Integrating Technology into a Management of Human Resources Course

Information Systems has turned the Human Resource field into a sophisticated talent tracking and data-mining arena. Mastering Human Resources Information Systems has been reported as a top in demand skill for human resource employees. Universities are increasingly incorporating real-life Information Systems into their programs to produce graduates that meet industry demands. Using hands-on HRIS exercises is one initiative that could enhance student learning and produce graduates with a leg up in industry. How to integrate HRIS hands-on exercises to ensure students have the opportunity to develop this knowledge? This paper investigates using hands-on HRIS exercises in a Management of Human Resources course to enhance student learning and skills development. Data will be collected using a pre and post survey designed to measure perceived student learning and skill development. Then t-tests will be utilized to determine if differences exist after exposure to the course material and the hands-on exercises

Data Analytics in Human Resources

The Human Resource function has traditionally been viewed as the people centered division of organizations with the use of data mainly restricted to key performance indicators (KPIs) and basic metrics. However, the advent of Big Data and the increased accessibility of data analytic programs has led to an increased need for human resource professionals with data analysis skills. Human Resource departments are now using predictive analytics to improve recruiting, selection, and retention or employees. The majority of organizations see a demand for employees with data analysis skills across all functions, with the human resource division accounting for 54% of projected data analysis positions (SHRM, 2016). Human resource departments are encountering a shortage of HR professionals with at least moderate data analytics skills. The paper provides a review of the literature and provides recommendations for curriculum changes that will address this skill gap

Developing Data Analysts for the 21St Century: An Sap Analytic Cloud Tutorial

SAP Analytic Cloud is the newest analytic software from SAP. SAC is platform independent and allows the user to discover, analyze, plan, and predict in one cloud application. Users of SAC can connect to a variety of data sources to create models and develop reports with charts, including Geo Maps, and tables (Ahmed, 2017). Charts can be compiled and shared with stakeholders in the SAP Digital Boardroom allowing teams to visualize, plan, and collaborate all in one product. This tutorial will provide the audience with example assignments and knowledge of how to develop assignments that will instill needed data analytic skills in new graduates. Participants will be shown how to connect to the SAP Analytic Cloud platform and create data models using a variety of visualizations. The lessons learned from this tutorial could be applied to many other data analytic platforms

Aligning Cybersecurity in Higher Education with Industry Needs

Cybersecurity is among the highest in-demand skills for Information Systems graduates and therefore is critical for the Information Systems curriculum. There is a substantial lack of skilled cybersecurity graduates. It is estimated that there is a global shortage of almost three and a half million cybersecurity professionals in 2022. Organizations are facing difficulties filling security positions. Thus, the Information Systems curriculum must be redesigned to meet business and industry needs and better prepare Information Systems graduates for cybersecurity careers. This study provides a model for designing a cybersecurity course that will align with industry needs to respond to the shortage of cybersecurity professionals. The proposed model is based on backward course design, aligned with the guidelines from the National Institute of Standards and Technology Cybersecurity Framework and The National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education Strategic Plan, and insights from interviews with industry professionals. We applied the model at a higher education institute in the USA, as higher education graduates fill most cybersecurity positions. The designed course was met with high levels of student satisfaction, positive industry feedback, and high levels of student success. Our proposed model can be applied to any educational institute and customized to desired needs of the institute, students, and the industry with minimal cost and time consideration

A Preliminary Evaluation of Using LITEE Multimedia Instructional Materials in a Non-Traditional Graduate Information Technology Course

Instructors place an emphasis on preparing students to graduate from college with good decision-making skills needed to be qualified managers. This is done for the purpose of enhancing students’ performance in a real-world work environment. Researchers state that to prepare students to be successful as they go on to enter the work force, it is critical to provide them an education that encompasses higher-order cognitive skills, such as reasoning, problem identification, criteria specification, information search, integrating, interrelating, and problem solving. However, communicating information technology (IT) concepts at the graduate level can be a difficult and challenging task. This is especially true when instructors are faced with a heterogeneous class made of non-traditional students with varied backgrounds in IT. The Laboratory for Innovative Technology and Engineering Education (LITEE) attempts to address these issues by developing and disseminating award-winning, innovative multimedia instructional materials that bring real-world issues into classrooms. This paper conducts a preliminary evaluation on the use of LITEE multimedia instructional materials in a graduate level IT course at a non-traditional institution. The results of this evaluation should help researchers and educators to assess the potential of LITEE multimedia instructional material in facilitating the utilization of higher-order cognitive skills

