“Groundhog Data”

Abstract

In the United Kingdom, colleges annually collect substantial volumes of student data mandated by further education funding bodies and regulators. Primarily, this supports policy-level decision-making and facilitates institutional comparisons. Whilst the standardised nature of this data ensures rigour and offers valuable insights, colleges often overlook other critical aspects of the student experience and opt for internal data collection practices. In contrast to other customer-centric industries, college practices fall short and perpetuate a defensive approach towards data utilisation, hindering progress and innovation. The advent of advanced technologies and data analysis tools, however, provides colleges with unprecedented opportunities to leverage their data assets for societal and individual student benefits. This chapter explores the shortcomings of routine data collection practices within the college sector and advocates for a paradigm shift towards agile data utilisation. Through recognition of the limitations of annual data collection, identification of unexplored data sources, and the fostering of data-driven routines, colleges can unlock the transformative potential of data to improve economic prosperity, student well-being, and individual success. This chapter sets out a proposed framework for enhancing data collection and utilisation practices in colleges across the United Kingdom, and paves the way for data-driven excellence and innovation in the further education sector.