The dashboard school: governing teachers, students and parents in the data-driven school.
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| Title: | The dashboard school: governing teachers, students and parents in the data-driven school. |
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| Authors: | Zomer, Chris1 (AUTHOR) c.zomer@deakin.edu.au, Pangrazio, Luci1 (AUTHOR), Matovich, Ivan1 (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education. Apr2026, Vol. 47 Issue 2, p167-184. 18p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Educational accountability, *Learning analytics, *Standardized tests, *Parent participation in education, *School administration, *Data-based decision making in education, Data visualization software |
| Geographic Terms: | Australia |
| Abstract: | The use of digital data dashboards is increasingly common in education. Dashboards often have visually appealing layouts and promise to make complex phenomena and large data sets visible and actionable to inform so-called 'data-driven' decision-making. In this paper we present a case-study of local dashboard governance in an independent school in Australia that recently implemented a series of dashboards created with Microsoft PowerBI. Drawing on in-depth interviews with school leaders and staff, as well as on screenshots of the dashboards, we argue that the form of dashboard governance imagined and implemented by the school, exacerbates already existing neoliberal practices in education, such as the optimisation of school metrics (mostly through standardised test data), the self-disciplining of teachers through continuous comparisons, and the 'gamesmanship' of accountability vis-à-vis parents. We conclude this paper by arguing that data-driven dashboard governance, recodes existing educational practices, creates new subjectivities, and reshapes relations within the school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Education Research Complete |
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| Abstract: | The use of digital data dashboards is increasingly common in education. Dashboards often have visually appealing layouts and promise to make complex phenomena and large data sets visible and actionable to inform so-called 'data-driven' decision-making. In this paper we present a case-study of local dashboard governance in an independent school in Australia that recently implemented a series of dashboards created with Microsoft PowerBI. Drawing on in-depth interviews with school leaders and staff, as well as on screenshots of the dashboards, we argue that the form of dashboard governance imagined and implemented by the school, exacerbates already existing neoliberal practices in education, such as the optimisation of school metrics (mostly through standardised test data), the self-disciplining of teachers through continuous comparisons, and the 'gamesmanship' of accountability vis-à-vis parents. We conclude this paper by arguing that data-driven dashboard governance, recodes existing educational practices, creates new subjectivities, and reshapes relations within the school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| ISSN: | 01596306 |
| DOI: | 10.1080/01596306.2025.2519383 |
