Showing papers in "The Journal of information and systems in education in 2011"

Enhancing Student Learning of Enterprise Integration and Business Process Orientation through an ERP Business Simulation Game

Abstract: 1. INTRODUCTION Understanding the concepts of cross-functional business processes and their management are key graduate requirements today in process-centric organizations. In general, it is difficult to teach these concepts to business students using traditional teaching and learning methods. In particular, it is challenging to teach post graduate students who have limited or no business experience. Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems and the industry-standard ERP software solutions are considered a powerful tool for teaching these concepts. With strong encouragement and support from leading ERP software vendors, such as SAP, Oracle, Microsoft and others, several university business schools have incorporated ERP systems into their curricula. While these initiatives have helped immensely in teaching these concepts and imparting much needed SAP and other software skills to students, the pedagogical benefits are limited. Introducing innovative teaching and learning models is considered necessary in order to improve the learning effectiveness and deep learning of these skills and concepts. The ERP simulation game is one such initiative that exposes students to an authentic learning experience in a simulated, yet complex business environment and offers an exciting and stimulated learning environment (Leger 2006). By exposing students who typically specialize in one discipline and have limited or no understanding of business operations and practical experience in industry-standard ERP software, this game is expected to impart necessary business process orientation and retainable SAP skills to business students in a dynamic and stimulating learning environment. This paper reports on the effectiveness of that initiative and discusses the challenges and opportunities involved. It will first present a review of literature on business process orientation in business education and provide background to the ERP simulation game. It will then explain the initiative undertaken by an Australian business school and the methodology adopted in conducting this evaluation research. It will present the findings of this study and discuss implications and challenges. 2. LITERATURE REVIEW Business processes are central to the way organizations and individuals interact with one another (Malone et al 2003) and are now considered the most valuable corporate assets (Gartner Research 2006). Organizations of all sizes have achieved, and are still achieving, significant improvements in quality, cost, speed and profitability by focusing on modeling, measuring and redesigning their customer facing and internal processes (Hammer 2007). The concept of 'process orientation' is almost a decade old, with most of the literature on process orientation from the popular press and industry reports and therefore it lacks an empirical research focus (McCormack & Johnson 2001). Process orientation refers basically to the awareness of the interdependencies and information sharing between various functional units and business models, with an underlying focus on integration, customer and customer needs. Business process orientation violates, in its logic, a classic management principle called 'functional specialization' (McCormack & Johnson 2001). However, it helps in better understanding the perspectives taken by other functions within a business, developing a collective sense of belonging and facilitating the reduction of cross-functional conflicts (Huang and Newell 2003). Even though it is considered an important skill for graduates, acquiring this skill is not a one step activity and is an ongoing process. In addition to basic understanding and appreciation of the concepts, it requires a high degree of self-awareness, critical thinking and deep learning (Quinn et al 2003). In addition to helping graduates in their future work environment, pedagogically this process orientation is expected to improve understanding of intersections and interactions in and between traditional disciplines such as marketing, operations, accounting and human resources (McCormack & Johnson 2001; Burrack & McKenzie 2005; Kohlbacher 2008). …

