Information Systems Degree Programs Research Articles

Information Systems Degree Programs and Competitive Disruption: Threat or Opportunity?

Information Systems Degree Programs and Competitive Disruption: Threat or Opportunity?

MSIS 2016: Global Competency Model for Graduate Degree Programs in Information Systems

This document, MSIS 2016: Global Competency Model for Graduate Degree Programs in Information Systems, is the latest in the series of reports that provides guidance for degree programs in the Information Systems (IS) academic discipline. The first of these reports (Ashenhurst, 1972) was published in the early 1970s, and the work has continued ever since both at the undergraduate and master's levels. The Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) has sponsored the reports from the beginning. Since the Association for Information Systems (AIS) was established in the mid-1990s, the two organizations have collaborated on the production of curriculum recommendations for the IS discipline. At the undergraduate level, both the Association for Information Technology Professionals (AITP) (formerly DPMA) and the International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP) have also made significant contributions to the curriculum recommendations.

Moving Toward the Next Generation of Graduate Degree Programs in Information Systems

The curriculum recommendations for master’s level degree programs in Information Systems (most recently, MSIS 2006) have served the IS community well and formed a strong foundation on which many departments have built their graduate programs. Changes in technology, the way in which IS/IT solutions are procured and provided, and the need to raise the profile of master’s programs in IS, however, have created a need to review the master’s level model curriculum. This article builds on recent discussion on this topic within the IS community and is intended to move the conversation regarding the curriculum revision forward. Through three program exemplars and integrative discussion, the article identifies and addresses key questions related to the curriculum revision and provides guidance for any department that is currently in the process of modifying its degree program.

Integrated Curriculum for a Bachelor of Science in Business Information Systems Design (BISD 2010)

Commentators on Information Systems (IS) education have urged the IS community to develop new and alternative IS curricula. The IS 2002 model curriculum has recently been revised. The new IS 2010 curriculum guidelines for undergraduate degree programs in Information Systems [Topi et al. 2010] has a curriculum structure to accommodate the education of several different professional roles within IS. This paper identifies one such role, the Business Information Systems Designer. It presents and argues for a new, integrated Bachelor of Science curriculum for Business Information Systems Design (BISD 2010) to educate for this role. The proposed curriculum focuses on the design and use of IS in business and has a strong design focus. The education focuses on developing and training a set of capabilities that enables the Business Information Systems Designer to participate in the design of business and IS in concert. Some examples of capabilities are communication and presentation skills, business and industry understanding, and high-level modeling. Consequently, the curriculum adopted a capabilities-driven pedagogical model in order to train specific skills. The paper presents the BISD 2010 with its specific expected learning outcomes, structure, and pedagogy, and also how the students should be able to fulfill the learning outcomes. The proposed curriculum differs from much of the current IS model curriculum discussions in a number of respects: (1) it is built on a notion of design, design science, and design as a profession, (2) it is based on a capability driven pedagogical model, (3) the curriculum is modeled for a European higher education context and the Bologna accord, and (4) it is not a model curriculum, but a specific, comprehensive, and ambitious curriculum for a degree program.

Business Informatics: An Engineering Perspective on Information Systems

Over the last three decades many universities have offered various programmes related to Infor-mation Systems. However, the rapid changes in recent years demand constant evaluation and modification of education programmes. Recent challenges include, for instance, the move to-wards programmes that are more applied and professionally-orientated. The Bologna Declaration in Europe with its three level study structure as well as the increasing pressure to ensure funding within most departments adds further pressure to many universities. Despite attempts being made to provide reference to curricula and guidelines, many universities and faculties struggle with the proper direction and design of the information systems curricula. Common reference curricula related to information systems are, for example: the IS 2002; Cur-riculum Guidelines for Undergraduate Degree Programs in information systems; the MSIS 2000: Model Curriculum and Guidelines for Graduate Degree Programs in Information Systems. Al-though these guidelines have existed for many years, many discussions and disagreements exist on the content and direction of information systems curricula and information systems as a disci-pline. Recently a joint task force of the Association for Computing Machinery and Association of Information Systems is aiming at revising the IS 2002 undergraduate curriculum (Topi et al., 2007). At the same time we are experiencing decreasing enrolments in information system pro-grammes worldwide (Granger, Dick, Luftman, Slyke, & Watson, 2007). This article views information systems study programmes from an engineering perspective and presents a framework for structuring information systems programmes within Europe. We amal-gamated the IS 2002 and MSIS 2000 model curriculum with a recommendation for studying business informatics, published from the German Society for Informatics (Gesellschaft fur Infor-matik, 2003). The framework was used to identify differences between selected study pro-grammes currently in place for information systems curricula. For the study we selected two his-torically different educational systems: the United Kingdom and Ireland as representative for the Anglophone area and Germany, Austria, and Switzerland as representative of a continental Euro-pean approach. We collected data from 20 Universities and classified the studied subject areas along our framework. Our results show that even in the context of the Bologna Declaration and common credit transfer systems, the study programmes nation-ally and internationally remain very di-verse. Indeed, this makes comparisons between study programmes difficult to ascertain. The analysis reveals indica-tions that the controversy in information

