RUME 27
2025
Alexandria, Virginia
Instructors’ Vulnerability, Curiosity, and (Dis)trust of Data Informing Critical Transformations in Mathematics
Page: 1134
This preliminary report examines the reactions of mathematics instructors in Networked Improvement Communities as they engaged with student experience data to inform critical transformations within mathematics. Data-driven decision-making is promoted for improving equity; however, without a specific critical focus such efforts will likely fail. Examining data critically requires instructors to grapple with, at times, painful experiences of students, and their role in shaping these experiences. Using critical ethnography, we analyzed field notes to identify ways that instructors responded to data in meetings held from Spring 2023 to Summer 2024. Findings show that instructors' reactions to data often fall into two categories. Ego threat, characterized by reactions such as discomfort and defensiveness, effectively delegitimized student data. In contrast, some instructors exhibited curiosity and vulnerability, viewing students as experts of their experiences. Ongoing research will explore how ego threat shapes critical efforts and how fostering openness can enhance critical data-driven decision making.