Role of IS Job Shadows on College Student Major Selection

The Information Systems (IS) Job Shadow program allows undergraduate students to engage in an experiential learning opportunity with IS professionals. The job shadow includes a half-day visit with a local business to learn about IS, how IS supports the business, and careers within IS. This research examines the role of the IS job shadow on post-secondary undergraduate student self-efficacy and behavior intentions by measuring student intent on pursuing the IS major and IS career both before and after the IS job shadow

Evaluation of Information Systems Curricula

Information systems education objectives must continually adapt to a dynamic marketplace for knowledge and skills. For faculty developing programs that better prepare students for this demanding environment, existing research and guidelines provide a foundation to develop relevant coursework. However, an examination of peer institutions indicates a significant variance in how institutions of higher learning address the requirements of local markets as they prepare their students for careers. This study reviews previous information systems curricula research, examines current guidelines for information systems education, analyzes adherence to those guidelines, and summarizes innovative approaches being used by business colleges in the U.S. to prepare students. Our findings indicate that even as the number of information systems programs decline, colleges are looking for relevant ways to serve their students and communities. For information systems education to remain connected to the marketplace, the value provided by a degree in information systems must be clear to future employers. This paper concludes by offering insights gained by an analysis of thriving programs to assist faculty working on improving their undergraduate information systems curriculum

MAPPING IS CURRICULUM RESEARCH AREAS: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW FROM 2010 TO 2019

Research on IS curriculum addresses many important aspects related to IS curriculum planning: sharing of good curriculum planning practices, reviewing and recommending contents for IS curriculum, and identifying graduates’ competency needs. A bit surprisingly, however, there is no systematic literature review on IS curriculum research, increasing the possibility that knowledge does not accumulate, or reach intended beneficiaries. In this paper, we present results of a systematic literature review of IS curriculum research from 2010 to 2019. In total, 204 articles are downloaded from Scopus, AIS eLibrary, and ACM digital library. In addition to providing an overview of research demographics, we classify the articles first into three broad categories (planning process, curriculum contents, competency requirements), and secondly to more specific classes within each category. For IS curriculum researchers, the results assist in identifying prior research in different areas, thus promoting accumulation of research knowledge. For IS faculty, the paper provides an overview of IS curriculum related studies and a possibility to identify papers based on their immediate curriculum design needs and interests

Built to Last? Applying a Program Sustainability Model to IS Degree Programs

The field of Information systems (IS) has undergone many changes since its inception including struggles with identity, legitimacy, and distinction from other computing fields. IS degree programs are typically found in colleges/schools of business, but sometimes they are not, and there is great variety in department names. Multiple issues have contributed to unstable or declining student enrollments and graduation rates despite stable employer demand and high starting salaries for degree recipients. Many IS programs have adopted program building strategies to address enrollment issues and employer needs but have done so in the absence of a comprehensive framework to guide their efforts. This paper investigates the potential of adapting/applying program sustainability frameworks to IS programs to increase their robustness in changing environments. It observes that prior enrollment management and curriculum modification initiatives are consistent with sustainability model premises and elements; so are factors viewed as important by IS degree program administrators