Measuring The Effectiveness Of Course Content And Learning Goals Of The Core Undergraduate Information Systems Course

The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), text books, and the IS 2002 Model Curriculum and Guidelines for Undergraduate Degree Programs in Information Systems (IS 2002) recommend standards and provide guidelines for course content and learning goals for the core undergraduate Information Systems (IS) course. However course content and learning goals often need to be revised due to high pressure on academic institutions from a rapidly changing Information Technology (IT) market. In order to constantly refine the IS course curricula to meet the needs of industry and government, it is imperative that there be proven methods to measure the effectiveness of course content and learning goals. Analysis of such data should ultimately feed into designing the curriculum of the core undergraduate IS course. This paper focuses on the role of surveys as a tool for measuring the effectiveness of course content and learning goals for the core undergraduate IS course. First, the role of IS 2002 is reviewed in setting standards for the course content and learning goals for this course. Next, data from three surveys conducted to measure the effectiveness of course content and learning goals is analyzed. The paper then assesses surveys’ implications for refining course content and learning goals of the core undergraduate IS course. Finally, recommendations along with a framework for conducting future surveys are presented.

MSIS 2006

This article presents the MSIS 2006 Model Curriculum and Guidelines for Graduate Degree Programs in Information Systems. As with MSIS 2000 and its predecessors, the objective is to create a model for schools designing or revising an MS curriculum in Information Systems. The curriculum was designed by a joint committee of the Association for Information Systems and the Association for Computing Machinery.MSIS2006 is a major update of MSIS 2000. Features include increasing the number of required courses from 10 to 12 while revising prerequisites, introducing new courses and revising existing courses to modernize the curriculum, and alternatives for phased upgrading from MSIS2000 to MSIS 2006.As with the previous curriculum, it is the product of detailed consultation with the IS community. The curriculum received the endorsement of 8 major IS professional groups.

Graduate curriculum now available

The Joint ACM-AIS (Association for Information Systems) Graduate Curriculum Task Force presented its final report for approval to the ACM Education Board and AIS Council in December 2005. The approved report, "MSIS 2006: Model Curriculum and Guidelines for Graduate Degree Programs in Information Systems," is published as the first article in Communications of AIS in January 2006 [1] and is reprinted in this issue of inroads for ACM SIGCSE members. This is the first time SIGCSE published an information systems model curriculum report.

MSIS 2006: Model Curriculum and Guidelines for Graduate Degree Programs in Information Systems

This article presents the MSIS 2006 Model Curriculum and Guidelines for Graduate Degree Programs in Information Systems. As with MSIS 2000 and its predecessors, the objective is to create a model for schools designing or revising an MS curriculum in Information Systems. The curriculum was designed by a joint committee of the Association for Information Systems and the Association for Computing Machinery.MSIS2006 is a major update of MSIS 2000. Features include increasing the number of required courses from 10 to 12 while revising prerequisites, introducing new courses and revising existing courses to modernize the curriculum, and alternatives for phased upgrading from MSIS2000 to MSIS 2006.As with the previous curriculum, it is the product of detailed consultation with the IS community. The curriculum received the endorsement of 8 major IS professional groups.

Integrating Writing into IT/MIS Courses

As popular literature claims that college graduates are entering the workforce lacking sufficient writing skills, this paper argues that the integration of writing into the MIS/IT curriculum is an important and achievable goal necessary for the overall development of students in Information Technology or Management Information Systems degree programs. While traditional IT/MIS programs rely heavily on technology-based courses, it is argued that these technology courses also must promote effective writing habits needed for career growth in the IT/MIS fields. By providing examples of writing assignments currently used in several programs, this paper illustrates for all educators in an IT or MIS program how writing assignments can be used in most MIS/IT classes. Research papers, journaling, written exams, and micro-themed papers are some of the current methods used to incorporate writing into the IT/MIS curriculum.