An Investigation of Digital Literacy Needs of Students

Abstract: 1. INTRODUCTION The top five challenges in teaching and learning with technology include the development of 21st century information, digital, and visual literacies to ensure that students are equipped with the skills needed to succeed in college and future careers (Educause, n.d.). Digital literacy is considered "an essential requirement for life in a digital age" (Bawden, 2008, p. 30). Often used interchangeably with computer or information and communications technology (ICT) literacy, digital literacy or competence, however, is a broader concept and does not automatically follow from the ability to use ICT tools (Ala-Mutka, Punie, and Redecker, 2008). Gilster (1997) first defined digital literacy as "the ability to understand and use information in multiple formats from a wide range of sources when it is presented via computers" (p. 1). Since then, a plethora of often inconsistent definitions of digital literacy have emerged that range from the technical aspects of operating in digital environments to the cognitive and socio-emotional aspects of work in a computer environment (Eshet-Alkalai, 2004). Such ambiguity obviously poses challenges for the effective design of curricula and courses targeting digital literacy. Determining what specifically should be taught is further complicated by a host of other issues: * Difficulties with clearly defining what a digital environment entails as rapidly changing technologies represent a moving target (Leu, 2002); * Lack of a common inventory of digital literacy skills or outcomes expectations; * Steady shift of introductory college level material to high-school curriculum (Yahya, 2010); * Disconnect between what colleges expect students to know and what students (often erroneously) think they already know as students' self-efficacy ratings exceed their actual performance scores (Easton, Easton, and Addo, 2006; Morris, 2010); * Claims that students who have been "born digital", i.e., only know a world that is digital (Palfrey and Gasser, 2008), are radically different and do not have to learn ICT but merely experience it (Nasah et al., 2010); * Very wide range of computer proficiency and online skills among students depending on factors such as socio-economic background and personal innovativeness (Hargittai et al., 2010; Nasah et al., 2010; Smith and Caruso, 2010); * Criticisms related to the exclusive use of or focus on products from one vendor, raising the issue of "propagandizing a specific vendor" or having higher education textbook publishers drive what the outcomes of a technology course should be (Hodge and Gable, 2010). * Concerns about making content relevant to different academic disciplines. Universities employ different methods to ensure computer literacy of their students including introductory and often required computer skills courses included in the general or liberal studies core (Van Lengen, 2004). In response to concerns about such a one-credit-hour course in software applications required of all students at a medium-sized university in the southeastern United States, a task force was formed in Spring 2010 to develop a better understanding of the digital literacy needs of students and determine core curriculum items that should be taught. Based on a survey conducted by the task force, we sought answers to three basic research questions: Q1. What are faculty perceptions of the importance of different aspects of digital literacy? Q2. What are the commonalities and differences between the colleges vis-a-vis the different aspects of digital literacy? a) What aspects of digital literacy need to be known by all students regardless of academic major or college affiliation? b) Are there significant differences in the digital literacy needs between the colleges? Q3. What are the implications of the digital literacy needs as perceived by faculty for course curriculum and course development, specifically the need for or redesign of the current one-credit-hour applications course? …

The Determinants of the Post-Adoption Satisfaction of Educators with an E-Learning System

Abstract: 1. INTRODUCTION The traditional context of learning is being altered by e-learning systems within educational institutions and corporations. The extension of the Internet as a delivery platform and the increasing use of location-independent education and training programs have resulted in an increase in educational and business organizations adopting and using e-learning systems. Furthermore, the increase in investment in e-learning systems by educational and business organization has meant they have become increasingly aware of the importance of seeking a return on their investment. The evaluation of user satisfaction is regarded as one of the most important methods for evaluating e-learning systems (Wang, Wang, and Shee, 2007). Bailey and Pearson (1983, p. 531) define user satisfaction as "the sum of one's positive and negative reactions to a set of factors." Doll and Torkzadeh (1988, p. 261) describe it as "the affective attitude toward a specific computer application by someone who interacts with the application directly." Eagly and Chaiken (1998, p. 296) regard user satisfaction as "a psychological tendency expressed by evaluating a particular entity with some degree of favor and disfavor." User satisfaction with Information Systems (IS) has been seen as one of the most important issues in IS research and it has often been linked to two important outcomes: IS success (DeLone and McLean, 2003) and the continued use of IS (Bhattachejee, 2001a). User satisfaction is an important measure of IS success and is often regarded as the easiest and the most useful way to evaluate it (DeLone and McLean, 2003). Additionally, the expectation-confirmation based IS continuance model views it as one of the most important predictors of IS continuance intention (Bhattacherjee, 2001a). Due to its importance, organizations often invest significant amounts of financial and human resources in the measurement and analysis of user satisfaction while simultaneously trying to improve the level of satisfaction. A significant amount of research has been conducted on user satisfaction over the last two decades (Bailey and Pearson, 1983; Benson, 1983; Doll and Torkzadeh, 1988; Muylle, Moenaert, and Despontin, 2004). Although satisfaction has been studied extensively in IS research, the scope has primarily been limited to the study of system characteristics and the quality of service available to end-users (DeLone and McLean, 2003; Doll and Torkzadeh, 1988; Seddon, 1997). Such studies have often ignored the adoption process and selected only a small number of system or service attributes for measuring user satisfaction, despite the fact that IS continuance research has pointed out that the psychological motivations behind initial acceptance and continuance are different (Bhattacherjee, 2001a). The expectation-confirmation based IS continuance model examines user satisfaction from a solid theoretical base and explains it in terms of the adoption process and a single post-adoption belief, perceived usefulness (Bhattacherjee, 2001a). However, this ignores many important variables, such as system characteristics and the availability of support. Subsequent studies built upon the expectation-confirmation based IS continuance framework consider 'the use of a single belief (perceived usefulness) as the basis of satisfaction and continuance intention' to be a major limitation of the model (Hong, Thong, and Tam, 2006; Lin, Wu, and Tsai, 2005; McKinney, Yoon, and Zahedi, 2002; Thong, Hong, and Tam, 2006). To address this limitation later studies added more post-adoption beliefs: perceived ease of use (Recker, 2010; Sorebo and Eikebrokk, 2008); perceived playfulness (Lin, Wu, and Tsai, 2005; Tao, Cheng, and Sun, 2009); perceived enjoyment (Kang, Hong, and Lee, 2009; Thong, Hong, and Tam, 2006). However, the determinants of satisfaction cannot be restricted to just those factors because the IS continuance model provides only limited guidance on how to influence satisfaction through design and support. …

