School of Education at Johns Hopkins University - Graduate Education Programs:


Data-based Decision Making and Organizational Improvement

Adviser: John Castellani, 410-516-9755

This advanced 15-credit certificate program provides school leaders and leaders of other organizations with knowledge and skills to explore and apply basic concepts supporting data-driven decision-making and performance accountability. Program participants survey data-driven decision-making applications, problem-solving techniques, and methods for engaging in systemic change. Participants learn to apply data-driven decision-making applications and data-mining strategies to existing classroom, school, or organizational data and to use persuasive technology (captology) techniques to create compelling decision-oriented presentations. Participants engage in the dynamics of scenario-based problem solving and implementation activities using field-based data to make decisions about school or organizational planning. Applicants must hold a bachelor's or master's degree in business or education from an accredited institution.

Requirements (15 Credits)

 

  • 893.601 Evaluation and Research of Technology Supported Interventions and Programs

    In this course students learn and practice the skills necessary to evaluate the use of instructional technology in educational settings. The course covers a range of alternative and mixed methods for data collection, such as observation, interviewing, the use of surveys, and analysis of data. Students develop an evaluation plan that can be implemented in their own educational settings and demonstrates their ability to select and/or develop appropriate metrics to identify the impact of technology in the teaching-learning process. Students use empirical methods to describe, explore, and/or explain the relationships between technology and program and/or individual outcomes. (3 credits)

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  • 893.632 Data-Driven Decision-Making for Schools and Organizations

    The increasing impact of a knowledge economy and globalization has been a catalyst to the fields of knowledge management and organizational decision making. This course is designed to introduce knowledge management concepts into an educational context and to provide an in depth focus on data-driven decision making in educational organizations and institutions. The models, tools, techniques, and theory of data-driven decision making that can improve the quality of leadership decisions are examined through solution-based scenarios. Students investigate how decisions and strategies are developed and how tacit or explicit knowledge can be identified, captured, structured, valued, and shared for effective use. Course topics include leadership and strategic management relative to organizational decision making, power and politics, managerial and organizational structures, strategy formulation, organizational learning, and decision support systems. A related intent is to develop an understanding of data-mining metrics that can be used to make predictive models that support systemic change. (3 credits)

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  • 893.634 Technology Leadership for School Improvement

    Education leaders need to understand the use of technology for teaching, learning, and managing their school environment. These skills include schoolwide technology planning and leadership that incorporate instructional design, curriculum integration with standards, logistics of technology implementation, professional development, and evaluation. Students will develop an understanding of how to create and support technological change through a systems approach. Topics include sources of resistance to change, tools for planning, decision making and change, creating and supporting a culture for learning and change, and managing and institutionalizing change systems. (3 credits)

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  • 893.645 Designing and Delivering E-Learning Environments

    Students explore the use of mentoring and distributed learning environments. Small groups study the use of online and face-to-face mentoring to communicate and solve school issues related to data-driven decision making. Participants use Internet products that provide synchronous and asynchronous communication to develop and deliver peer coaching and to apply and evaluate Web-based communication tools. (3 credits)

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  • 893.800 Graduate Internship in Instructional Technology

    The graduate internship provides students the opportunity to individualize their program experience, to sharpen existing skills, to gain new skills, and to pursue their technology interests. The internship is designed to produce a professional, customized learning experience that stretches the student through his/her participation in the development, design, implementation, or evaluation of high-quality technology products, projects, or services. Internships are aligned to individual student’s schedules and can include collaborative opportunities with public and private sector organizations and agencies that have local, regional, national, or international interests. (3 credits)

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