A synthesis and ontology of all of computing

In recent years, the discipline of computing has matured to the point of having distinct sub elements, each of which is developing curriculum recommendations, accreditation criteria, conferences, professional societies and publications. In particular, five distinct curriculum projects range in status from completed some time ago Computing Curricula 2001: Computer Science (CS-2001)[4] and IS 2002 Model Curriculum and Guidelines for Undergraduate Degree Programs in Information Systems (IS-2002)[1] ), through almost completed as of the writing of this special session proposal, and very likely to be published by the time of SIGCSE 2005 Computing Curricula 2004: Software Engineering [2] and Computing Curricula: Computer Engineering [5] ) to one that will likely be finished in late 2005 or early 2006 Computing Curricula: Information Technology ). More broadly, recent work in the UK to identify the variety of computing related programs currently offered in British universities identified 2,400 distinct program names [3].We are making an interim report on, and seeking input into, a project to keep the family of computing related disciplines together. This project is partially funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF grant 0338546, Special Project: All in the Family: A unified representation of the computing and information related disciplines ), and is being run by a joint task force from several professional societies, with ACM taking the lead.Very roughly, the goals of the project are to provide a synthesis of all that is computing, and various ways of organizing and visualizing that synthesis. This project began in late 2003, and got started in earnest in early 2004. We anticipate completing the work late in 2005 or early in 2006. Thus SIGCSE 2005 is the perfect time for us both to report on our work to date, and to get valuable feedback from the community.

Alternative Instructional Strategies in an IS Curriculum

Introduction A Systems Analysis and Design (SAD) course is a core component of an information systems curriculum. This course typically contains a rather broad set of topics, ranging from planning strategies, project management, system analysis, and system design to related topics such as data modeling and object-oriented development methodologies. The breadth and depth of topics that are frequently covered in SAD make it a difficult course for not only students, but also for instructors. One of our goals as educators is to build a solid and broad foundation of knowledge for our students. The better that we integrate long-accepted development strategies such as structured analysis and design with other business disciplines, the more solid the foundation becomes. By using the extremely adaptable Resources-Events-Agents (REA) model (McCarthy, 1982) to perform this integration with respect to data modeling, an SAD course can provide students with a per spective to extend familiar concepts, such as the duality of the accounting transaction. By explaining new material in terms of concepts already familiar to the student, both understanding and retention increase. Use of the REA model also links students' understanding of processes within an organizational context to widely accepted systems development strategies and database design. Our approach to data modeling combines the concepts presented in traditional entity-relationship modeling (Chen, 1976) and the accounting information system (AIS) perspective of McCarthy's REA model (McCarthy, 1982). The combination of two approaches offers our students alternative perspectives for understanding the same problem. Because our SAD students are in the early stages of integrating a wide range of business concepts, our approach helps them utilize material learned elsewhere in the undergraduate business program with an integrated framework for business processes. This manuscript provides a brief explanation of the systems analysis and design course, followed by a discussion of the REA model and its relationship with structured systems analysis and design methods. The following section presents the steps required to express an REA model as an entity-relationship diagram (ERD). The manuscript concludes with a discussion of the advantages of utilizing REA to assist in the teaching of core database analysis and design concepts, as well as reinforcing concepts typically found in the undergraduate curriculum. Systems Analysis and Design Course The IS 2002 Model Curriculum and Guidelines for Undergraduate Degree Programs in Information Systems (Davis, Feinstein, Gorgone, Longenecker, & Valacich, 2003), a joint effort of the ACM, AIS, and AITP societies, provides a perspective on the overall content of an Information Systems program. One of the components of the guidelines is IS2002.7, Logical Analysis and Design. Scope and topics for the course are presented in the discussion as follows: SCOPE: This course examines the system development and modification process. It emphasizes the factors for effective communication and integration with users and user systems. It encourages interpersonal skill development with clients, users, team members, and others associated with development, operation and maintenance of the system. Structured and object oriented analysis and design, use of modeling tools, adherence to methodological life cycle and project management standards. TOPICS: Life cycle phases: requirements determination, logical design, physical design and implementation planning; interpersonal skills, interviewing, presentation skills; group dynamics; risk and feasibility analysis; group-based approaches: project management, joint application development (JAD), structured walkthroughs; structured versus object oriented methodologies; prototyping; database design; software package evaluation, acquisition, and integration; global and inter-organizational issues and system integration; professional code of ethics. …

A Framework and Implementation of User Inter-face and Human-Computer Interaction Instruction