Curriculum Mapping as a Tool for Continuous Improvement of IS Curriculum

Abstract: 1. INTRODUCTION Under the current conditions of labor market uncertainty, economic instability, and rapid technological change, strategies for developing integrated curricula that would provide a coherent, aligned educational experience to students and would address increasing calls for accountability, efficiency, and transparency become a prominent concern for faculty and administrators. For example, the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS, 2005) states, "[curriculum] coherence is a critical component of a program and should demonstrate an appropriate sequencing of courses, not a mere bundling of credits, so that student learning is progressively more advanced in terms of assignments and scholarship required and demonstrates progressive advancement in a field of study that allows students to integrate knowledge and grow in critical skills" (p. 12). Similarly, the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, ABET mandates the program's requirements to be consistent with the program's educational objectives and stipulates that the designed curriculum should focus on achieving each one of the program outcomes (ABET, 2009) . Likewise, the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, AACSB emphasizes the importance of the alignment between learning goals and curricula. According to AACSB, the outcomes assessment process is meaningless unless learning goals are addressed in the curricula (AACSB, 2007). Guidance on curricular content within the field of IS has been developed and revised three times over the past two decades by various task forces commissioned by the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) and Association for Information Systems (AIS). The most recent iteration is the IS 2010 Model Curriculum Guidelines, which address rapidly changing knowledge areas within the field of IS. This model addresses curricular requirements at a global level by identifying high-level capabilities and then translating them into a detailed set of knowledge and skills in three core categories plus a number of specialty areas (Topi et al. 2010). The curriculum guideline is semi-flexible allowing individual institutions around the globe to design their IS curricula to meet local requirements. The authors of the guidelines explicitly state that "IS 2010 is not directly linked to a degree structure in any specific environment but it provides guidance regarding the core content of the curriculum that should be present everywhere and suggestions regarding possible electives and career tracks based on those." (Topi et al., 2010, p. vii). Even when adhering to these guidelines the responsibility for proper IS curriculum design and successful implementation remains with the individual educational institution. Surprisingly, despite the fundamental focus on systems in the IS education field, there appears to be a lack of conceptually framed studies on the coherence of IS college curricula (Hatzakis, Lycett and Serrano, 2007). In fact, McGann, Frost, Matta, and Huang (2007) recently pointed out the lack of publications discussing IS curriculum model implementation and integration in mainstream IS journals, despite a clearly identified problem of scattered courses in existing IS curriculum. Curriculum mapping provides a visual tool to capture and study the integration of program curricula. It is an analytical approach that allows faculty to specify key components of program curricula, arrange them in relation to each other in a visual format, and capture an overarching curricular structure that provides cognitive scaffolding for teaching and learning processes (Cuevas, Matveev and Feit, 2009). Curriculum mapping has been extensively utilized in British, Australian, and Canadian colleges and universities (Bath et al., 2004; Harden, 2001; Jones et al., 2007; Robley, Whittle and Murdoch-Eaton, 2005; Sumsion and Goodfellow, 2004; Tariq et al., 2004; Willett, 2008). …

