Rebirth of Accounting Information Systems Curricula

Businesses’ increased reliance upon information technologies (for improved transaction processing, process redesign, electronic commerce, knowledge management, and other key activities) has led to new roles for corporate accountants, IT professionals, and internal and external auditors (Bell, et all, 1997; Elliott, 1994). Public accounting firms are attempting to adapt to these changes by identifying new business opportunities and developing new knowledge-management capabilities (Black, 1995). Frank Marrs, KPMG national managing partner of assurance services, recently stated: “We were offering a 100-year-old product, based on techniques that have not kept pace with the technology...” (Cheney, 1995). Marrs reports that the introduction of new, more broadly defined “assurance services” are accompanied by significant changes in strategy (e.g., broader scope of work) and organizational structure (e.g., more specialists; fewer hires of recent college graduates)

Quality Assurance in Emergency Medicine - A Caribbean Perspective

Purpose – Emergency medicine is a new specialty in the Caribbean. With the development of specialist training over the past 20 years, the issues of quality assurance and governance have become more prominent. The purpose of this paper is to explore the successes and challenges of implementing systems of quality assurance in this unique environment, highlighting issues peculiar to the Caribbean setting. Design/methodology/approach – This paper is a review of current practice in the emergency departments (ED) of the four major teaching hospitals of the University of the West Indies. Information was gathered through interviews with key stakeholders (including the respective ED residency directors, senior residents and senior nursing and administrative staff), review of departmental protocols and guidelines and reviews of current published and unpublished literature. Findings – Examples of good practice were identified in all six components of the clinical governance framework (clinical audit, clinical effectiveness, research and development, openness, risk management and education and training). Challenges to implementation of quality management included an underdeveloped quality culture, inadequate data collection, poor incentives for improvement and high external pressures, including staff shortages, departmental crowding and lack of public empowerment. Originality/value – This is the first published work on clinical governance and quality assurance in emergency medicine in the Caribbean. This paper gives an insight into the unique opportunities and challenges in the area of quality management and clinical governance in the developing world, and suggests ways forward with regard to more effective implementation of quality initiatives in under-resourced jurisdictions

Performance indicators in Library and Information science (LIS) education: towards crossborder quality assurance in Europe

This paper is based on results evidenced by the IFLA survey of LIS schools completed on 2005. It discusses the features, purpose, use and selection of performance indicators in the Library and Information Science (LIS) education sector with a particular focus on Europe and the Bologna process objectives of quality enhancement. The survey has considered: the assessor or accreditor of the program, the focus of quality assurance, the way to measure performance, the performance indicators. A broad model is used which identifies four points at which indicators can be recorded: inputs (the resources used); activity/process (the teaching, learning, and management/organisational opportunities and efforts that are applied to the inputs); outputs (the results in the education system, which may be seen as intermediate outcomes); outcomes (the impact, both direct and indirect). The survey has shown that there is a substantial convergence on: -a common set of standards, -a similar approach to evaluation process. It can be said also that quality assurance in LIS is more focused on resources and curriculum design than on learning outcomes and student evaluation. Further studies are needed for developing an European approach to accreditation and cross border quality assurance

Paper Session IV: Development and Delivery of Coursework - The Legal/Regulatory/Policy Environment of Cyberforensics

This paper describes a cyber-forensics course that integrates important public policy and legal issues as well as relevant forensic techniques. Cyber-forensics refers to the amalgam of multi-disciplinary activities involved in the identification, gathering, handling, custody, use and security of electronic files and records, involving expertise from the forensic domain, and which produces evidence useful in the proof of facts for both commercial and legal activities. The legal and regulatory environment in which electronic discovery takes place is of critical importance to cyber-forensics experts because the legal process imposes both constraints and opportunities for the effective use of evidence gathered through cyber-forensic techniques. This paper discusses different pedagogies that can be used (including project teams, research and writing assignments, student presentations, case analyses, class activities and participation and examinations), evaluation methods, problem-based learning approaches and critical thinking analysis. A survey and evaluation is provided of the growing body of applicable print and online materials that can be utilized. Target populations for such a course includes students with majors, minors or supporting elective coursework in law, information sciences, information technology, computer science, computer engineering, financial fraud, security and information assurance, forensic aspects of cyber security, privacy, and electronic commerce. Keywords: Cyberforensics; Electronic Data Discovery; Electronic Records Management; Pre-Trial Discovery; Admissibility of Electronic Evidence; Information Assurance, Security and Risk Analysi

Responding to challenges: the training and educating of the information professional for the next millenium

“… in most fields the issue of the professional competence and qualification of individuals is viewed as an integral part of the quality assurance of organisations and the services that they provide.” This view has long been embraced within the librarianship profession. Librarians and information professionals have a strong culture of responding to new opportunities in professional development to ensure that their skills meet the continually changing environments in which they work. This is illustrated by initiatives such as the Library Associations programme of Continuing Professional Development (CPD), Masters programmes for librarians entering management positions, increased availability of qualifications and training for paraprofessional staff and the adoption of the government instituted system of National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) and Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SNVQs). Two further initiatives have been undertaken as a response to concern about the pace of change and the importance of sustaining an adequately skilled professional workforce. Firstly, the Library and Information Studies Training and Education Network (LISTEN), is working with employers, the profession and educational institutions to identify, CPD and post-qualification competencies required when staff have been in post for several or more years. Secondly, the Electronic Libraries Programme (eLib) which aims to accelerate the development and uptake of the ‘electronic library’ has recognised the need for CPD and has funded a number of training and awareness projects including EduLib. This paper will examine the role, education and training of information professionals from two distinct points of view. First the paper will concentrate on initial undergraduate training which students receive at an established Department of Library and Information Studies — with particular regard to the training and education of business information in order to prepare students for the global business world. The second part of the paper will deal with an aspect of continuing professional development for which there is an increasing demand in academic libraries — teaching skills for librarians. The paper will focus on EduLib — a development project which aims to provide a nationally recognised and accredited network of trainers in academic libraries