Foundation Of Information Systems: Understanding Facts, data, and information in education

The quality of information determines its value and effectiveness in supporting decision-making. Key factors that shape information quality include accuracy, completeness, relevance, and timeliness. High-quality information can enhance knowledge, reduce uncertainty, and minimize risks in policy-making. In educational practice, accurate academic reports may serve as the basis for improving learning quality, while clear financial information supports transparent resource management. For information to be useful, it should also be presented concisely, clearly, and in an easily understood form. Therefore, managing information quality plays a vital role in building a credible educational information system.

Facts, data, and information are three interrelated components in constructing an information system. Facts represent the observed reality, data function as structured representations of those facts, and information is the meaningful output derived from data processing. The quality of information determines how far the outcomes can effectively support accurate decision-making. In the field of education, a deep understanding of these three concepts enables schools to manage information with accuracy, relevance, and usefulness. Hence, educational information systems can serve as strategic instruments to enhance educational management and services on a sustainable basis.

This paper is a review of Part 1: Basic Insight into Information Systems from the teaching material of the Management Information Systems course, taught by Prof. Dr. H. A. Rusdiana, M.M.