Incorporating Ethics and Social Responsibility in IS Education

Abstract: 1. INTRODUCTION: ETHICS AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY WITHIN INFORMATION SYSTEMS The study of ethics is concerned with issues of morality, fairness and natural justice. In very basic terms, it is about "what is right?" and "what is wrong?," though of course the answers to such quandaries are often not obvious or straightforward. These questions can give rise to dilemmas and trade-offs, and are influenced by culturally-embedded behavioral norms. Chaffey and White (2011, p. 572) define business ethics as "moral principles concerning acceptable and unacceptable behavior by corporations and individual business people." Although awareness of the need for business ethics was emerging in the 1960s (Baumhart, 1961), it was not until the following two decades that it became an issue of major concern, mainly driven by public outcry against the absence of appropriate standards in political and corporate life (Vitell and Festervand, 1987). The related area of "social responsibility" is based upon the ideology that individuals and organizations have a moral obligation to behave in a way that, at least, is not detrimental to society at large, i.e. passive responsibility. This responsibility could also be active, meaning that individuals and organizations engage in activities that are beneficial to society. In the era of globalisation, the responsible stewardship and governance of business, government and society impacts the lives of everyone. Students discovering the ease of gathering vast amounts of information and the power of organizing and combining it with information systems (IS) may have no moral basis for interpreting how that information should be used (or conversely, protected). As the old sayings go, "information is power" and "power corrupts." It therefore becomes readily apparent that information systems, if misused, can lead to undesirable consequences. Laws that govern corporate responsibilities may be forgotten or set aside when information so easily crosses international borders. Information systems are now ubiquitous and pervasive, often delivering benefits such as mobile computing and location-based services, but also potentially or actually having detrimental impacts such as invasion of privacy or large-scale data compromise. This presents challenges and dilemmas for ethics and social responsibility within an organization. Equally as important is how these both will play into and be integrated into the IS function within the business environment. Unfortunately, history is rife with examples of organizations acting in morally questionable ways or in their own self-interest to the detriment of society, such as the recent financial scandals at Enron, WorldCom, Goldman Sachs, Anglo Irish Bank, and Societe Generale. Similarly irresponsible actions have occurred in the domain of information technology, such as the Sony BMG rootkit case in the US, the News of the World phone-hacking incident in the UK, and the Satyam scandal in India. On the other hand, organizations have leveraged information systems to act ethically and in socially responsible ways, such as using online communities to activate volunteering networks (e.g. sparked.com), using social media to raise funds for philanthropic causes (e.g. Fox Television's "Idol Gives Back" scheme), and using the Internet as a channel to advocate for international human rights (e.g. BBC World Service Trust). In this introduction to the special issue, we focus on two main themes--how ethics and social responsibility enhances IS education, and how IS educators might go about teaching ethics and social responsibility as part of IS curriculum. We first investigate the advantages of including ethics and social responsibility in IS education. Next, we consider how ethics and social responsibility might be incorporated into the IS curriculum. Building on these two themes, we present a brief introduction to each of the articles in the special issue and describe how each contributes to our knowledge in one or both of these areas. …

Wiki or Word? Evaluating Tools for Collaborative Writing and Editing.

Abstract: 1. INTRODUCTION Organizations are relying increasingly on virtual teams to perform a range of activities (Hertel, Geister, and Konradt, 2005). Because members of virtual teams do not necessarily work in close proximity, finding ways to support collaboration effectively among members raises new challenges. In general, organizations that are more collaborative perform better (Frost and Sullivan, 2006). Although there are a variety of factors affect collaboration, including organization culture and de-centralized structure, technology is the primary tool in supporting collaboration in virtual teams. A technology that recently has received the attention of both business and educational worlds as a collaborative tool is the wiki. A wiki is a web site that allows many people to edit the site very easily using nothing more than a web browser (Leuf and Cunningham, 2001). This has produced such stunning successes as Wikipedia (www.wikipedia.org), WikiHow (www.wikihow.com), and WikiBooks (www.wikibooks.org), as well as wikis on every conceivable topic, including Foodista (www.foodista.com) to develop collaborative recipes. Creating a new wiki is fairly simple, as several web sites offer free basic wikis (including WikiSpaces, Wetpaint, and Wikia). Wikis also are characterized by the free-form structure of wiki documents. Business applications of wikis that recently have been studied include enabling organizational memory (Munson, 2008; White and Lutters, 2007), crystallizing knowledge in software development (Correia, Ferreira, Flores, and Aguiar, 2009), use as a publishing platform (Maxwell, 2007), and cocreation of knowledge (Hasan, Meloche, Pfaff, and Willis, 2007). Collaborative work is equally pertinent to the educational field. Many college courses involve group work where teams of students are asked to create a report as the final result of a collaborative effort. Creating such a shared document often causes students great trouble in coordinating the effort. The education community has grabbed onto the idea of a wiki as a way to increase student engagement and collaboration within the classroom (Parker and Chao, 2007). Educators have found many different ways to incorporate the use of wikis in classes. Common uses include creating a shared annotated bibliography of class readings; developing shared lecture notes; publishing syllabi, assignments, and handouts; and having students collaborate on shared documents such as research papers, reports, study guides, article critiques, etc. (Chu, 2008; Hazari, North, and Moreland, 2008; Watson, Boudreau, York, Greiner, and Wynn, 2008). [FIGURE 1 OMITTED] In this research project, we use an adaptation of the extended Task-Technology Fit (Dishaw and Strong, 1999) framework to compare a wiki with a more conventional approach using word processing and email. Our overall goal is to examine which technology better supports a distributed group writing project in a higher education setting for undergraduate students. In the experiment, one group of students used MS Word with Track Changes turned on combined with emailing the document among students. A second group was provided a wiki where they created the report. The two approaches were compared in terms of Perceived Ease of Use, Perceived Usefulness and Perceived Effort at Collaboration. 2. THEORETICAL BACKGROUND The idea that information technology could support communication and collaboration has been around for a number of years. The primary goal of this support is connecting individuals across time and space. However, a recent assessment suggests that collaboration technologies are not as effective as they might be (Nosek and McManus, 2008). Challenges facing effective e-collaboration include: 1) group process challenges, 2) theoretical challenges that limit the scope of work and new conceptualizations, 3) conceptual challenges that affect what individuals conceive of doing with the technology, 4) technical challenges that limit what the technology can do, and 5) use challenges that suggest usefulness is the only predictor for continued acceptance and use of a technology (Kock and Nosek, 2005; Nosek and McManus, 2008). …

