A Technician’s Perspective on Assessment

Information System Checklist:

Rules apply to data making it reusable for a variety of reporting needs

Data is organized to eliminate repetition and unnecessary dependencies

System logic ties education concepts and processes to structured data

Referential integrity is maintained as data are updated over time

Data validation keeps error rates within acceptable limits

The information technology group within your institution has a stake in education data collection and reporting work. Those interests should be supported with a high-level plan to increase the technical sophistication of education reporting.

The Teacher Education Assessment System, TEAS©, is an easy, practical way of consolidating and reporting data. TEAS© uses Microsoft® Excel to collect consolidated data in order to expedite the implementation of a comprehensive reporting system.

Microsoft® Excel may not be acceptable to the information technology group for a variety of reasons. For example, the information technology group may have database or network guidelines in place that do not support the use of Microsoft® Excel for data consolidation and report generation. In addition, there may be existing systems that supply aggregated data and need to be more tightly integrated with an education management information system for data management purposes. Examples of subsystems include budget, financial reporting, institution research, strategic planning, enrollment, and candidate portfolio systems.

Fortunately TEAS© can be adapted to database and web-based technology in coordination with these subsystems and information technology interests. Examples of web-based transactions that populate TEAS© data are available. The Microsoft® Excel system can also be expanded into Microsoft® Access or SQL to accommodate multiple iterations of data. The cost of hardware and software that supports data collection has dropped in recent years. So, data warehousing and data mining for reporting has become more affordable. These large scale data management initiatives, however, do take time and specialized skills to implement.

The Center for Education Assessment would like to partner with educators that wish to complement the use of more sophisticated information systems, but not at the expense of satisfying current reporting needs. A comprehensive, agreed-upon plan for the migration of data collection and reporting efforts should be in place to guide day-to-day, education information work. The CEA can advise you on selecting, adapting, and integrating subsystems that support data aggregation and comprehensive education reporting. Contact the CEA for free consultation on data organization, system integration, and technology migration methods.