The AEM Navigator facilitates the process of decision-making around accessible formats of educational materials for individual students. It assists teams in making informed, accurate, and multi-step decisions related to determining a student's need for accessible formats, selecting the format(s) needed, acquiring materials, and determining the…

Describes some of the available software and hardware tools that can be used to develop a decision support system implemented on microcomputers. Activities that should be supported by software are discussed, including data entry, data coding, finding and combining data, and data compatibility. Hardware considerations include speed, storage…

This monograph, based on a conceptual model called an information support circle, describes a structured management process that can be used by higher education institutions to add value to institutional data and information. The model offers a sequence of (1) thinking about the management and use of data, (2) considering problems in providing…

Describes the benefits and how to set up a georeferenced information system that contains standard student demographic data, the geographical location of each student, selected geographic location descriptors, growth factors attached to various land sections, and land usage and zoning. (MLF)

The information needed for informed decision making and planning by institutions of higher education can be made available through the establishment of carefully constructed databases. This handbook outlines the characteristics of databases, the needs databases meet, the key factors around which they must be organized, the advantages they offer,…

Discusses the factors considered at DIALOG before creating a CD-ROM version of a data file, including increased revenues potential, technical viability, and user expectations. A checklist of questions used to review possible CD-ROM projects is provided. (EA)

This overview of a specific spreadsheet, Microsoft's Multiplan for the Apple Macintosh microcomputer, emphasizes specific features that are important to the academic community, including the mathematical functions of algebra, trigonometry, and statistical analysis. Additional features are summarized, including data formats for both numerical and…

Prepared as a guide for developing new policies and revising existing ones, this report recognizes the need for assisting superintendents and school boards in small school districts in the improvement of board policies. Effective policies and regulations are precise and clear, consistent in style and format, readable, and regularly updated. Board…

School leaders are developing a "just-in-time" approach to research and data analysis to help inform and shape their decisions. Careful analysis of data can reveal patterns that can be improved. The key is to focus districts' research and analysis on the issues that will make the biggest difference in terms of student, teacher, and…

The history and features of Decision Support Systems (DSS) and use of the approach by academic administrators are discussed. The objective of DSS is to involve the manager/decision maker in the decision-analysis process while simultaneously relieving that person of the burden of developing and performing detailed analysis. DSS represents a…

Describes the use of online accounting systems as a means of integrating diverse data and providing different levels of analysis for managers. An appendix provides examples of reports produced by online systems. (CLB)

Workforce development organizations are more and more focused on achieving and documenting performance outcomes; yet managers frequently face a challenge getting buy-in from frontline staff about collecting and using data--not only to satisfy funders' needs but to improve services. "Good Stories Aren't Enough" looks at the experience and…

The process involved in planning, developing, and building a resources file is described in the context of a state education agency. The key decision points which confront the dissemination director are described, i.e., determining the client, the client's resource needs, and the availability of already existing resources. The steps involved in…

This report provides a complete guide to the stand alone mode operation of the reliability and maintenance (R&M) model, which was developed to facilitate the performance of design versus cost trade-offs within the digital avionics information system (DAIS) acquisition process. The features and structure of the model, its input data…

Discusses importance of academic planning and describes a model-based decision support system for academic units in a university hierarchy. This system integrates macro-level decisions by examining individual departments' budgets to determine future plans. Quantitative techniques for forecasting change are reviewed, including use of spreadsheet…