Cross-Country Differences in Teachers’ Use of Learning Analytics

Abstract

This qualitative study examined how K–12 teachers in Finland, Estonia, and Azerbaijan view and use learning analytics (LA). The three cases were selected to represent different levels of school-system digital maturity and institutional support for data use to enable a comparative view of teacher adoption across contrasting contexts. Twelve teachers joined online workshops in which six classroom scenarios were discussed. The findings show that national context shapes both expectations and everyday practice. Estonian and Finnish teachers, working in well-connected schools, described using analytics to adjust lessons and maintain pupil interest. Azerbaijani teachers, working with less reliable digital systems, treated analytics mainly as a way to record scores, detect cheating, and report progress to families. Across all three countries, teachers raised four shared concerns: whether the numbers truly reflect learning, how to read complex dashboards, how to respect student privacy, and how to keep professional judgment central. We suggest that LA will help in teaching only when tools fit local conditions and give educators clear, workable information. The study complements existing cross-national LA research by providing a teacher-centred comparison across three contrasting school systems and highlighting the need for teacher-centred design and continuing professional support.