An International Study in Competency Education: Postcards from Abroad

Acknowledging that national borders need not constrain our thinking, we have examined a selection of alternative academic cultures and, in some cases, specific schools, in search of solutions to common challenges we face when we consider reorganizing American schools. A wide range of interviews and e-mail exchanges with international researchers, government officials and school principals has informed this research, which was supplemented with a literature review scanning international reports and journal articles. Providing a comprehensive global inventory of competency-based education is not within the scope of this study, but we are confident that this is a representative sampling. The report that follows first reviews the definition of competency-based learning. A brief lesson in the international vocabulary of competency education is followed by a review of global trends that complement our own efforts to improve performance and increase equitable outcomes. Next, we share an overview of competency education against a backdrop of global education trends (as seen in the international PISA exams), before embarking on an abbreviated world tour. We pause in Finland, British Columbia (Canada), New Zealand and Scotland, with interludes in Sweden, England, Singapore and Shanghai, all of which have embraced practices that can inform the further development of competency education in the United States

Workforce Preparedness of Information Systems Students: Perceptions of Students, Alumni, and Employers

Employers of newly hired higher education graduates report their new workforce is not prepared. Further research was required to discover insights to the workforce readiness gap. This concurrent mixed methods study explored what competencies influenced employer\u27s perceptions of the work-readiness of Information Systems (ISYS) undergraduate students and discovered ISYS graduates\u27 and current ISYS students\u27 perceptions of their work-readiness. Participants consisted of a convenience sample including 69 ISYS program upperclassmen, 20 ISYS program alumni, and 8 employers of the ISYS program graduates. ISYS program alumni completed an online Qualtrics survey to measure the participants\u27 perception of their workforce preparedness. ISYS program upperclassmen completed a similar paper-based survey to measure the students\u27 current perception of their workforce readiness. Employers of ISYS program graduates were interviewed to determine (1) how they defined workforce readiness, (2) the competencies associated with being workforce-ready, and (3) the degree to which the Sam M. Walton College of Business graduates demonstrated workforce readiness. The instrument used in this study was adopted from the employer survey used in the Are They Really Ready to Work?: Employers\u27 Perspectives on the Basic Knowledge and Applied Skills of New Entrants to the 21st Century U.S. Workforce report by Casner-Lotto, Barrington, & Wright (2006) and the Ill-Prepared U.S. Workforce: Exploring the Challenges of Employer-Provided Workforce Readiness Training report by Casner-Lotto, Rosenblum, & Wright (2009). The reports were produced by ASTD, The Conference Board, Corporate Voices for Working Families, Partnership for 21st Century Skills, and SHRM. Research findings demonstrated 91% of ISYS program alumni and 86.9% of upperclassmen believed they were adequately to well prepared for the workforce by the ISYS program. Additionally, 75% of ISYS graduates\u27 employers felt the students were adequately to somewhat well prepared for the workforce. Workforce readiness skills measured in this study included English Language (spoken), Writing in English, Problem Solving, Critical Thinking, Collaboration/Working with Others, Computer/Technical, Project Management, Knowledge within Major, General Business Knowledge, Willingness to Learn, Ability to Learn, Responsibility/Dependability, Initiative, Attitude Toward Work, Attendance/Punctuality, and Other skills not mentioned

Attracting High School Minority Students to Information Systems: The Technology Awareness Program

The purpose of this paper is to explain the Technology Awareness Program that was implemented at a southern university to increase the exposure of information systems to high school minority students including females. The details of the program, industry participation, sponsorship, and the student project are presented and discussed. Prior research on interactive learning is included as support for the project and interactive learning methods employed in the program

ERP Knowledge: Enhancing Program Growth for Workforce Impact

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems foundationally enable organizations to perform day-to-day operations in an integrated, efficient, and compliant manner. More and more organizations are implementing or have implemented ERP systems. ERP systems are robust, but do come with complexity and a significant learning curve for the entire organization. The need for new workforce talent that understands and knows how to use an ERP system is prevalent. To aid in developing the workforce talent, a southern university has developed an in-depth ERP program. To measure the knowledge of the upcoming workforce, this study initiates a longitudinal analysis that focuses on the ERP program’s knowledge map development. Business knowledge and business knowledge gaps of ERP concepts are the goal of the study with the intent to improve the pace of the knowledge map development. The initial study findings showed that the knowledge map is refined with course/program progression

