Facts, Data, Information, And Information Quality: The Main Pillars Of Education Management Information System

Facts, Data, Information, and Information Quality: The Main Pillars of the Education Management Information System

By: Ayi M. Sirojudin

The development of information technology today has brought significant changes in education management. The Education Management Information System (SIMDIK) is one solution to assist in making accurate and quick decisions. However, phenomena in the field show that many educational institutions still fail to distinguish between facts, data, and information. Misunderstanding these basic concepts often results in the presentation of inaccurate, irrelevant, or even misleading information. This condition creates a gap between the need for quality information and the reality of information management practices in schools. Therefore, understanding the basic concepts of facts, data, information, and the scope of information quality is an important objective in this discussion.

Facts are the main foundation of all forms of scientific knowledge. Facts are objective realities that can be observed and verified, whether in the form of events, objects, or natural phenomena. In the context of education, facts can be in the form of student attendance numbers, infrastructure conditions, and actual learning outcomes. Facts play an important role as a starting point for developing theories, testing hypotheses, and even refuting erroneous views. Without facts, the entire information system would lack a solid foundation. Therefore, understanding facts is the starting point for credible information management.

Furthermore, data is the raw form of facts that are collected and recorded for specific purposes. Data can be in the form of numbers, symbols, text, sound, or images. In the world of education, data is divided into internal data, such as school finances, number of teachers, or student attendance, and external data, such as the number of graduates accepted into higher education or the level of public satisfaction. Collected data does not automatically have meaning; it requires processing in order to serve as a basis for decision making. In other words, data is input that must be managed in order to produce output in the form of information.

Information is the result of data processing, giving it meaning and value. Information serves to reduce uncertainty, increase knowledge, and support more accurate decision-making. In educational institutions, information can take the form of student academic progress reports, teacher needs analyses, or learning programme evaluations. The essence of information lies in its ability to provide clear understanding to its users. Therefore, information must be presented accurately, relevantly, and in a timely manner to be truly useful.

The quality of information is the final and most decisive aspect in the success of SIMDIK. The quality of information is determined by its content, timing, and form. The content of information must be accurate, relevant, and complete. The timing must be right so that the information is not stale or outdated. Meanwhile, the form of information must be clear, concise, and easy to understand, whether in the form of written reports, graphs, or digital visualisations. New information can be considered valuable if its benefits outweigh the costs incurred to obtain it. In education, quality information can increase the knowledge of school leaders, reduce the risk of policy errors, and provide standards for achieving goals.

Facts, data, and information that are managed with quality in mind will result in educational decisions that are appropriate, effective, and beneficial to all parties.

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This article is summarised from the Teaching Module for the Educational Information Management System Part-2 course taught by Prof. Rusdiana. Ayi M. Sirojudin. Born in Garut on 1 April 1980, Address: Perum Cakrabuana Asri RT. 005 RW. 002, Cisitu Village, Malangbong District, Garut Regency, 44188, Mobile: 081323277713, Email: hierofani022@gmail.com. His current profession is as a teacher at SMKN 7 Garut, while pursuing a Master's degree in Islamic Education Management at the Postgraduate Programme of UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung.