Teachers learning from their students

Teachers are widely recognized as one of the most important factors influencing students’ learning. Yet, many teachers receive limited, actionable feedback to help them reflect on and improve their instructional practices. This PhD thesis investigates how teachers can learn from their own students by using data from students’ perceptions of teaching quality (SPTQ) as part of a structured professional development process.

The thesis presents the design, implementation, and evaluation of a teacher professional development (TPD) program that supports teachers in interpreting and using SPTQ data to improve their classroom practices. The research draws on multiple studies conducted in Chilean schools and combines expert consultation, qualitative research, and quantitative analyses. Central to the program is a structured data-use cycle that guides teachers from interpreting student feedback to selecting evidence-informed instructional strategies and reflecting on their implementation within professional learning communities.

The findings show that teachers generally value student feedback and feel capable of using it to inform their practice. However, the studies also reveal important challenges. While teachers’ initial beliefs about the usefulness of student feedback are often positive, engaging with the data can be demanding and may challenge teachers’ confidence over time. The professional development program helped teachers maintain positive beliefs and supported meaningful reflection, but implementation was constrained by factors such as time pressure, workload, and organizational conditions within schools.

Overall, this thesis demonstrates that students’ perceptions can serve as a valuable source of evidence for teacher learning, provided that teachers are supported through well-designed professional development and realistic implementation conditions. The results contribute to research on data-informed decision-making, teaching quality, and sustainable teacher professional development.