In-Memory and Column Storage Changes IS Curriculum

Random Access Memory (RAM) prices have been dropping precipitously. This has given rise to the possibility of keeping all data gathered in RAM rather than utilizing disk storage. This technological capability, along with benefits associated with a columnar storage database system, reduces the benefit of Relational Database Management Systems (RDBMS) and eliminates the need for Online Transactional Processing (OLTP) and Online Analytical Processing (OLAP) activities to remain separate. The RDBMS was a required data structure due to the need to separate the daily OLTP activities from the OLAP analysis of that data. In-memory processing allows both activities simultaneously. Data analysis can be done at the speed of data capture. Relational databases are not the only option for organizations. In-Memory is emerging, and university curriculum needs to innovate and create skills associated with denormalization of existing database (legacy) systems to prepare for the next generation of data managers

Meta-analysis of the Cepheid Xpert® CT/NG assay for extragenital detection of Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) infections.

Background Most studies evaluating extragenital testing performance for Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) detection by the Xpert® CT/NG show high per cent agreement with comparison assays; however, the precision around positive per cent agreement is low and thus the values that have been reported are not highly informative. Therefore, a systematic review was conducted and data from five studies were combined to better assess positive per cent agreement.MethodsThe literature indexed on PubMed.gov was searched. Included studies were those that were an evaluation of the Xpert CT/NG assay with rectal and/or pharyngeal specimen types compared with another nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT), the Aptima transcription mediated amplification assay. A full Bayesian method was used for bivariate fixed-effect meta-analysis of positive and negative per cent agreement and pooled estimates (and 95% confidence intervals (CI)) were presented for each.ResultsThe pooled positive and negative per cent agreement for detection of CT in rectal specimens was 89.72% (95% CI: 84.97%, 93.64%) and 99.23% (95% CI: 98.74%, 99.60%), and in pharyngeal specimens, they were 89.96% (95% CI: 66.38%, 99.72%) and 99.62% (95% CI: 98.95%, 99.95%) respectively. For NG detection in rectal specimens, the pooled positive and negative per cent agreement was 92.75% (95% CI: 87.91%, 96.46%) and 99.75% (95% CI: 99.46%, 99.93%), and in pharyngeal specimens, they were 92.51% (95% CI: 85.84%, 97.18%) and 98.56% (95% CI: 97.69%, 99.23%) respectively.ConclusionsIt was found that the Xpert CT/NG assay performed similarly to the Aptima transcription mediated amplification assay for the detection of CT and NG in extragenital specimens. The Xpert assay has the benefit of providing faster results at the point-of-care, thus reducing the turnaround time for results, potentially enabling same-day treatment

Exiting the Anthropocene : Achieving personal and planetary health in the 21st century

Planetary health provides a perspective of ecological interdependence that connects the health and vitality of individuals, communities, and Earth's natural systems. It includes the social, political, and economic ecosystems that influence both individuals and whole societies. In an era of interconnected grand challenges threatening health of all systems at all scales, planetary health provides a framework for cross-sectoral collaboration and unified systems approaches to solutions. The field of allergy is at the forefront of these efforts. Allergic conditions are a sentinel measure of environmental impact on human health in early life-illuminating how ecological changes affect immune development and predispose to a wider range of inflammatory noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). This shows how adverse macroscale ecology in the Anthropocene penetrates to the molecular level of personal and microscale ecology, including the microbial systems at the foundations of all ecosystems. It provides the basis for more integrated efforts to address widespread environmental degradation and adverse effects of maladaptive urbanization, food systems, lifestyle behaviors, and socioeconomic disadvantage. Nature-based solutions and efforts to improve nature-relatedness are crucial for restoring symbiosis, balance, and mutualism in every sense, recognizing that both personal lifestyle choices and collective structural actions are needed in tandem. Ultimately, meaningful ecological approaches will depend on placing greater emphasis on psychological and cultural dimensions such as mindfulness, values, and moral wisdom to ensure a sustainable and resilient future.Peer reviewe