In May of 2020, the Advanced Distributed Learning Initiative (ADL) and the Defense Acquisition University (DAU) partnered with USALearning/PowerTrain to create a practical application of ADL's 2019 TLA Reference Implementation. The purpose of this project was to recreate key components of the Reference Implementation with commercially-available,…

In recent years, a wide array of tools have emerged for the purposes of conducting educational data mining (EDM) and/or learning analytics (LA) research. In this article, we hope to highlight some of the most widely used, most accessible, and most powerful tools available for the researcher interested in conducting EDM/LA research. We will…

The objective of this article is to illustrate that text mining and qualitative research are epistemologically compatible. First, like many qualitative research approaches, such as grounded theory, text mining encourages open-mindedness and discourages preconceptions. Contrary to the popular belief that text mining is a linear and fully automated…

An upstate New York district became a pilot site for a technology industry initiative to build software systems that eliminate traditional interdepartmental barriers. This article describes interactive software systems (especially the Schools Interoperability Framework) that can transform a district's administrative tasks into a free-flowing,…

Describes how microcomputer technology for processing textual data offers new options for the qualitative researcher in educational administration. Identifies both the potential benefits and limitations of such computer-assisted procedures, drawing on a study of local educational governance. Describes ETHNOGRAPH, a sophisticated, user-friendly…

The University of Calgary (Canada) medical school admissions process has been streamlined with the Student Admission to Medicine computer program, largely paperless, that creates a database from student applications. The database then converts grades to the university's standards and assists with administrative details, statistical analyses, and…

The College of Business and Economics at the University of Idaho conducted a pilot study that used commercially available encryption software called Securexam to deliver computer-based examinations. A multi-step implementation procedure was developed, implemented, and then evaluated on the basis of what students viewed as valuable. Two key aspects…

Summaries of the welcoming and opening remarks for a symposium on the standards issues that will affect the federal government's planning, acquisition, and use of integrated computer and telecommunications systems over the next five years set the stage for the keynote address by Joseph Timko of IBM entitled "Standards--Perspectives and Evolution."…

Content analysis of 13 textbooks and 2 Department of Education documents was conducted to ascertain common word processing, database, and spreadsheet software skills in order to determine which specific skills should be taught in a high school computer literacy course. Aspects of a basic computer course, created from this analysis, are described.…

Describes an instructional methodology developed and implemented at Sunderland Polytechnic that uses formal computer program design methods to teach computer programing in computer science and data processing courses. Jackson Structured Programming is explained, and the results of an evaluation by both teaching staff and students are presented.…

This report comprises a detailed evaluation of two minicomputer-based school information management systems for use at the senior high school level: (1) Prompt Automated Scheduling System (PASS) by Mid-American Corporation and locally developed software, which runs on an IBM minicomputer, and (2) Student Administration System (SAS) by SIERRA…

Compares and contrasts two systems designed for library automation applications--NOTIS, which was developed in the United States, and DOBIS, which was developed in Europe. The differences in the systems are discussed in terms of the availability or absence of machine readable bibliographic sharing capacities in the countries of origin. (CLB)

This report comprises a detailed evaluation of three IBM microcomputer-based school information management systems: Student Information and Records System (SIRS) by Management Information Group, The School System (TSS) by Columbia Computing Services, and Computer Educational Management Accounting System (CEMAS) by Computerlib. These three systems…

This report presents an evaluation instrument through which school districts and schools can identify and select computer-based school information management systems (SIMS) suited to their needs. These selection criteria were identified through a survey questionnaire and interviews at 18 representative schools in the Edmonton (Alberta) Public…