Introduction The user interface has been recognized as one of the most important elements of a software project. It had been estimated that 48% of work on a project goes into the design and implementation of the user interface (Myers & Rosson, 1992). Recently, as confirmation, Douglas, Tremaine, Leventhal, Wills, and Manaris (2002) noted the importance of Human Computer Interaction (HCI) suggesting at least 50% of programming code is devoted to the user interface. But the importance of interface design and the topics of human-computer interaction have not risen to a high level in information systems and sciences education. The importance of HCI has long gone unrecognized. The purpose of this research paper is to develop A Framework and Implementation of User Interface and Human-Computer Interaction Instruction. The goal is to explore the major issues that make up the diverse discipline that currently is most commonly known as human-computer interaction. Through a comprehensive review of classic, current, and pedagogical literature the essential topics that should be included in a survey course in HCI is then determined. Specific assignments that address each key area are next developed and tested. Finally, a brief review of the successes, limitations, and lessons learned from implementation of these exercises is explored. With such a large portion of systems work spent on designing the user interface for a systems project, the need for this study and its importance overall in information technology education is clear. ACM SIGCHI defines HCI as follows: Human-computer interaction is a discipline concerned with the design, evaluation and implementation of interactive computing systems for human use and with the study of major phenomena surrounding them. (Hewett, et. al, 2004). The definition suggests that HCI includes both People as well as Process issues. The first portion of this report is a review of the literature on the human-computer interaction in computing and information sciences curriculum. Paradoxically, most of the work that has been done on the incorporation of HCI into the curriculum has come through the computing sciences as opposed to the information sciences, though the information sciences are often viewed as more user and application oriented. There is little mention of human-computer interaction in the IS 2002 Model Curriculum and Guidelines for Undergraduate Degree Programs in Information Systems. The only mention is human-computer interface as a topic in IS 2002.3--Information Systems Theory and Practice (Gorgone, et al., 2002). The second section of this report presents an implementation of HCI into an information technology (IT) curriculum with particular emphasis on process issues of design, requirements analysis, prototyping, and evaluation and people issues of human behavior and abilities, design psychology, and collaboration. The topics which have been recognized as critical for successful HCI design is followed by practical and tested exercises for classroom adoption which incorporate these concepts. Finally, evaluations of these exercises from two sections of the author's HCI class are reviewed, providing student support for the impact of these exercises. Research Methodology The research methods used in this pedagogical study included the following: * Comprehensive review of HCI and IS and IT pedagogical research * Review of Current pure HCI research * From the literature, a distillation of major topics that needed to be included in an undergraduate HCI course * Specific exercises developed to address the identified major HCI topic areas * Actual implementation of these exercises with junior undergraduate students * Assessment of the results of these exercises through student survey and teacher assessment of quality of the projects. * Discussion of findings and limitations of the study The students who participated in the exercises and course content were part of a junior level course in the Information Sciences and Technology curriculum at our University named Organization and Design of Information Systems: User and System Principles. …

The winds of change

The information technology workforce now more than ever requires graduates to be ready to 'produce' the instant they 'hit the ground'. The core discipline knowledge and skills haven't changed dramatically over the years, but the 'soft skills' have changed and have become more important than ever. Undergraduate information technology degree must prepare graduates for the workforce, and not just transmit the discipline knowledge for them to achieve 'academically'. To ward off this, a change is required in the pedagogy, and consequently the learning environment for information technology students. With this is mind, Monash University introduced a studio model of teaching and learning into its Bachelor of Information Systems degree program. During the three years of the program students are confronted with two very different pedagogical models of teaching and learning. Seventy five percent of the program is taught in a traditional manner, the remaining twenty five percent is taught within a studio context.The first section of the paper briefly outlines a crude description of the traditional learning environment and the studio learning environment underpinning the IT studio-model that is used in the Bachelor of Information Systems at Monash University. The second section of the paper reports on a quantitative research study that examined students' opinions of which type of model (studio or non-studio) best meets their learning needs.

An Examination of Job Skills Posted on Internet Databases: Implications for Information Systems Degree Programs

Change is continuously occurring in the IT field. In this study, the authors investigated the types of skills required today by IT professionals and whether these have changed. The study results show how IT skill requirements are changing; the information should be useful to human resources administrators, career counselors, corporate trainers, information systems consultants and students, educators, and those involved in the design and development of new curricula.

IS 2002 Model Curriculum and Guidelines for Undergraduate Degree Programs in Information Systems

IS 2002 Model Curriculum and Guidelines for Undergraduate Degree Programs in Information Systems

MSIS 2000: Model Curriculum and Guidelines for Graduate Degree Programs in Information Systems

This article contains the official text of the MSIS 2000 model curriculum as approved by both the Association for Computing Machinery and the Association for Information Systems. It is presented here in its original form.

A data communications course for information systems majors

Information Systems is a rapidly growing, fully recognized profession which will continue to expand. Currently, the need for people with a solid foundation in information systems far exceeds the supply; this is well documented in a number of recent articles. For an information systems degree program to remain viable, however, it must be reevaluated periodically to ensure that the course offerings are both current with respect to the available technology, and of real value to the student who will be applying his acquired skills and knowledge in industry, government, or university. One topic area of information systems which has been, largely, ignored until recently is data communications. This field has been recognized as a valuable tool to our students; therefore, it has been included as one of the core requirements for our undergraduates. This course stresses the management information systems aspects of data communications. The pedagogical objectives of the course are that the student be able to analyze, design, implement, and evaluate data communications applications in a business system environment. The structure and content of such a data communications course is presented. Sufficient detail is given so that similar courses can be adapted to fit into a computer science curriculum, with slight changes in emphasis, or incorporated directly into an existing information systems program.