Episode 14: Statewide Longitudinal Data System and Robert Swiggum, Chief Information Officer, GADOE

The State of Georgia has a Statewide Longitudinal Data System. What's that? You don't know what that means? 

One aspect of it puts student information at the finger tips of the classroom teacher. This information was previously only available, that is if the information in the school was up-to-date, in the files in a school information vault often located in the school's counseling office. This meant that it really was not accessible to most teachers. After all, the files could not be removed from the vault and it meant staying in there looking up every student's information at one time...which could have meant an overnight stay in the vault. 

Mr. Robert Swiggum is the Chief Information Officer for the Georgia Department of Education. He became enamored with technology, became a programmer, and "has held just about every job there is with technology." He has watched "technology transform the business world and knows that it can have the same impact on education."

This interview took place just prior to the holiday break in December 2013. 

Hope that you enjoy the conversation!

You can find more information about the Statewide Longitudinal Data System and what Georgia is doing at the following link:

http://www.gadoe.org/Technology-Services/SLDS/Pages/SLDS.aspx

Length: 20:03