Educational R & D Information System Requirements: A Task Force Report

The conference defined the parameters of an information system to satisfy the needs of local districts for access to and use of the results of R & D in education. Elements of the design are (1) output (needs of local personnel), (2) input (content, location, and organization of data), (3) process (existing developments and services), and (4) roles of national, regional, state, and local districts in the system. Areas analyzed were (1) the problem, (2) existing conditions, (3) a model system, (4) feasibility, and (5) the components most urgently needed. Much of the R & D done by universities, foundations, and even other school districts must be translated to a different form for others' use. The proposed system would (1) collect data, (2) prepare, index, and maintain files, (3) provide interface with users, (4) apply data to classroom users, and (5) manage the system. Present constraints on its ideal use include (1) lack of (a) standardization, (b) sophisticated users, and (c) criteria for system evaluation, (2) existing services and interests, (3) present hard- and software, (4) development and operation costs, and (5) legal limits on reproduction of material. Techniques are now adequate for processing and storing, but not for indexing and reformulation. The greatest flaw is at the system/user interface. The laboratory could profitably train information specialists in each district, prepare summaries on major subject areas, and issue annual reviews on R & D in education. (HH)