Educational Informatics Designing performance-based measurement systems for rapid response learning environments Anthony Chow, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Department of Library and Information Studies The University of North Carolina at Greensboro Ingrid Guerra-Lopez, Ph.D. Associate Professor Director, Institute for Learning & Performance Improvement Wayne State University Mark Whitlock, MBA Chief Executive Officer The Central Educational Center

Overview Literature Problem Method Results Implications 11/12/2018

Educational Informatics Educational informatics is: Intersection of three disciplines: teaching and learning, information science, and information communication technologies (ICTs) (Ford, 2004; Haythornthwaite, 2006; Sheffield University, 2011) “The study of the application of digital technologies and techniques to the use and communication of information in learning and education” (Levy, Ford, Foster, Madden, Miller, Baptista Nunes, McPherson, & Webber, 2003, p. 299) Educational informatics parallels the use of informatics in other fields medical informatics, bioinformatics, and health informatics 11/12/2018 Anthony

Educational Informatics meets information science and systems design Educational informatics and information science The word “informatics” means the science of information The word “analytics” means the logical organization and analysis of information Educational informatics within a systems framework: The science of using and analyzing educational information in a logical fashion. Chow (2008) defined it by uniting computing, information science, and systems design in an education setting as: “how information technology is used to collect, organize, use, and disseminate information to support and help improve overall performance of the educational system” (Chow, 2008, p. 51) 11/12/2018 Anthony

The Big Questions? How is our school doing? What does success look like? How do we measure it? How do we know if our systemic change effort is working? What data do we need to have by when to answer these questions? 11/12/2018 Anthony, Ingrid, and Mark

Educational Informatics and Organizational Performance 11/12/2018 How are ICTs being used to collect data and how are organizations able to translate and use this data? Information they can use to continuously improve current and future decisions and performance in a real-time, dash board fashion? Mega Macro Micro Anthony

Impact Evaluation Process (IEP) Guerra-Lopez’s Impact Evaluation Process (2007; 2012) provides the tactical steps in which to identify and build a customized organizational SEI model. 11/12/2018 Ingrid

The SEI model The SEI model is characterized by four primary characteristics: System indicators Real-time data Automation, and Performance improvement focus (primarily gap identification and causal analysis). 11/12/2018 Anthony, Mark

CEC Overview Harless’ “Grand Conspiracy” – basing a school on systems thinking which starts with user needs and end accomplishments Central Educational Center – a join venture of societal stakeholders Charter School Designed using ADDIE Embraces innovation and the concept of educational informatics and real-time data 11/12/2018 Anthony, Mark

Systemic Educational Informatics (SEI) Model 11/12/2018 The Mega level represents the societal level and requires that an organization measures its intended value-added impact on society itself (Of what value are we to society?) to ensure proper alignment. Anthony

Systemic Educational Informatics (SEI) Model 11/12/2018 The Macro level involves the medium term goals of the organization and stakeholders, the more immediate or direct impact that benefits the organization itself (What does success mean and look like for our organization?). Anthony

Systemic Educational Informatics (SEI) Model 11/12/2018 The Micro level involves internal building-block results of the organization (What short-term products have to be accomplished by teams and individual organizational members?) (Kaufman, 2006; 2011). Anthony

CEC’s SEI Model 11/12/2018 Anthony, Ingrid

CEC’s Mega Level 11/12/2018 Anthony, Ingrid, Mark

CEC’s Macro Level 11/12/2018 Anthony, Ingrid, Mark

CEC’s Micro Level 11/12/2018 Anthony, Ingrid, Mark

SEI Model – Data view Mega Macro Micro CEO Google Doc Data Data Data 11/12/2018 CEO Google Doc Database Data Data Anthony Data Data Data

CEC SEI Model Dashboard Here is the initial design 11/12/2018 Anthony

CEC – SEI Model Educational Informatics Information about CEC, a systemic change effort Scientific application of continuous evaluation called for in ADDIE process Data leads to information, which leads to knowledge; collectively HPT SEI models can accompany all systemic change efforts Real-time formative and summative evaluation 11/12/2018 Anthony, Ingrid, Mark

Next Steps Refining Model (add input activities and data layers) Establishing targets Populating data Pilot the model Scalability 11/12/2018 Anthony, Ingrid, Mark

Resources Joe Harless, “The Eden Conspiracy” Anthony Chow, “Systems Thinking and 21st Century Education” Mark Whitlock – mark.whitlock@cowetaschools.net Anthony Chow – aschow@uncg.edu 11/12/2018

Q&A 11/12/2018 Thank You!