This study investigated an innovative approach of program evaluation through analyses of student learning logs, demographic data, and end-of-course evaluation surveys in an online K-12 supplemental program. The results support the development of a program evaluation model for decision making on teaching and learning at the K-12 level. A case study…

The role of artificial intelligence expert systems in administrative issues in special education is examined. Mandate Consultant (MC) is one such system designed to provide a second opinion on the consistency of school officials' actions in implementing the Individualized Education Program team process. MC employs rules based on the Education For…

An overview of expert systems technology is presented with emphasis on its current and potential applications to the field of learning disabilities. Characteristics of some expert systems, including reasoning procedures, knowledge base content, and rationale and conclusions, are reviewed. Present applications in the diagnosis of learning problems…

Explores the role of computer technology in facilitating communication and problem solving among teachers within a school. Describes "Instruction CoPlanner," a software network package which takes a team of educators through a systematic process of planning, decision making, implementation, and evaluation. (DB)

The study evaluated the accuracy of Class.LD2, a computerized expert system for classifying learning disabled (LD) students. Of 264 student files, 78 files were chosen based on disagreement between multidisciplinary team and Class.LD2 decisions regarding eligibility for LD placement. These 78 cases were evaluated by three individuals expert in LD…

Qualitative interviews with 20 teachers of students with moderate/severe disabilities determined their use of visual analysis of graphically displayed data to evaluate the effectiveness of educational interventions. Results indicated that experienced teachers stressed student characteristics or the conditions under which the data were collected,…

Describes the role that school administrators should play when adopting integrated learning systems (ILSs). The school district superintendent's role in the decision-making process is described, including identifying institutional needs, networking configurations, and training and support needs; and the facilitative and supportive role required of…

Project Impact, a support system for the administrative and instructional staff in the Onondaga-Madison BOCES schools, was designed to support a diagnostic-prescriptive approach in the classroom by providing the information the teacher needs in order to make instructional decisions. It consists of a series of computer programs with a large storage…

This paper argues that the concepts and techniques used in the development of expert systems should be expanded and applied to the field of education, particularly in the area of intelligent tutoring systems. It is noted that expert systems are a well known area of artificial intelligence and have been proven effective in well-defined topic areas.…

Examines various educational technology projects that regional laboratories supported by the Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI) are undertaking. Highlights include innovative uses of instructional technology; tele-teaching using interactive audio conferencing; making informed decisions about technology; national teleconferences…

This paper suggests methods for collecting and using student information for school improvement by describing how the Richardson Independent School District (RISD), Texas, determines data for effective school management decisionmaking. RISD readily accesses student information via a networked database on line with the central office's IBM…

Indicates the major areas of decision making for computer utilization by school districts are administrative information and instructional management, and suggests districts formulate a master plan to identify their information needs in these areas. Specific computer applications discussed include information reporting and several instructional…

As part of a project formulating optimal rules for decision making in computer assisted instructional systems in which the computer is used as a decision support tool, an approach that simultaneously optimizes classification of students into two treatments, each followed by a mastery decision, is presented using the framework of Bayesian decision…

The research project investigated whether expert system tools have become sophisticated enough to be applied efficiently to problems in special education. (Expert systems are a development of artificial intelligence that combines the computer's capacity for storing specialized knowledge with a general set of rules intended to replicate the…

This document contains the full text of ten case studies prepared by the Syracuse Research Corporation for the purpose of examining the organizational processes involved in effective educational innovation at the school district level. Innovations in two urban districts were examined. In the Syracuse City School District these innovations involved…