Teachers' perceptions of evidence-based decision making: A case study of three schools in British Columbi

This qualitative case study used participant interviews, open-ended questionnaire responses, and document reviews to explore teachers' perceptions and experiences using student performance evidence for classroom and school based decision making in three elementary schools in British Columbia. The focus of this study was to explore and describe the experiences of teachers in using student performance evidence in adapting instructional strategies to improve learning outcomes. Data from this study was triangulated using participant interviews involving a minimum of 1 administrator and 3 teachers from each school studied, questionnaire responses, and reviews of district and school documentation. The data were coded using QSR NVivo 7 software and analyzed from the perspectives of organizational change, capacity building, and sustainable improvement. Interrelationships between these three areas suggested that professional collaboration networks, teacher leadership, and inquiry-based processes contribute positively to school based and instructional decision processes based on student performance evidence.