How to cut through 'data fatigue' and lead school improvement: expert
Dr Selena Fisk is a data storyteller. She believes every educator should embrace the same role. Recognising that many teachers and school leaders struggle to interpret the data they collect and apply it effectively to teaching and decision-making, she helps schools simplify complex data processes and develop clear strategies aligned with learning objectives. This week, she’ll be sharing her insights at EduTECH. Here’s a preview of what attendees can look forward to.
Hi Selena, can you tell us about your background in teaching and how your passion around, and research in, data-informed teaching and learning came to be?
I have spent 15 years working in education, with the majority of my teaching career based in Brisbane and almost four years teaching in the UK. The school where I worked in the UK placed a strong emphasis on data, to the extent that Year 9 science students were ranked publicly from highest to lowest achievement in the main science corridor. It was a demanding and highly data-focused environment. As a middle leader, I was responsible for using data to enhance teaching and learning outcomes within my department. There was significant pressure to achieve the targets set by the school, and accountability for results was taken very seriously. Although there were many practices from that system that I would not want to see adopted in Australia, and several that I now actively speak against, the experience taught me the value of data when used effectively. Data allowed me to have more meaningful discussions with students about their abilities, areas for improvement, and individual strengths. It also helped me make better-informed teaching decisions and tailor my classroom approach to meet student needs more effectively. Later, when I moved into a senior leadership position, data gave me a broader perspective of school performance, helping me identify which departments were performing strongly and where further support or improvement was needed. After returning to Australia, I began studying for a doctorate. My original intention was to explore the differences between data use in Australian and UK schools, particularly because I had returned to a Brisbane school where data played a much smaller role. Over the following years, I completed my thesis, published my first book, and gradually built a career in this field.
Today, I run my own business and support organisations in understanding and making better use of the data they already collect. It’s work that I find both rewarding and enjoyable.
You’re speaking about the power of ‘data storytelling’ for schools at EduTECH. Can you reveal any more about what your presentation will cover?
Data storytelling is at the heart of my work. Schools and education systems collect vast amounts of data, but unless that information is transformed into meaningful stories and actions, it does little to improve outcomes for students. Ultimately, the purpose of analysing data is to ensure that learners benefit from the effort invested in gathering and interpreting it.
My session will focus on what data storytelling looks like in practice and how schools can develop a culture that supports it. In my view, data storytelling involves two key stages. The first is examining the data to identify meaningful insights and understand what the information is revealing. The second is determining the appropriate response—asking, “What actions should we take based on what we've learned?” Once we understand the story behind the data, the next step is deciding how to use that knowledge to guide improvement.
These principles apply across all levels of education, from classroom teachers to middle leaders, senior leaders and system-level decision-makers. While the type of data and the scope of decision-making may vary, the process of interpreting information and acting on insights remains the same.
Another perspective I bring to this topic comes from my experience as a full-time consultant over the past two and a half years. During that time, I have worked closely with schools and developed a data diagnostic tool that has been completed by around 2,500 educators nationwide. The feedback and information gathered through this process have provided valuable insights into how teachers engage with data. In my presentation, I will share some of these findings to encourage reflection on how schools can strengthen and sustain a positive data culture.
In your view, how confident are Australian school leaders in their ability to collect and use data effectively - what are some of the challenges that they face here?
Many educators lack confidence in working with data, although not everyone feels comfortable admitting it openly. One of the biggest challenges facing schools is that expectations around data use have increased considerably, yet the professional learning and support needed to build these capabilities have not always kept pace.
Developing data literacy is not something that can be achieved through a single workshop or a short professional development session. It requires ongoing learning, practice, and support over time. Building confidence and competence in data use is a gradual process rather than a quick solution.
Insights from my data diagnostic reveal a clear trend across different leadership levels. Senior leaders generally report higher levels of confidence and capability with data than middle leaders, while middle leaders tend to rate themselves more highly than classroom teachers. This suggests that expertise is concentrated at the leadership level and is not always reaching those working directly with students every day.
While it's encouraging that many data analysis courses and training opportunities in Australia are aimed at senior leadership teams, the challenge is ensuring that this knowledge and understanding are effectively shared throughout the school. As a result, classroom teachers often report considerably lower confidence in using data compared with their middle and senior leadership colleagues, highlighting an important area for improvement across the education sector.
