survey of early childhood educators, conducted to learn about their data use processes, confidence, and training. Results reveal that, while early childhood educators are using multiple types of data to plan their instruction on a daily or weekly basis, most only receive professional development annually, at a very high-level. Additionally, few received any training via college coursework. Findings point to a need to prepare and support early childhood educators’ in their data collection and use efforts, as this is something they are currently doing frequently, but potentially with limited confidence in their abilities.