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Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008 Chapter 8: Technology and Information Management

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008 Prevailing problems Lack of technology literacy Lack of information literacy Aversion to using statistics Socialization to intuitive decision making Loose coupling between technology and assessment/evaluation Lack of district and school policy leadership

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008 Technology literacy Knowledge/skills about computers Ability to apply knowledge/skills Common competencies – Internet usage – Modify a Web page – Construct personal database (e.g., spreadsheet) – Access and use databases

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008 Information literacy Ability to frame problems (or questions), make connections between information and decisions, and shape decisions using evidence Competencies – Frame the problem/question – Identify/access/evaluate pertinent data – Integrate new data into databases – Critically evaluate decisions using data

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008 Information technology (IT) Hardware and software Critical characteristics – Construct real time data representations in multiple formats – Distributed access to appropriate data and analytical tools – Automated guidance

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008 Management information system (MIS) System for planning, developing, and using information technology Purposes – Acquiring new data – Accessing stored data – Selectively organizing data to facilitate problems/decisions

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008 Attributes of an effective MIS Timely AccessibleUsable Multidirectional

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008 Database management information system (DMIS) An MIS for databases Purposes – Mechanism for entering data into databases – Mechanism for accessing data from databases – Make content of databases practical

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008 Sources of evidence (data, information) Generic evidence developed from research, theory Specific facts relevant to personal practice, e.g., student data

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008 Databases Should be relational (two dimensional tables) Composed of – Entities – Entity sets – Attributes Desired characteristics – Appropriate data views – Data manipulation system – Report generator

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008 Data security Accuracy protection (against misuse, alterations, or deletions) Information protection (against unwarranted, illegal access) Key characteristics of security system – Transparency – Accessibility

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008 Data warehouse Computer storage area that – Accumulates data – Integrates data – Keeps data Desired attributes – Ability to store multiple databases – Cleansing mechanism – Uniform data format – Single information source for multiple databases – Comprehensive data analysis/reporting capability

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008 Data mining Identifying previously undiscovered data relationships Either pattern or content relationships Desirable characteristics – Affordable – Functional (meets user needs) – Ability to generate reports and data subsets