Vision to Know and Do:
The Power of Data as a Tool in Educational Decision Making

Acknowledgments

The Consortium for School Networking (CoSN), a national nonprofit organization, promotes the use of information technologies and the Internet in K-12 education to improve learning. Our members represent school districts, state and local education agencies, nonprofits, companies and individuals who share our vision.

CoSN launched the Data-driven Decision Making initiative, Vision to Know and Do, early in 2003. CoSN intends to make this initiative a highly-respected source of up-to-date, unbiased information for educators on collecting, understanding and using data effectively; an easy to use mechanism for educating school leaders about data-driven decision making and its applications in elementary and secondary education; and a nationally-recognized framework for sharing knowledge among educators and transferring knowledge between the educational and vendor communities.

Vision to Know and Do is made possible through the financial support of our three founding partners, ETS, IBM and SAS. However, CoSN is responsible for creating all the materials associated with the initiative and retains editorial control over them. Our partners provide input and feedback, but the ultimate responsibility for project materials remains with CoSN.

This paper was authored by Karen R. Greenwood, a writer and speaker specializing in network technology and K-12 education. She founded Nimble Press in 1998 and the Education Network Manager's User Group (ENMUG) in San Jose in 1997. She co-produced the TechForum annual conference from 1998 to 2002. She presents as a technology expert at education conferences and has been interviewed by the San Jose Mercury News, San Francisco Chronicle, EduVentures, eSchool News, and other media.

Irene K. Spero, Vice President, CoSN, served as the project director.

Related materials continue to be updated, improved and posted on CoSN's Data-driven Decision Making website, www.3d2know.org.

This paper may be reproduced for use by non-profit educational organizations if CoSN is notified and credited. For more information, contact, CoSN, 1710 Rhode Island Avenue, NW, Suite 900, Washington, DC 20036. Phone: 202/861-2676. Web: www.cosn.org.