Unpacking teachers' data literacy: A conceptual review

Datafication within and outside education has inspired researchers to conceptualise teachers’ data literacy, which is typically defined to describe the abilities teachers need when using data in their work. However, increased interest has led to divergence in the definitions of the concept, and no consensus on the definition has been reached. In this conceptual review, we abductively explore the conceptual dimensions of teachers’ data literacy, prioritising the scrutiny of conceptual structures and understanding. Following the analysis of 45 peer-reviewed research articles, we present a comprehensive view of what is referred to by a) data and b) literacy in teachers' data literacy and describe the c) purposes of the concept as a result. First, we found that the teachers' data literacy covered different types of data. Although data are not always clearly defined, in cases where it is explicated, it refers to its technical, contextual, and content dimensions. Second, we identified two Datafication of education has raised vibrant discussions on teachers’ data literacy. But what exactly is meant by the concept lacks consensus. We review 61 peer-reviewed research articles, to answer the following research questions: What is referred to as data in teachers’ data literacy definitions? What is referred to as literacy in teachers’ data literacy definitions? What is referred to as the purpose of data literacy in teachers’ data literacy definitions?. First, the conceptualisations of data encompass technical, contextual, and content-related aspects. Second, three orientations to literacy were identified: mastery (i.e. an ability to analyse data), action (i.e. a process to be followed) and being (i.e. a disposition towards data). Third, the purpose of teachers’ data literacy is expressed to change the epistemological grounding for teaching, develop education, and critically approach datafication. The results help us consider the implications of different conceptualisation for teacher professionality and teacher education.