The presentation highlights design and results from an approach to improvement work in School and Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) which is used in various research and development projects within a Danish University. The approach includes collaboration between research, policy and practice as well as the incorporation of two current policy priorities in the field of education: data-and research informed decision making and the continuous work with equity and inclusive learning environments (Nordahl and Hansen, 2016). The approach is based on the assumption that the use of data and research knowledge can help schools and ECEC services to accomplish goals of inclusion and equity, and that the work with equity and inclusive learning environments can drive data and research use efforts. Consequently, as an essential part of each project, a digital mapping of the learning environment has been carried out at a two-year interval. The mapping includes five groups of respondents: 1) the 4-5-year-old children in ECEC/all students in schools, 2) the key adult of each 4-5-year-old child/student, 3) all professionals, 4) their leaders 5) and the parents. In the projects the use of data from the mapping as well as various kinds of research knowledge has significant implications for the participating teachers and leaders, and their work with improvement initiatives. However, experiences from the projects as well as educational research about the use of data and research knowledge show that teachers and leaders, in general, have little knowledge about how inclusion and equity and the use of data and research knowledge come together in the process of improvement. Consequently, the approach includes the capacity to work in professional learning communities (PLC) and to use data and other forms of evidence. The approach enhances this capacity through professional learning and development based on a collective, problem- and practice-oriented approach to workplace and adult learning. In the presentation, I will draw on qualitative and quantitative data from two selected projects to illustrate both potentials and challenges related to the intersection of data-and research informed decision making and the continuous work with the improvement of equity and inclusive learning environments.

Nordahl, T. & Hansen, L. S. 2016 1 ed. Det vi ved om - Datainformeret forbedringsarbejde i dagtilbud. Frederikshavn: Dafolo Forlag A/S. 92 p.