We hear about 'data fatigue' in schools, with reports of mounting administration demands and a sense of data overload in schools - is this the case? How can school leaders simplify requirements around data collection for teachers?
Data fatigue is a very real issue in schools. Recently, I spoke with a Year 4 teacher who explained that she is required to collect four separate forms of reading data for her students. She described being stuck in an ongoing cycle of assessment and data collection, while constantly hearing that data should be used to guide teaching decisions. Her frustration was that, with so much time spent gathering information and assessing students, it becomes difficult to know how to meaningfully apply that data in practice.
This highlights a challenge faced by many educators. Collecting data alone is not enough - schools and education systems need to provide clear guidance about which data is most important, why it matters, and how it should be used once it has been gathered.
One approach that has proven effective is the development of school-wide data plans. Many of the schools I work with are currently creating these plans to establish a more focused and consistent approach to data use. The process encourages leadership teams to identify the information that genuinely matters, align it with school priorities, and clearly communicate expectations to staff.
For school leaders, developing a data plan provides an opportunity to reflect on key questions: What do we value as a school? Which indicators deserve our attention? What information will help us improve student outcomes? Once these priorities are established, they can be shared clearly with teachers.
From a teacher’s perspective, a well-designed data plan removes uncertainty. It provides clear direction about what information needs to be collected, when it should be gathered, and how it should be used to support teaching and learning. This clarity helps reduce unnecessary workload and allows teachers to focus on the data that has the greatest impact.
In one school I recently worked with, staff were asked to identify all the data sources available to them. The list grew to 46 different types of information. Expecting educators to effectively analyse and act on that volume of data is unrealistic. The more leaders can narrow the focus to the most meaningful measures, the more likely teachers are to engage with the data and use it to make informed changes in their practice.
You also talk about the importance of schools being data-informed and not data-driven. What do you mean by this?
When I mentioned earlier that the UK is highly data-focused, that's certainly true. However, there's a difference between being data-driven and being data-informed. Being data-informed means understanding and using the numbers available to us, while also taking into account the broader context when making decisions.
That context includes factors such as school demographics, levels of parent engagement, the capabilities of the teaching team, strengths within particular subject areas, class sizes, and classroom dynamics. You could describe these as qualitative data, but essentially they are pieces of information that help explain what sits behind the numbers. Taking this approach means that decisions are guided not only by quantitative data but also by an understanding of the environment in which that data exists. As a result, decisions are more relevant, practical, and suited to the specific needs of a school, rather than being driven solely by a single measure or statistic.
If improvement were simply a matter of responding to one metric in the same way every time, schools could rely on a standard set of solutions. But education doesn't work like that. Schools are complex environments, and people are far more nuanced than a collection of numbers.
The key is identifying what works best within your own setting and circumstances. Data should play an important role in that process, helping to guide decisions while taking into account the unique context of the school and its community.
FAQ
1. Who is Dr Selena Fisk, and what is her work in education?
Dr Selena Fisk is a data storyteller, researcher and educator with experience in teaching and leadership. She helps schools simplify data use and turn complex information into meaningful insights that improve teaching, learning, and decision-making.
2. What is ‘data storytelling’” according to Dr. Selena Fisk?
Data storytelling is the process of turning data into meaningful insights and actions. Dr Selena Fisk explains it as understanding what data shows, then deciding what to do next to improve student learning and school outcomes.
3. What is data fatigue in schools?
Data fatigue occurs when teachers are overwhelmed by excessive data collection and reporting demands. Dr Selena Fisk highlights that too much data without a clear purpose or action leads to frustration and reduces its usefulness in improving teaching.
4. How can schools reduce data fatigue?
Schools can reduce data fatigue by creating clear data plans that define what data matters, why it matters, and how it should be used. This helps teachers focus on meaningful data rather than collecting excessive or repetitive information.
5. What is the difference between data-driven and data-informed schools?
Data-driven schools rely heavily on numbers alone, while data-informed schools combine data with context such as student needs, school environment, and professional judgement. Dr. Selena Fisk emphasises that context makes decisions more accurate and meaningful.
