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Kelly, Misty, Morgan //__Data Warehousing: An Aid to Decision-Making__//**
 * Week 12 - Assignment
 * Hello! Below are the requirements for the assignment provided by Dr. Massey. Pick a question to answer and respond to eachother like we would in an in-class discussion. Great practice:0)!!**

Each group has been assigned an article to read independently. After completing your reading, answer the questions assigned to your article, you may add additional questions that developed after your analysis of your article. On Wednesday, April 7, 2010 bring your responses to class and synthesize your answers within your group. You will have approximately 20 minutes to summarize the article and synthesize your responses before presenting them to the class. Your summary of the article should give enough information to those that have not read it. You can present using PowerPoint or using any other method you choose.

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 * Data Warehousing:

Link to the article**: Data Warehousing_ An Aid to Decision-Making -- THE Journal.pdf

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 * Questions to answer**

1**. What is your opinion of data warehousing and its usefulness in education?**

Kelly's: I think data warehousing sounds like a good idea. When my school was failing AYP, we had to look at all of the different kinds of data listed in the article--and much more, and the data was all over the place--it was truly a year-long proess to sift though it. The CDE even came to our school and observed and tried to give us more observational data. It would have been a much simpler process if we already had a central data warehouse with all of our data in one place.

Morgan's: I also think that data warehousing is a great idea. Not only does it provide a more organized and concise way of data delivery, it provides the basis for the importance of data collection in making decisions that postively impact schools. For instance, the article mentions a great point, " When the budget information is tied to student records, one can actually determine if the cost of the new textbooks purchased last year produced a change in student achievement." It is important to track what is working or what is not. This would make a great tool for budget allocating.


 * Misty’s: I think data warehouse can be a very useful tool in education. It is an easy and efficient way to compare to see major differences in student achievement, budget, demographics, and many other policy making criteria’s. **

2. **What can data warehousing do in the processing of useful information, and how would you use that information in your classroom?**

Kelly's: If you could keep ongoing records of student achievement, demographics, lesson structure or pacing guides, software used, etc. all in one place, then you might have a good holistic sample of data to look at in order to notice trends in your class. When doing action research in your classroom, it would be a great resource for reflecting and deciding how or what to alter in order to boost student achievement.

Morgan's: Data warehousing provides records of information that correlate to relavant decision making in schools, businesses, etc. In the classroom it could provide coehesive information that could provide evidence of material that is making a difference or setting student's back from lack of interest. Like Kelly mentioned, this holistic approach could provide information that is useful in determining trends that could ultimately boost test scores and student progression. Do schools currently use something of the sort? Because there seems to be a discrepancy :0) (where is the spell checker????)

In physical education, I would use data warehousing in tracking demographic, skill levels, and skill level scores. **
 * Misty’s: Data warehousing can process pertinent information efficiently, so that the school board can make good educated decisions on budget, and student achievement areas. **
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3. **Using the eight steps provided to establish a data warehouse, create your own plan.**

Kelly's: Wow! This question looks like it will take awhile. Any suggestions? agh.....

Morgan's: https://scholarsbank.uoregon.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/1794/7664/2007-rose.pdf?sequence=1 This article has a great descriptive of data warehousing in progress. The process makes sense, but seems difficult to interpret without examples. So this might be helpful to us. pg. 17 and 50- on.

a. Choice of software b. Converting data into useful format a. Conduct evaluations of current review systems a. Time consuming and critical when compiling data from various sources. a. Data needs to be put in a compatible and non-redundant format a. Described as part of the planning process to ensure good and accurate results 6**.** **Information about importing data into the warehouse.** a. Knowing your audience is vital for warehousing a. Easy-to-use online analytical tool for reporting is needed.
 * 1. Smaller trained staff to manage data warehouse. **
 * 2. Information about selecting the most useful data sources. **
 * 3. Information about determining the most important data. **
 * 4. Information about selecting a common format for information conversion. **
 * 5. Information about cleansing data **
 * <span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; msobidifontfamily: Calibri; msobidithemefont: minor-latin; msolist: Ignore;">7. Information about deterring access to the data. **
 * <span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; msobidifontfamily: Calibri; msobidithemefont: minor-latin; msolist: Ignore;">8. Information about determining the toolset (software) for data analysis. **

<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; msobidifontfamily: Calibri; msobidithemefont: minor-latin; msolist: Ignore;"> 1) Select a faculty person to monitor data base ( IT tech in school) <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; msobidifontfamily: Calibri; msobidithemefont: minor-latin; msolist: Ignore;"> 2)  Keep information secure <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; msobidifontfamily: Calibri; msobidithemefont: minor-latin; msolist: Ignore;"> 3) Have system updates ( every quarter) <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; msobidifontfamily: Calibri; msobidithemefont: minor-latin; msolist: Ignore;"> 4)  Ask instructors that import data to double check for incomplete data for the quarter


 * 1st step**: Microsoft Access, Inspire Data, Excel, Microsoft
 * 2nd step**: IT Committee research for useful data sources. Selection of data warehousing programs.
 * 3rd step**: School Committee to determine important data. For example: when deciding what should go into the data warehouse.Scores, programs, textbooks, budget allocations.
 * 4th step:** IT committee to determine universal format. Convert data to same format.
 * 5th step**: Review through Microsoft track changes and Microsoft live add-in. Committee review and edit eachothers work.
 * 6th step:** IT committee to upload information.
 * 7th step:** Password protected. Microsoft live add-in.
 * 8th step:** Excel graphing, tables, etc.