As part of its effort to look at new ways to foster the innovation process in education, the Centre for Educational Research and Innovation (CERI) is undertaking a mapping and analysis of longitudinal data systems as a new knowledge management platform. Educational longitudinal information systems typically collect at regular intervals information on students, schools and their learning outcomes or performance. They could contribute to create a culture of continuous improvement and to allow for better evaluation of educational innovations.

These systems were initially designed to inform about student and school performance at the system level. A new generation of systems aims to give immediate feedback to teachers, schools and students, and allow them to benchmark their performance in "real time" and to use large scale data collections in a formative way.

Promises for innovation and improvement

First, the quick feedback given to teachers, parents and students on students’ performance may help design quick remedial strategies for students falling behind. These systems could bring in a more personalised culture of teaching with individualised reports on students and incentives to use evaluation in a formative way. They could help to put continuous improvement at the centre of the teaching culture.

 

Second, these systems can increasingly be used as knowledge management platforms where instructional and learning materials can be shared: course material, tests and quizzes, diagnosis tools, videos and a series of other resources that can support teachers and learners.

The platforms connect teachers facing similar difficulties and creates a more collaborative culture of teaching, in turn driving innovation.

 

Finally, these systems can enhance the precision of educational research and allow for more systematic evaluations of innovative or experimental programmes, both of which are crucial to innovation in education. Generating evidence on the outcomes of a new method or product is a key step to its widespread adoption and use in education systems.

 

 

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