Automating the Assessment of Learning Outcomes

Under pressure from accrediting institutions such as AACSB and ABET, universities are developing better understanding of, and implementing learning outcomes assessment process. However, many universities and their faculty members are often novices in the process and are seeking to facilitate the process. This paper provides some insight into using a software application specifically designed for assessment. The application assists with establishing rubrics and collecting the data, and provides reports on assessment activities and outcomes. Additionally, these supporting features are all stored for future use and comparisons. Assessment of learning is being addressed and required at the university level across all disciplines. Automating the process will make it less laborious

Creating an Ethical Awareness Using the Internet

Information access via the Internet becomes easier, more information becomes available, and more people access that information. Almost daily there are newspaper articles describing security breaches, viruses or other questionable behavior on the Internet. Therefore, the Information Superhighway provides opportunities that have not been previously addressed either legally or ethically. Information Systems (IS) students must not only learn technology and its uses, but must address the social and ethical issues that constantly arise. This paper uses the Internet to develop examples of ethical and legal issues the students face as they graduate into the business organization. A five step ethical analysis offers five moral dimensions of the information age - 1) Information Rights, 2) Property Rights, 3) Accountability, Liability and Control, 4) System Quality, 5) Quality of Life. These five themes encompass concerns often raised in discussions about ethics and information technology. Using these topics, some examples for integration of ethics throughout the undergraduate IS curriculum using the Internet, have been developed. These examples need not be limited to a specific IS course, but can be incorporated throughout the Information Systems undergraduate curriculum. Students need to develop an awareness of ethical issues surrounding emerging technologies

Applying a Framework for Software Development Methods in an Information Systems Curriculum

Software developers are constantly exploring new software development methods that are timely and cost effective, and also foster productivity and better quality systems. A Software Development Method (SDM) is a system of technical procedures and notational conventions for the organized construction of software [Karam and Casselman p. 34]. Karam and Casselman [1] provide a framework for evaluating SDMs within an organization. There are 14 technical properties, 5 usage properties and 2 managerial properties. Is this framework viable for cataloging SDMs in an academic setting, thereby providing guidelines for selecting an appropriate software development methodology for an Information Systems curriculum? The main purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the use of a cataloging framework for SDMs within a business Information Systems curriculum. Information Engineering (IE) and Software Engineering (SE) are SDMs used to illustrate the usage of framework. The framework can be expanded to include additional SDMs. The Washington Post (February 24, 1993) forecasts a 78% increase in the demand for system analysts within the next 10 years. It is important for Information Systems\u27 graduates to know state of the art techniques, and therefore, courses must constantly be updated to meet this demand

Effectiveness and Acceptance of Mobile Learning

Mobile Learning (M-Learning) is no longer a novelty. Thousands of post-secondary education institutions and millions of workforce and distance-education students worldwide consider M-Learning a mainstream, pervasive, learning delivery mode. It is a different and alternate approach to Face-to-Face, Distance Learning (D-Learning), and Electronic Learning (E-Learning). A gap exists in the literature regarding the effectiveness of M-Learning. It is important to evaluate this learning delivery mode against Face-to-Face learning. This study examines M-Learning effectiveness vis-à-vis Face-to-Face and investigates the extent to which students accept the delivery of learning conducted through this new paradigm. A quasiexperimental research design is proposed to determine the impact of M-Learning on student performance and to uncover factors that influence user acceptance of M-Learning

Special Section: COVID-19, Learning, Pedagogy, and Educational Systems

In March, 2020, the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic affected the information systems (IS) higher education community (along with the rest of the world) profoundly. Higher education institutes across the world had to quickly shift to online courses. In some cases, faculty had to transition their courses in only days. In response, the Communications of the Association for Information Systems launched a special issue on COVID-19, learning, pedagogy, and educational systems to provide a forum for IS faculty around the world to share effective practices and opinions regarding the long-term consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on IS education. This paper serves as the editorial for the special issue

Invited Paper: Teaching Information Systems in the Age of Digital Disruption

The Information Systems discipline has long suffered an identity crisis. It has also been prone to program sustainability issues as a technology focus has waxed and waned over the last 50 years. This paper suggests a new approach to teaching Information Systems, utilizing the notion of “fundamental and powerful concepts.” Using digital disruption as a fundamental and powerful concept, the authors argue for the core IS course and the courses that make up the major to be developed and centered around the transformation of business models, products, and services caused by emerging digital technologies. The paper includes an outline for the core IS course and the other courses in the major and concludes with a suggestion that the fundamental and powerful concept of digital disruption be used as an approach to teaching Information Systems

IS Faculty Engagement in Pedagogical Research

There is growing interest in pedagogical research in response to demands for accountability in higher education. Major accrediting bodies have also recognized its role in advancing the practice of teaching, with the goal of improving student learning. In this session, we will highlight the benefits of involvement in IS educational research across the full spectrum from reader to reviewer, author, and editorial board member. We will survey publication outlets for IS pedagogy in a range of genres. Guidelines for planning, implementing, and writing up instructional projects will also be discussed

The Intelligent Agent-Based Knowledge Management System for Supporting Multimedia Systems Design on The Web

The diffusion of the Internet (and comparable communication infrastructures) has led to the emergence of a virtual global marketspace in which products and services are sold electronically. As a result, traditional intermediaries, such as travel agents or retailers, are being bypassed. This development effects not only products and services which can be digitized but also the marketing and distribution of physical products. We have scrutinized the interdependencies of product characteristics and traditional distribution structure, electronic commerce andthe emergence of new services and distribution structures trends in the automotive industry. The auto manufacturers are facing difficult choices on several fronts at a time: cybermediaries, independent (mega-)dealers and their own direct sales operations on the Web are competing with their exclusive dealers. Based on this analysis which reveals patterns of exacerbated competition, we will discuss strategic options for a business network redesig

Information Systems Enrollments: Challenges and Strategies

Since the late 1990s, enrollments in Information Technology and Information Systems-related academic programs have declined sharply. This paper addresses possible causes of the enrollment decline, and some of the \u27\u27myths regarding careers in IT/IS are dispelled. A number of efforts underway at various universities and professional organizations in the areas of redesigning core curriculum and developing secondary programs are described as well as marketing and promotion approaches. Finally, the authors call for more cooperative and coordinated efforts to address the underlying problems that have led to the current enrollment declines

Information Systems Enrollments: Can They Be Increased?

It is almost unbelievable that in this age of technology we are experiencing decreasing worldwide enrollments in Information Systems (IS) programs. Suddenly, within a year or two, enrollments decreased as much as 70-80 percent throughout the world. Industry is begging for more graduates with a business and technical background and is expecting an even greater shortage in the next few years. Despite reports of the outsourcing of technical positions, there is a growing demand for IS graduates. This paper presents an overview of the discussion, resulting from a panel at the Americas Conference on Information Systems (AMCIS) 2007, of declining enrollments and some suggestions to reverse the trend. Two major themes, marketing and curriculum, emerged