Data-informed decision-making (DIDM) gives reference to the collection and

analysis Analysis ( : analyses) is the process of breaking a complex topic or substance into smaller parts in order to gain a better understanding of it. The technique has been applied in the study of mathematics and logic since before Aristotle (3 ...

data In the pursuit of knowledge, data (; ) is a collection of discrete Value_(semiotics), values that convey information, describing quantity, qualitative property, quality, fact, statistics, other basic units of meaning, or simply sequences of sy ...

to guide decisions that improve success.U.S. Department of Education Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development (2009). ''Implementing data-informed decision making in schools: Teacher access, supports and use.'' United States Department of Education (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED504191) Another form of this process is referred to as Data-Driven Decision-making, "which is defined similarly as making decisions based on hard data as opposed to intuition, observation, or guesswork." DIDM is used in

education Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty ...

communities (where data is used with the goal of helping students and improving curricula) and is also used in other fields in which data is used to inform decisions. While " data based decision-making" is a more common term, "''data-informed'' decision-making" is the preferred term, since decisions should not be based solely on

quantitative data Quantitative research is a research strategy that focuses on quantifying the collection and analysis of data. It is formed from a deductive approach where emphasis is placed on the testing of theory, shaped by empiricist and positivist philoso ...

. ''Data-driven decision-making'' is most often seen in the context of business growth and entrepreneurship. Most educators have access to a

data system Data system is a term used to refer to an organized collection of symbols and processes that may be used to operate on such symbols. Any organised collection of symbols and symbol-manipulating operations can be considered a data system. Hence, huma ...

for the purpose of analyzing student data. These data systems present data to educators in an over-the-counter data format (embedding labels, supplemental documentation, and a help system, making key package/display and content decisions) to improve the success of educators’ data-informed decision-making. In business, fostering and actively supporting DIDM in their firm and among their colleagues may be one of the central responsibilities of CIOs (Chief Information Officers) or CDOs (Chief Data Officers). Assessment in higher education is a form of DIDM aimed at using evidence of what students learn to improve curriculum, student learning, and teaching. Standardized tests, grades, and student work scored by rubrics are forms of student learning outcomes assessment. Formative assessments, specifically, allow educators to use the data from student performances more immediately in modifying teaching and learning strategies. There are numerous organizations aimed at promoting the assessment of student learning through DIDM including the National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment, the Association for the Assessment of Student Learning in Higher Education, and, to an extent, the

Association of American Colleges and Universities The American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) is a global membership organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States. It works to improve quality and equity in undergraduate education and advance liberal education. ...

References

Data analysis Standards-based education {{edu-stub