Leadership and Design of Data-Driven Professional Networks in Schools

Using data from a multi-method comparative case study of two matched schools, this paper adds to the growing body of applications of social network analysis to the study of distributed leadership and accountability.We contrast two approaches to instructional leadership, prescriptive and discretionary, to investigate how leaders design professional networks to increase the availability and access of individuals with the expertise needed to perform the analysis required to conduct data-driven instructional improvement. We found that the prescriptive approach to instructional leadership uses comprehensive school reform as a focal artifact to facilitate the widespread use of data for learning when compared to a leadership perspective that aimed at cultivating teacher discretion. We conclude with a discussion of how the concept of cognitive load helps illustrate the design principles leaders can use to create data-driven professional networks in schools.