Community College Career and Technical Education Faculty Efforts to Use Data for Improved Student Outcomes

This 5-page research-brief, published by University of Washington, offers insights into the varied and innovative approaches that career and technician education (CTE) faculty at community colleges "use to access, analyze, and sometimes even create data on which they can make informed decisions about program improvement." The brief derives its information from interviews with administrators and faculty from three National Science Foundation (NSF) Advanced Technological Education (ATE) funded programs. Following an introduction to data use by community colleges, it delves into three categories of data analysis initiatives that demonstrate faculty creativity: demographics and equity gaps, program diagnostics, and survey data. Additionally, the brief discusses ways that faculty have attempted to create and use employment outcomes data.