Mastery level learning and the art of database design

Database design is as much an art as it is a science. In order for students to become skilled enough to produce an effective design, they will need to achieve the synthesis level of Bloom\u27s taxonomy. Given the effort involved in reaching that level, a constructivist approach may not be sufficient. Based on learning styles research, it can be shown that learners with a mastery level coping style will be more likely to stick with the process long enough to achieve the synthesis level than will learners with a helpless learning style. The process described in this paper incorporates many standard database teaching techniques, along with an innovative example and various pedagogical techniques to help the student adopt a mastery level mindset and achieve the necessary level of cognitive skill to effectively design databases

Data quality and the data warehouse: A Decision support system for allocation of scarce resources

This paper describes a decision support system (DSS) for use in allocating scarce resources associated with data quality efforts in the construction of a data warehouse. The DSS is populated with metadata from a data warehouse project, including tags that identify the quality at intersections of data field, data use, and data dimensions. The resulting DSS can then experiment using business students are then presented. It can be shown that, given the proper set of skills, business students, as proxies for novices on a data warehouse development team, can effectively use the tool to analyze and prioritize hundreds of potential fields in a data warehouse project

Data quality knowledge management: A Tool for the collection and organization of metadata in a data warehouse

This paper describes a relational database tool, the Data Quality Knowledge Management (DQKM), which captures and organizes the metadata associated with a data warehouse project. It builds on the concept of fitness for use by describing a measurement technique for subjectively assigning a measure to a data field based on the use and quality dimension of the dat within the data warehouse. This measurement can then be compared to some minimum criteria, below which it is not cost effective to enhance the quality of the data. This tool can be use to make resource allocation decisions and get the greatest benefit for the cost in utilizing the scarce resources available to enhance source data for a data warehouse

A case based approach to teaching spreadsheet and database applications

Although most schools offer and/or require a course in spreadsheet and database applications, the amount of meaningful learning derived from the class varies widely. The approach described in this paper involves a combination for demonstration and hands-on practice using two term-long cases to be used in an introductory course in spreadsheet and database applications. These cases, packaged together with slides emphasizing theory, hands-on quizzes and exams that foster critical thinking, can be used across the multiple sections that are taught to maintain consistency within the course and encourage faculty and students to take the course to a higher level. Evidence based on final exam scores indicates that students are achieving the higher level of understanding that is the intent of this method of teaching

The Product approach to data quality and fitness for use: A Framework for analysis

The value of management decisions, the security of our nation, and the very foundations of our business integrity are all dependent on the quality of data and information. However, the quality of the data and information is dependent on how that data or information will be used. This paper proposes a theory of data quality based on the five principles defined by J. M. Juran for product and service quality and extends Wang et al\u27s 1995 framework for data quality research. It then examines the data and information quality literature from journals within the context of this framework

A Framework for Classification of the Data and Information Quality Literature and Preliminart Results (1996-2007)

The value of management decisions, the security of our nation, and the very foundations of our business integrity are all dependent on the quality of data and information. However, the quality of the data and information is dependent on how that data or information will be used. This paper proposes a theory of data quality based on the five principles defined by J. M. Juran for product and service quality and extends Wang et al’s 1995 framework for data quality research. It then examines the data and information quality literature from journals within the context of this framework

Information technology in the MBA curriculum: The Case for relevant topics

While technology can be used as an important competitive tool for organizational survival and growth, many graduate business programs have been unclear in their delineation of which topics should be included within their core IT/IS MBA course. A total of 311 1st year, 2nd year, executive MBA student and faculty were surveyed as to which technology topics they believed were most important in an IT/IS core. MBA course Strategic use of MIS , Management\u27s Information Needs and E-Business were rated as the top three most important topics that should be included in the core IT/IS course. Conversely Artificial Intelligence , MIS Hardware , and Ethics and MIS were rated as the three least important topics. These survey results indicate that the desired focus for an IT/IS core course should be on the strategic use of technology to support decision-making rather than on specific technology topics. Interpreted in another way, the results suggest that MBA an faculty would prefer that the IT/IS core course be structured with a managerial or business focus versus a technical focus within their MBA curriculum

A Quantitative Analysis of MIS Faculty Compensation

This study examines data collected from the Association for Information Systems 2003 and 2004 MIS Salary Surveys. The relationships between compensation and its possible determinants such as faculty research productivity and school teaching load are analyzed. We find that compensation is significantly correlated with faculty profiles as well as school profiles

The Case for a more rigorous approach to teaching spreadsheet and database applications

Although most schools offer and/or require a course in spreadsheet and database applications, the amount of meaningful learning derived from the class varies widely, due in part to a lack of rigor in adjunct instructor led classes. The approach described in this paper involves a combination of demonstration and hands-on practice using two term-long cases to be used in an introductory course in spreadsheet and database applications. These cases, packaged together with slides emphasizing theory, hands-on quizzes and exams that foster critical thinking, can be used across the multiple sections that are taught to maintain consistency within the course and encourage faculty members and students to take the course to a higher level. In order to illustrate that the new methodology makes a difference, we focus on the percentage of As and Bs under both methods. We looked at grades between the New and Old Method for full-time faculty members as well as adjunct faculty members. Also, we looked at a comparison across faculty members for each method. We show that adjunct performance across methods was not significantly impacted, bu the full-time faculty members show a statistical change. We also found that the disparity in grading between full-time faculty members and adjunct faculty members is reduced with this New Method of teaching

Emerging technologies and the future of the accounting profession

In this paper we investigate the differences between practitioner and academic interests in emerging technologies. We compare and contrast the results of a faculty survey to the AICPA\u27s Top Technology list. It appears that academics and practitioners have significantly different interests concerning emerging technologies. Furthermore, technology interests for both groups change over time. We then discuss the problems that arise from the differing points of view and suggest some possible solutions