Introduction
An information system is a collection of software, hardware, people, procedures and data that work together to generate quality information. Such a system provides opportunities for the improvement of student learning through the provision of alternative ways for students to make use of technology in the learning environment. In addition, an information system augments the management capabilities of educators as well as school’s administrators. Many states have implemented management information systems that allow parents to interact with both teachers and school administrators, give them access to their children’s education progress and also provide them with a lot of other education related information in the state. These modern and exciting applications of computer information systems have gained popularity in the education sector. This paper seeks to explore the typical components of an effective information system, the type of information provided by these systems, the usefulness of this information and potential room for improvement in the current information systems. The paper will particularly focus on the state of Alabama and its department of education information database.
An effective information system is fundamental to the success of any education institution. So what are the elements that make an information mananagement system effective? First, an information system should comprise of all the typical components mentioned earlier, that is software, hardware, people, procedures and data. However, the mere presence of these components in an information system does not signify its effectiveness (Breiter and Light, 2006). An information system has several functional elements that contribute to its effectiveness. One of these functional elements is the input of appropriate data. According to Saeed (2008), the managers of an information system should come up with effective procedures for timely data collection that is necessary for the generation of the required information. The other functional element of an effective information system is data maintenance. The purpose of this function is to constantly update data when the one in session becomes irrelevant (Breiter and Light, 2006). However, this function should also include the capacity to preserve or archive historical date for future references. The third element of an effective information management system is the output function. For data output to be effective, the retrieval, selection, processing and reporting of data must conform to information requirements of the particular institution or organization (Creating Effective Information Systems, 2008). Currently, the most effective way to disseminate such information output is through an electronic “infobase”, commonly known as a database where the information is readily accessible at any time of the day (Components of an Information System, 2012).
The absence of the functional elements described above in an information system inadvertently renders it ineffective.
As mentioned earlier, many states have implemented information systems and Alabama is one of those states. Through its’ website, (http://www.alsde.edu), the Alabama Department of Education has bridged the gap between the various stakeholders of education in the state by availing an effective interaction interface. The first striking thing about this website is its relative ease of access. The website is easily accessible to anyone who wishes to access the state’s education data. The site also has a user friendly interface that is relatively easy to circumnavigate. All these features make it easy to access the variety of information and data that the database provides.
The Alabama Department of Education database provides a lot of useful information to various education stakeholders including school government officials, school administrators, teachers, parents and students. For instance the database provides explicit descriptions of all government schools in the state. It also provides teacher’s certification listings. There is also a listing of all education offices in the state as well as the hours of operation. In addition, the database also lists the names of the various educations chiefs in the state. The database also provides a calendar of education related events scheduled to happen in a given school year.
In spite of the apparent effectiveness of this Alabama Department of Education’s database, there is still room for improvement. For instance, the department should incorporate the websites of individual schools into its mainframe so that the students, teachers and parents can access more useful information, for instance class syllabi, student’s grades and progress, teacher’s recommendation amongst others. This will make the state’s overall information system to be even more effective.
References
Alabama State Department of Education: ALSDE. (2013, July 12). Retrieved August 23, 2013, from http://www.alsde.edu/home/Sections/SectionInfo.aspx?SectionID=58
Breiter, A., & Light, D. (2006). Data for School Improvement: Factors for designing effective information systems to support decision-making in schools. Educational Technology & Society, 9 (3), 206-217
Components of an Information System | MBA Knowledge Base. (2012, November 12). Retrieved August 23, 2013, from http://www.mbaknol.com/management-information-systems/components-of-an-information-system/
Creating Effective Information Systems. (2008, August 4). Retrieved August 23, 2013, from http://alangutterman.typepad.com/emergingcompanies/2008/08/a-comprehensive-and-effective-information-system-is-essential-to-the-success-of-any-business-the-term-information-system.html
Saeed, K. A. (2008). Examining the effects of information system characteristics and perceived usefulness on post adoption usage of information systems. Information & Management,12(24), 23-30.
