ERIC Number: EJ1474595
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025-Jun
Pages: 13
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0266-4909
EISSN: EISSN-1365-2729
Available Date: 2025-05-06
Advancing Holistic Decision-Making Systems in Schools: Insights from Academic Research and Practical Applications
Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, v41 n3 e70021 2025
Background: There is growing recognition in the education sector of the critical role empirical data plays in aiding strategic decision-making and supporting personalised learning. The call for increased and more nuanced data-driven decision-making has been primarily addressed by the institutional use of student learning dashboards and learner profiles in higher education; their application and evaluation in K-12 settings remain underexplored. Existing approaches often lack robust empirical evidence, and there is limited research addressing their use in real-world classroom environments. Objectives and Methods: This study aims to bridge the knowledge gap by systematically reviewing both academic and non-peer-reviewed literature on decision-making systems in schools. The review focused on understanding the types of data used, the implementation status of dashboards and learner profiles, and the practical applications in K-2 education. The analysis included 19 academic papers as well as 10 pieces of non-peer-reviewed literature to examine the landscape of decision-making systems. Results: The analysis revealed that while academic literature highlights the underuse of diverse data types and a scarcity of real-world evaluations, non-peer-reviewed literature showcases promising holistic decision-making approaches employed by schools and government bodies globally. However, these practical applications often lack empirical validation. Conclusions: This study provides a novel contribution by exploring how researchers can move beyond stand-alone studies focusing on academic performance to gauge the success of different decision-making systems. The study also recommends that practitioners invest in more research-backed systems to create better teaching and learning practices and enhance personalised learning. By highlighting the current gaps and offering forward-looking recommendations, our study clarifies the present landscape and serves as a foundation for future research to improve student learning outcomes.
Descriptors: Holistic Approach, Decision Making, Data Use, Educational Research, Early Childhood Education
Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: 1University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia; 2Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA