Describes the present computer-managed textbook program in Alachua County, Florida. Compares the present procedures for ordering, distributing, and accounting with those that were necessary before the advent of the computer. (Author/WM)

This paper examines the administrative uses of the microcomputer, stating that high performance educational managers are likely to have microcomputers in their organizations. Four situations that would justify the use of a computer are: (1) when massive amounts of data are processed through well-defined operations; (2) when data processing is…

PMIS (Planning and Management Information System) is an information system that supports the decisionmaking process of executive management in local school districts. The system is designed around a comprehensive, longitudinal, and interrelated data base. It utilizes a powerful real-time, interactive data management system for strategic planning;…

PLANTRAN II is a system of computer software designed to assist educational administrators in their planning and analysis activities. The unique feature of PLANTRAN II is that it requires no computer programing experience or expertise. Users with technical background have found PLANTRAN II helpful in their analyses without reducing the complexity…

Based on existing literature and user experience, the systematic approach to data base evaluation presented here provides a method by which data processing administrators can optimize the probability of selecting the data base management system best suited for their institution. (Author/WM)

General Information Storage, Retrieval, and Application System (GENIRAS) is a computer-aided information system designed for the storage, retrieval, and manipulation of data files. The system gives the user (1) flexibility in defining and using data bases, (2) a wide range of procedures to be applied to the data, and (3) a variety of acceptable…

The administrative computing operation of Clemson University is discussed. The university's computing history, computer hardware, and computing organization (including the Computer Center, administrative programing services, and information systems development) are described. (MLW)

At present most systems development is completely dominated by systems people. Such domination can lead to long delays in the development of systems, failures of many systems to ever become operational, costly redesigns for those that do, and a poor fit between systems and their users. Management and users, as well as systems programmers, need to…

At a time when computing dollars are scarce and computing power has never been greater, colleges are forced to look at some new computing alternatives. (Editor/HS)

This report describes the development in 1986 of a management information system by the Sacramento City (California) Unified School District for use in high schools. A nine-page attachment, which comprises two-thirds of the report, offers profiles of selected schools drawn from the databases. Data sets of 200 information items, collected from all…

Too often computer applications try to supplant rather than augment human capabilities. As a result, there is a gap between the power of the computer and some difficult administrative problems; e.g., longrange planning. However, there is increasing interest in the use of computer simulation in planning. PLANTRAN II represents a completely new…

The material in this volume was developed for use in a series of workshops on institutional research and planning for colleges and universities. The workshop sessions made extensive use of computers. This was made possible through the use of PLANTRAN II, a computer simulation system designed to make the power of the computer available to the…

This paper states that there are two fundamental reasons for the comparative absence of computer use for parks and recreation at the present time. These are (1) lack of clear cut cost justification and (2) reluctance on the part of recreation professionals to accept their role as managers and, consequently, to utilize modern management tools. The…

This report presents an examination of data systems in education, and provides a framework through which such data systems can provide the basis for a powerful information bank to aid educational decisions. (Author)

The LOTUS 1-2-3's special database management operations are used by school budget officials to display data in a variety of ways to assist their decision making. (MLF)