Background: Often, a principal's responsibilities include making decisions about the appropriateness of educational programmes to adopt in their school. Recommendations about programmes can be conflicting; so, a principal may need to search for evidence to inform their decision. Purpose: The purpose of this small-scale study was to clarify how…

In this article the authors report findings from a practice-based study that examines the cultural practices of data use among 59 science and engineering faculty from three large, public research universities. In this exploratory study they documented how faculty use teaching-related data "in the wild" using interviews and classroom…

In the past five years, there has been considerable interest in the decision-making process of school board officials in the field of education. However, a paucity of research exists on how these leaders use online resources to inform decision-making. Through an online survey and face-to-face interviews, this study examined the use of online…

In the quest to improve measured educational outcomes national governments across the The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and beyond have instituted large-scale assessment (LSA) policies in their public schools. Controversy almost universally follows the implementation of such testing, related to such topics as: a)…

The objective of this qualitative study was to identify and explain challenges encountered by academic librarians when trying to incorporate evidence into their practice. The findings resulted in the identification of five main determinants that act as either obstacles or enablers of evidence use. The identification of these determinants provide…

This paper examines the options available to states to redefine their accountability systems as they begin to implement the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The new law provides the possibility that states can create more balanced systems of support and accountability focused on educating young people so they can become productive, engaged…

This 2012 mba.com Prospective Students Survey Report explores the motivations, behaviors, program choices, and intended career outcomes of individuals who expressed a desire to further their education in a graduate business program. More than 16,000 prospective business school students who registered on mba.com shared their opinions, preferences,…

Planning means knowing what you wish to do, developing a program to do it, and anticipating the context in which you will have to act. The role of the planning official is to point out options and consequences, not to take responsibility for any policy or pattern of decision. (Author/WM)

Discusses results of the final part of a study of the environmental scanning behavior of chief executive officers in two Canadian industries--publishing and telecommunications. The results of personal interviews were analyzed to determine their main sources of environmental information and how they made use of the information in decision making.…

A sample of 204 Canadians were presented information in 3 formats--matrix table, summary, and combination--with which to choose an appropriate credit card. Summary ratings of credit cards combined with a table of fees, interest rates, and grace periods reduced information processing efforts and led to better consumer decisions. (SK)

Describes a study that investigated how CEOs (Chief Executive Officers) in the Canadian publishing and telecommunications industries acquire and use information about the business environment. Topics discussed include environmental scanning; perceived environmental uncertainty; information sources; information use in decision making; and a…

Four consumer education strategies (control, audiovisual presentation, pamphlet, presentation and pamphlet) and 4 consumer information strategies were used with 448 Canadians choosing fire-resistant upholstery. The information treatments influenced importance of fire resistance as a product attribute, although the education treatment affected…

Describes a project conducted by Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC) to determine the possibility of establishing indicators to concretely measure the relevance of information to decision-making processes in the context of assistance to developing countries. Use of a computer conference and a workshop to develop a model are…

An example is provided of an evaluation in which the formulation of explicit decision rules was a central activity. The case for and against the use of decision rules in program evaluation is considered, and the appropriate context identified. Implications for the rights of decision makers are addressed. (Author/CTM)

Reports on a study of how 13 chief executives in the Canadian publishing and telecommunications industries scan their environments for information and use it in decision making. Critical incidents of information use were analyzed according to their environmental sectors, information sources, and their use in decision making. (Contains 27…