From ‘professional development for data use’ to ‘data use for professional development’

• Data use is considered by many as a tool that leads to improved educational processes.
• This special issue shifts focus to how educators can be supported to use data.
• The aim is to inform this ‘professionalization’ debate, academically and practically.
• This editorial introduces the nine papers of the special issues.
• Conceptual, methodological and empirical lessons and implications are identified.