The Migrant Student Record Transfer System (MSRTS) is a nationwide computer-based communications network originally designed to transfer the health and educational records of migrant workers' children. This report assesses MSRTS data from September 1984 through June 1986 to determine the potential utility of such data for national studies of the…

This preliminary conceptual framework and the 23 related guidelines have been prepared by specialists drawn from both developed and developing nations as a joint project of the International Institute for Aerial Survey and Earth Sciences (ITC). The project was designed to analyze linkages between natural resource based data and certain types of…

In 1974, Congress, recognizing the difficulty individuals have in obtaining information on bilingual education, mandated the establishment of a national clearinghouse on bilingual education. This paper was sent to people involved in bilingual education as background material for a series of six conferences on the development of such a…

The explicit goal of most educational information or resource centers, is to assist clients in obtaining and utilizing information to improve educational practice and aid in educational decision making. As the number of services has increased, the need to systematically assess them has become critical. Previous efforts have been limited and…

A number of problems faced by the custodians of large collections of data which are potentially useful for research in the behavioral sciences, are addressed in this presentation. These problems relate to the rights of individuals who provide research data, to questions of "informed consent", and to the circumstances under which the…

A study was conducted of the International Information Service in Physics, Electrotechnology, Computers, and Control (INSPEC) selective dissemination of information (SDI) user profile generation. Five degrees of user involvement in the generation of profiles were investigated ranging from having the user provide only a statement of subject…

Reviews research in computer assisted instruction in areas dealing with communication subject variables as measurable outcomes or effects. These include reading comprehension/skills, composition, and organizational communication and information utilization. A model for future analysis is then proposed. Included in an appendix is a list of…

This file contains 14,825 records. The data tape contains the following files: (1) the raw data file for each respondent (randomized identification number; first follow-up flags and composites; base year questionnaire and test data; first follow-up questionnaire data; dropout questionnaire data; transfer supplement data; early graduate data; first…

This essay reviews current policy issues regarding statewide educational databases. It begins by defining the major characteristics of a database and raising two questions: (1) Is it really necessary to have a statewide educational database? (2) What is the primary rationale for creating one? The limitations of databases in formulating educational…

This report examines federal, state, and local databases containing information on migrant workers and their children, identifies their common characteristics, and assesses their potential utility to inform educational policy analysis. General criteria used to evaluate each database's strengths and weaknesses include standardization, reliability,…

This user's manual explains the Articulation Research System (ARS), which was created by Santa Fe Community College, and its database. As introductory material notes, the ARS was designed to: (1) follow former community college students through their bachelor's degree programs in the Florida State University System (SUS); (2) compare student…

This report describes the New York City School Library System (NYCSLS), a pilot project aimed at developing a network of cooperating school libraries to participate in the sharing of print and media resources, cooperative collection development, and other services. This report reviews the assessment of the project's effectiveness in the…

This volume represents a nontechnical description of the process of developing the Student Centered Management Information System (SCMIS) for Azusa Pacific College. The SCMIS utilized student-generated input to provide information pertaining to new students, student social interests, and student academic activities. It also reports on survey…

Several presentations were made at the eighth meeting of the National Commission on New Technological Uses of Copyrighted Works (CONTU). The president of the Association for Computing Machinery addressed the issue of interactions of computer technology and economics, education, and society. A representative from the Center for Educational Media…

The purpose of this article is to comment on practice in the use of existing data bases in program evaluation and school improvement and to explore directions for increased and improved use. (BW)