Since its inception, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) has been committed to the practice of documenting its statistical methods for its customers and of seeking to avoid misinterpretation of its published data. The reason for this policy is to assure customers that proper statistical standards and techniques have been observed,…

Information systems are becoming more than computer systems, with new equipment and techniques combining with data processing to form a new field called information technology. The emerging discipline of systems engineering is discussed along with nine systems engineering techniques. An organization chart of an information services department is…

Explains how a hyper-gradesheet works, and traces the chain of causes and effects from a student's performance to the establishment of a grade. Contends that such gradesheets remove the problem of the invisibility of student and faculty performances from which an evaluation is inferred. (RS)

Outlines procedures for the application of data processing technology to media center functions, and explains four steps in designing a database: preliminary design, selection of software, detailed design, and design evaluation. (LRW)

Six steps in creating a master plan for the institutional computing system include: describing a mission for computing technology, establishing program objectives, matching the technology to the objectives, prioritizing alternative approaches, developing alternative approaches, and selecting the preferred approach. (MSE)

Risks to institutional data processing operations include physical damage, violations of data integrity, and restrictions of physical access. Development of a responsive and effective disaster recovery program is complex, requires significant effort and the use of specialized personnel, and spans all major disciplines and organizational levels.…

The Computer Awareness Program at Pennsylvania State University centers around 21 courses that provide the user community with a common understanding of computer technology. (MLF)

Distributed computer processing, increasingly common on campuses, brings the convenience of open and broad access to information but must be combined with well-planned and regularly reviewed security measures. Ethical codes must be defined and followed, and a combination of security components required to gain access should be used when possible.…

This paper describes one academic's experiences in utilizing a database management system, dBase II, with an Apple IIe microcomputer for record keeping and reporting. Initial problems created by processing data by hand or by a central computer system are described, and the selection process for a microcomputer purchase and software package (dBase…

Microcomputers can offer much assistance in one of the major problems that faces virtually every oral history program--organizing, manipulating, and making available the vast quantities of historical data collected. How to automate an oral history program is described. The database management system dBASE II is discussed. (RM)

Competent data processing employees can be attracted to higher education, despite a nationwide shortage of computer programers and analysts. Suggestions are given for each phase (contact, interview, and closing) of the recruitment process. Vigor, enthusiasm, and follow-through are key elements. (MSE)

The key issue for management of campuswide information systems in higher education is content management: selecting what to include, organizing it, labeling items meaningfully, keeping content up-to-date, and presenting information in a useful way. Information technologists, librarians, and information providers on campus can all contribute to…

It is common for information about students to be transferred from one learning institution to another or to some other location. The ease with which student records can be transferred and understood often depends on their design, the efficiency of the delivery system, and how the information is handled by the receiver. The Standardization of…

This workbook is intended to assist schools that participate in the William D. Ford Direct Loan Program gain the necessary skills to reconcile their loan records with U.S. Department of Education data each month. After an introduction that offers general information, establishes course goals and objectives, and sets out the course agenda, the…

This guide is designed for school and district administrators and teachers who want to use data to improve their schools, for college and university instructors who teach school administrators, and for support personnel who teach graduate-level education courses. The guide explains how to define the scope of a needed database, how to ready the…