Educational Informatics and Systemic Change

1. Educational Informatics and Systemic Change Anthony Chow, Ph.D. The University of North Carolina at Greensboro

2. Overview • What is systemic change and educational informatics? • The Systemic Educational Informatics (SEI) model • SEI and the Central Educational Center • Future Research • The ideal vision: students thinking Mega success? AECT 2010, Anaheim, CA

3. Systemic Change and Educational Informatics • An appropriate analogy – medical informatics of a hospital patient: seven variables measured at all times: Heart Rate Respiratory Quality • Use of information and technology system to ensure a stable system is in place. • Variables comprising stable vitals are identified and measured. EKG Oxygen Saturation Blood Pressure Body Temperature Respiratory Rate Stable System AECT 2010, Anaheim, CA

4. Systemic Change and Educational Informatics • An appropriate analogy – medical informatics of a hospital patient: seven variables measured at all times: • Informatics is: • Information computing and technology, and • Information management (Kling & Hara, 2009) • Applied to EDUCATION and you have the field of Educational Informatics Heart Rate Respiratory Quality EKG Oxygen Saturation Blood Pressure Body Temperature Respiratory Rate Stable System AECT 2010, Anaheim, CA

5. Educational Informatics (2) • EI is defined as: • “the study of the application of digital technologies and techniques to the use and communication of information in learning and education” (Levy, Ford, Foster, et al., 2003, pg. 299). • Systemic Educational Informatics (SEI) Model • Theoretical model outlining process for applying educational informatics concept to systemic change efforts. AECT 2010, Anaheim, CA

6. SEI Model • Primary tenets • Automated • Collected and analyzed in management reports • Informs organizational performance and management decisions • Macro and Micro (Mega if possible) AECT 2010, Anaheim, CA

7. SEI and Harless’ Vision & Systemic Change • Application of performance technology ABCD model to public education • Needs-based education derived from systems ADDIE process • Problem with education is the WHAT not the HOW • Existing curriculum not needs-based as defined by either : • Tangible accomplishments • Stakeholders • Students’ knowledge, skills, and abilities • Started a charter school in 2000 – the Central Educational Center AECT 2010, Anaheim, CA

8. SEI Model and CEC Macro Stakeholder Engagement Micro Soft skills Economic Impact Post High School Educational Accountability StudentParticipation Dual Enrollment Student Measures Work- based learning Outreach & Awareness AECT 2010, Anaheim, CA

9. SEI Model and CEC Stakeholder Engagement Metric: Engagement level of primary stakeholders Data: Engagement scale, CEO rating. Soft skills Economic Impact Post High School Educational Accountability StudentParticipation Dual Enrollment Student Measures Metric: ROI of CEC Data: decrease in drop-out rate Metric:. Students CEC impacts Data: % district students that take a course Work- based learning Macro Outreach & Awareness Micro Metric: stakeholders who are aware of school Data: Annual awareness survey AECT 2010, Anaheim, CA

10. SEI Model and CEC Soft skills Metric: Work ethic grade Data: Cumulative grades earned Post High School Educational Accountability Metric: Progress and preparedness Data: Survey data Metric: Traditional measures Data: Individual and school level grades, test scores, graduation rates. Dual Enrollment Student Measures Metric: total numbers, % change over time Data: certificates earned, participants Metric: total numbers, % change over time Data: attendance, tardiness Work- based learning Macro Metric: Numbers and placements Data: students and employer participants Micro AECT 2010, Anaheim, CA

11. SEI Model and CEC Macro Stakeholder Engagement Micro Soft skills Economic Impact Post High School Educational Accountability StudentParticipation • Is systemic change taking place? • Is there a paradigm shift? Dual Enrollment Student Measures Work- based learning Outreach & Awareness AECT 2010, Anaheim, CA

12. SEI Model and CEC Macro Stakeholder Engagement Micro Soft skills Economic Impact Post High School Educational Accountability StudentParticipation • Data is collected and reported automatically • Issue identified • Affirmative, timely action taken • Research shows 50-75% of those who drop out are not engaged by the curriculum. Dual Enrollment Student Measures Work- based learning Outreach & Awareness AECT 2010, Anaheim, CA

13. Future Research • Phase 1 – Year 1: Implement at CEC this 2010-2011 academic year • Phase 2 – Year 2: Generalize to 15 career academies AECT 2010, Anaheim, CA

14. SEI and Systemic Change Stakeholder Engagement Mega Soft skills Macro Economic Impact Post High School Educational Accountability StudentParticipation Micro Dual Enrollment Student Measures • Mega students for Mega planning? • Society and the environment • “Doing good while doing well.” (Kaufman, 2000) Work- based learning Outreach & Awareness AECT 2010, Anaheim, CA

15. Thank You! • Q & A • Anthony Chow • aschow@uncg.edu • anthonyschow.wordpress.com (slides) • Book: Systems Thinking and 21st Century Education AECT 2010, Anaheim, CA