The launch of HealthCare.gov, the website of the Affordable Care Act (AKA Obamacare), was a major public relations disaster for the Obama administration. This case examines some of the factors that contributed to the failure of the launch and then details how Optum, an information technology service provider, considered the opportunity provided by…

This case describes a database redesign project for the United States Department of Agriculture's National Animal Germplasm Program (NAGP). The case provides a valuable context for teaching and practicing database analysis, design, and implementation skills, and can be used as the basis for a semester-long team project. The case demonstrates the…

Students, policymakers and institutions all need to have high quality data about how today's students access and pay for higher education--and what contributes to their success. But the data that are available now are woefully inadequate. We need to improve the national postsecondary data infrastructure The report thoroughly explores seven options…

This project assesses the feasibility of creating a voluntary, nationwide data dictionary that can be used to standardize the reporting of postsecondary accountability reporting requirements for the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (otherwise known as Perkins IV). Variables, field codes, and programming instructions,…

Describes the Energy Information Administration (EIA) and the Technical Information Center (TIC), and lists databases accessible online to the Department of Energy and its contractors through DOE/RECON. (RAA)

A glossary of terms used in the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) is presented. IPEDS is a group of 10 surveys designed to collect data from all primary providers of postsecondary education and is a major part of data collection for the federal Center for Education Statistics. In developing IPEDS, a set of common data elements…

Asserting that few teachers can provide examples of how they actually used educational research to shape an instructional decision, this position paper argues that as presently structured, the educational research institution does not appear to be effective in communicating products of its work to practitioners. The paper examines obvious barriers…

Offers overview of research in progress information systems which provide information on projects between inception and published reports, discussing demise of Smithsonian Science Information Exchange (SSIE), and efforts of National Technical Information Service to maintain SSIE files. A listing of 28 research in progress information systems and…

The Smithsonian Science Information Exchange is intended to be a clearinghouse for information on current research in physical, biological, and social sciences. The information is compiled to facilitate more effective planning and coordination of research and development programs sponsored by Federal funds. This report informs the Congress of a…

An overview of the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) is presented, with a discussion of proposed improvements to ERIC's acquisition, synthesis, and dissemination activities. The Department of Education's Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI) has emphasized that ERIC products and services should be more widely…

Describes the methods and results of the transfer of the SCAN bibliographic database, sponsored by the Administration on Aging (AoA) to the private sector American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) when Congress repealed authority for AoA. Steps involved in the establishment of a bibliographic database are outlined. Four sources are given.…

Overview of the federal statistical system covers the central coordinating office, data access policy, "Directory of Federal Statistical Data Files," and effect of technology on data use. Source documents which aid in assessing social statistics are listed. A sample abstract from the directory and six references are appended. (EJS)

Describes a prototype online search system called ASK (Assisted Search for Knowledge) that will provide Internet and dial-up access to an array of databases related to environmental and demographic change. The Global Change Data and Information system that is being organized by federal agencies is described. (Author/LRW)

Ten commonly held misconceptions about the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) information system are presented together with a brief discussion of the facts for each one. These factual responses provide the following overview of the ERIC system. ERIC is a national information system that includes 16 clearinghouses and four support…

Educational dissemination has contributed a number of innovative concepts and strategies to information science. Much-misunderstood ERIC, which combines research reports with policy documents and teaching materials, is one of the first and best examples of a field-oriented rather than discipline-oriented database. Building on ERIC, federal…