Lisa Ann Rodriguez EDUC 8848 November 21, 2009

1. The Evolution of Woodburn School District’s Student Information System Lisa Ann Rodriguez EDUC 8848 November 21, 2009 PowerSchool SASI

2. Prologue Student information systems, also referred to as student data systems and student management systems, are programs that enable school districts to organize and manage students’ attendance, contact information, demographics, and health information. Some of these systems also integrate with grading and lesson planning programs.

3. Prologue This year Woodburn School District’s student information system switched from the School Administrative Student Information system (SASIxp) to the PowerSchool Premier student information system. Not changing from SASI was not an option because Pearson, the company that publishes it, changed to PowerSchool. However, other student information systems were considered by our district before choosing PowerSchool.

4. What’s the Difference? SASI PowerSchool Limited to district server Grading in Integrade Used for taking attendance Used to access students’ demographic and health information Web-based Grading in an integrated gradebook Used for taking attendance, grading, and accessing students’ demographic and health information More user-friendly interface (Pearson, 2009) Parent communication center Easy generation of various reports

5. SASI Tetrad

6. PowerSchool Tetrad

7. Interviews

8. PowerSchool Features

9. Evolutionary Technologies SASI PowerSchool The principle of evolutionary technologies explains why SASI originally emerged, having evolved from a DOS-based student information system called Columbia. The basic need was the same: to keep track of student demographic and health information. The tool used to keep track of this information evolved as computer technology evolved. The DOS based program was the most appropriate tool for computers at that time, with DOS operating systems. When Windows became the standard operating system for school office computers, it made sense to replace Columbia with a student information system designed for a graphical interface. Now that mobility, flexibility, and convenience are the significant trends in computing technologies, PowerSchool is the evolution that offers these benefits by being web-based rather than confined to school servers. The basic task that is performed by the tool remains the same, but now teachers and other school personnel are able to access the tool from anywhere and anytime they choose.

10. Rhymes of History SASI PowerSchool • In the 19th and early 20th century, teachers had access to students’ personal information. They had very small class sizes, often with all grades combined in one room schoolhouses. Teachers may have been friends or family members of students’ parents. • As class sizes increased, especially in middle and high schools in which teachers may have had more than 150 students throughout the day, they did not have instant access to students’ personal and demographic information. SASI computerized information about students and gave teachers convenient and instant access to it. PowerSchool rekindles the ability for teachers to work and access student information from home. They used to bring home paperwork if they wanted the information, but now they can easily access it from anywhere with Internet access. In addition, PowerSchool has was described by users, including the teachers interviewed, as very user-friendly. This rekindles the simplicity of pen and paper, but with the power and speed of technology.

11. Disruptive Technologies SASI PowerSchool SASI was a disruptive technology because it was a radical departure from the DOS-based Columbia system that was used only by data entry personnel. I believe that Columbia is just one of many systems that were obsolete by the bigger disruptive technology takeover of Windows and Macintosh graphical user interfaces making DOS obsolete. PowerSchool, on the other hand, is a natural extension of SASI, its most significant difference being that it is an Internet-based program that can be accessed from anywhere with an Internet connection. Therefore, PowerSchool is not a disruptive technology.

12. Science Fiction Neither SASI or PowerSchool appear to be inspired by science fiction. They both are just electronic versions of student information systems previously stored in manila file folders, rolodexes, and teachers’ attendance books. SASI PowerSchool

13. Increasing Returns and Red Queens SASI was an evolution of the DOS-based Columbia system to a graphical interface information system. It was one of many student information systems, and many systems still exist (Edtekki, 2009). PowerSchool is simply the next generation of student information systems produced by Pearson, Inc., the same company that produced SASI. There are many student information systems on the market; there have never been only one or two frontrunners. PowerSchool and SASI never competed with one another because PowerSchool is produced by Pearson, the company that produced SASI. Therefore, neither Red Queens nor Increasing Returns had any bearing on the emergence of SASI, or its replacement by PowerSchool. SASI PowerSchool

14. Debbie Wolfer, Data Specialist Click to go to Part 2 of Debbie Wolfer’s Interview Click to return to Interviews

15. Debbie Wolfer, Data Specialist Click to return to Interviews

16. Tera Castile, 4th Grade Teacher Click to return to Interviews

17. Korrin Petersen, School Secretary Click to return to Interviews

18. Kari Acosta, 3rd Grade Dual Language Teacher Click to return to Interviews

19. The Future of Student Information Systems One of PowerSchool’s main functions is to keep student attendance records. Teachers still must do this manually by logging onto PowerSchool and marking if students are absent. The goal of many technologies is to replace redundant actions that require minimal cognitive functions with automation, freeing humans’ time for more complex activities. PowerSchool could someday be replaced by an attendance taking mechanism that requires no time or effort on the teachers’ part, such as eye scanning technology that records students’ presence in school from the first time they enter a classroom door each day. This would be especially useful in large lecture classes, and could also enhance school security.

20. The Future of Student Information Systems Another function of PowerSchool is to enable teachers to enter grades. Teachers must log onto PowerSchool and type in grades. This is usually done outside of teaching time. In the future, teachers may have handheld devices that they can speak into, allowing them to input information that links to students’ records throughout the day, and eliminating the need to go to the computer, log onto a program, and type. These kinds of technologies are already being used in some school districts (Edtekki, 2009).

21. Epilogue

22. SASI PowerSchool The End

23. References Edtekki. (2009). Student management system. Tangient LLC. Retrieved from http://edtekki.wikispaces.com/Student+Management+Systems. Freefever. (2009). Animated fire clipart. Retrieved from http://www.freefever.com/animatedgifs/fire5.html. Pearson. (2009). PowerSchool. Retrieved from http://www.pearsonschoolsystems.com/products/powerschool/. Random Good Stuff. (2009). Animated evolution clipart. Retrieved from http://content3.clipmarks.com/image_cache/kdupuis/512/303CDE0B-2FEC-463F-8A10-DD3C7B7B6369.gif. Thornburg, D. (2008a). Red queens, butterflies, and strange attractors: Imperfect lenses into emergent technologies. Creative Commons. Thornburg, D. (2008b). Emerging technologies and McLuhan’s laws of media. Lake Barrington, IL: Thornburg Center for Space Exploration. Thornburg, D. (2009). Evolutionary technologies. Vodcast: In Laureate Education, Inc. Emerging and future technology. Baltimore: Author. Thornburg, D. (2009). Evolutionary technology [Podcast]. In Laureate Education, Inc. Emerging and future technology.