Aligning Information Systems Security in Higher Educaiton With Industry Needs

Organizations have become especially vulnerable to security threats to their most important asset, information. As a result, information security (ISec) has become one of the most demanded skills of Information System (IS) graduates and therefore is of critical importance for ISec curriculum. However, there is still a big shortage in skilled ISec graduates that meet industry needs. Organizations are facing difficulties filling security analyst positions, and it is predicted there will be a global shortage of two million cyber security professionals by 2019. Previous research stresses that IS curriculum need to be redesigned to meet the business and industry needs and better prepare IS graduates for future careers (Lee and Han 2008; Tan et al 2018). This study provides a framework for how to use backwards course design to develop an Information Systems Security course that will align with industry needs. The proposed framework uses the three main stages of backwards course design including, identifying desired results, determining acceptable evidence, and planning learning experiences and instruction. In stage one, course educational outcomes and learning goals are redesigned to align with the industry needs. In stage two, all the course evaluations criteria and assessment methods are designed to support the updated learning objectives, and in stage three, instructional methods and learning activities are redesigned. We use the theoretical framework to redesign an IS security course at a medium sized business school in the southeastern United States to align with industry needs by incorporating the current and future security needs of US companies. To address the security industry needs, we research current security trends and needs, future security plans and needs, and required and preferred qualifications of job candidates by US security companies. Multiple interviews are done to survey IS security experts to examine the current and future industry needs. We will compile our research findings to create the outcomes and learning goals. Then we will develop our assessments and course actives to support the learning goals and outcomes. The final redesigned course along practical implications are presented

Enhancing Student Learning of ERP and Business Process Knowledge through Hands-On ERP Exercises in an Introductory Management of Information Systems Course

Organizations are in need of business graduates who understand how enterprise systems and integrated business processes work. Business schools are increasingly incorporating Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Systems into their programs to address this need. Using hands-on ERP exercises is one initiative that could enhance student learning of these vital topics. How can business schools integrate hands-on exercises to ensure all business graduates have the opportunity to develop this knowledge? This paper investigates using hands-on ERP exercises in an Introductory Management of Information Systems (IS) course to enhance student learning of ERP and business process concepts. Data will be collected using a pre and post survey designed to measure ERP and business process knowledge. Then t-tests will be utilized to determine if differences exist after exposure to the course material and the hands-on exercises

Agile Course Design: Multi-University Faculty Collaboration to Design the MIS Course for an Online MBA Program

This paper outlines a collaborative course design process to develop and implement a required IS course in an online cohort-based MBA program using principles of The Agile Manifesto. The primary goal of this study is to analyze how students in traditionally developed courses and those in collaboratively developed courses differ. Specifically, we sought to reduce variability in student satisfaction across multiple sections offered by instructors who hail from different universities. We compared three semesters of students who took the course before (n = 101) and after (n = 162) use of the agile course development process. We found less variability in student evaluations in the ‘after’ group as compared to the ‘before’ group, providing support that the agile course development process provided a more consistent and similar experience for students. The second goal is to evaluate changes in student evaluations, comparing ‘before’ and ‘after’ groups. We did not expect to see substantial improvement since all instructors already received very high evaluations. Scores for all questions on the student evaluations increased after using the agile process, but the increases were not statistically significant. The final goal is to prepare an agenda for future research on agile course development based on components of The Agile Manifesto that were not used in the course development process. Opportunities include: comparing the agile course development process to other methods; adding more targeted questions to the student survey to better gauge changes in student satisfaction; partnering with alumni, current students, and industry to develop more relevant course material; and extending the process to other contexts