The effectiveness of intuitive and computer-assisted educational decision making in simple and complex educational situations

This paper presents a comparison of the effectiveness of educational decisions taken by means of a holisticintuitive procedure and a computerized decision support system (DSS). Four groups of teachers were asked to resolve an educational dilemma, first using the holistic procedure and a second time using the DSS program. Each group was given an identical dilemma but at different levels of complexity. Data processing controlled for the participants' educational background and seniority in education. At the lowest level of complexity, the
two procedures were similarly effective. The efficiency of holistic decision making declined significantly at higher levels of complexity. Specific factors were identified that contributed to the differences in effectiveness. The findings lead to a deeper understanding of the advantages and limitations of the use of DSS in education.