Download Prevailing problems

Data-Driven Decisions and School Leadership:
Best Practices for School Improvement
Theodore J. Kowalski
Thomas J. Lasley II
James W. Mahoney




This multimedia product and its contents are protected under copyright law. The following are prohibited by
law:
• Any public performance or display, including transmission of any image over a network;
• Preparation of any derivative work, including the extraction, in whole or in part, of any images;
• Any rental, lease, or lending of the program.
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
Accessible
Usable
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
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008