The collection of data by government authorities has a complex history. In Australia, this began with the establishment of British government settlements as a way to account for fiscal viability and social prospects. As the colonies became self-governing entities, the collection of social and economic data increased in importance, and included…

Two computer-assisted experiments are described: (i) determination of the speed of ultrasound waves in water and (ii) measurement of the thermal expansion of an aluminum-based alloy. A new data-acquisition system developed by PASCO scientific is used. In both experiments, the "Keep" mode of recording data is employed: the data are…

In this paper, we propose a set of activities based on the use of a celestial simulator to gain insights into the retrograde motion of Mars as seen from the Earth. These activities provide a useful link between the heliocentric concepts taught in schools and those tackled in typical introductory physics courses based on classical mechanics for…

How do you inspire students to keep records like scientists? Share the primary research of real scientists and explicitly teach students how to keep records--that's how! Therefore, a group of third-grade students and their teacher studied the work of famous primatologist Jane Goodall and her modern-day counterpart Ian Gilby. After learning about…

This chapter describes the development of a state-level student tracking system that enables the state and institutions to follow various cohort types of students across institutional boundaries. The system was developed by the Policy Research and Data Warehousing section of the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV). SCHEV is the…

Developing good record-keeping habits is essential for organizing, processing, and communicating experimental results objectively. Therefore, the authors designed an interactive method of teaching first graders to record, organize, and interpret data as they studied the life cycle of the spotted salamander ("Ambystoma maculatum"). In their…

The activities and procedures for Education Service Center, Region 20, Evaluation Services' time accounting system are described. Each individual in the evaluation component at the end of the working day records his or her time spent on an activity. This is done through the use of the time accounting form which is completed and turned in weekly to…

Explains to college/university business officers how to comply with Governmental Accounting Standards Board Statements Nos. 34, 35, and 9, which require the direct method of presenting cash flows from operating activities and reconciliation of operating cash flows to operating income by fiscal year 2001. Institutions are urged to begin immediately…

Syracuse University's use of a personal computer to keep track of alumni reunion registration is described. They can take reservations over the phone, produce lists of returning alumni according to different categories, give catering current meal counts, keep track of special requests, and write personalized confirmation letters. (MLW)

This document is the First Annual Report to the Congress on state and local uses of those federal education funds for which the states have discretionary administrative authority. The first chapter presents the specific reporting requirements to be met under the law, the scope of the reporting effort, and a discussion of the strategies and…

This report summarizes efforts by the state of New York to ensure the accuracy and integrity of data reported by school districts. The Office of the State Comptroller (OSC) has taken the lead in reviewing these data, focusing on the uses of attendance and enrollment data and making recommendations for improvement in state systems and local…

The first of two articles outlines how the director of the physical plant at Monroe County Community College (Michigan) developed a preventive maintenance program. The first step, assembling a set of up-to-date records, is detailed. (MLF)

Policymakers at state and district levels disagree on definitions for terms such as "dropout,""withdrawn,""removed," and "early leaver." Until these terms acquire generally accepted meanings allowing comparisons across school district and state lines, existing information processing technology will be only marginally beneficial. Includes three…

Describes Minnesota's Preschool Screening program, the first to offer free, voluntary health and developmental screening for state preschoolers, and a related Early Childhood Assessment project to deal with inconsistencies in diagnostic referral rates among school districts. Questions test validity, reliability, and standardization samples and…

Good computer files can help colleges find, manage, and solicit alumni volunteers. In 1978 Rhodes College began creating detailed records on alumni and friends, entering gift and biographical data, mostly in coded form, into computerized personal files. (MLW)