Hands-On ERP Learning: Using OpenERP[R], an Alternative to SAP[R]

Abstract: 1. INTRODUCTION As organizations face increasing global competition, organizations have no choice but to become more effective. Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems provide one solution by providing management a better understanding and transparency of their business operations and have become the mainstay of practically every organization (Watson and Stewart, 2004, Winkelmann and Leyh, 2010). Accordingly, it is important for IS programs to consider ERP course(s) in their offering. Teaching hands-on ERP skills is important for several reasons. First, learning ERP is identified as an important IT skill (Kim, Hsu and Stern, 2006). Organizations need users who are savvy to utilize ERP systems in their daily tasks. Despite this requirement, most of the students in higher education rarely come across enterprise systems (Strong, Fedorowicz, Sager, Stewart and Watson, 2006). Recent failures of ERP projects indicate that imparting ERP knowledge and skills are still required and important (Kanaracus, 2010). Second, advances in pedagogical approaches place emphasis on active learning or learning-by-doing. Pedagogical approaches based solely on lectures are criticized as these approaches make students passive learners (Bok, 1986). Not only has the active learning gained prominence among educators and researchers, it is also argued that students seek opportunities where they can apply their knowledge to simulate realistic situations (Auster and Wylie, 2006). Given the focus on active learning, initial growth and access to technology is viewed as an aid in enabling educators to achieve this objective. For example, the use of computer-mediated learning is known to be superior to traditional instructional modes (Alavi, 1994). We argue that IS courses are uniquely poised to utilize technology to actively teach the interaction between business and technology domains. This is amplified in the case of ERP as undergraduate students rarely have overall picture of the business operations. Most of them are focused on their area of concentration (be it Finance, Marketing, Accounting etc.). Given this academic background, the concepts of ERP are hard to grasp as the curriculum is still based on functional learning, but the ERP focuses on integration across the departments. Educators can alleviate this problem by actually showing the students the cross-functional processes. For example, the students can easily relate to sales or purchase processes. In these processes, the students can be made aware of different units that play a role--from warehouse, sales & marketing, accounting etc. It would be most beneficial if the students can 'see' how events created in one unit initiate events for other units. To achieve this objective of actually using ERP requires collaboration with industry. Several big firms (for example, SAP[R], Microsoft[R] etc.) provide academic or university alliance programs that are described as win-win solutions for both the firms and universities (Corbitt and Matthews, 2009). However, participation in these programs comes with a caveat--it requires significant commitment, especially in the case of SAP[R] (1). SAP[R] university alliance requires development of an ERP program. This requires tremendous commitment from universities with respect to faculty allocation and also monetarily. This puts universities that want to teach ERP concepts at a disadvantage. Also universities may want to teach just a course in ERP rather than develop a program or specialization on ERP. For these instances, it would be beneficial to utilize alternate solutions to SAP[R] that require fewer resource commitments. However, to an uninformed educator, the first impressions to embark on such a hands-on ERP course are daunting, as there is high visibility for ERP programs that use SAP[R] in their curriculum (as discussed in next section). This article provides guidance by providing information and implementation experiences on a freely available ERP solution--OpenERP[R]. …

Students' Ethical Decision-Making in an Information Technology Context: A Theory of Planned Behavior Approach

Abstract: 1. INTRODUCTION College faculty continuously struggle to promote ethical behavior among students. Recent evidence from the Josephson Institute Report Card on the Ethics of American Youth shows that current high school students confess to cheating in school at alarming rates. In the survey of more than 40,000 students, fifty-nine percent of them report cheating on a test in the past year. Further, one-third of the respondents own up to plagiarizing through use of the Internet (Josephson Institute, 2010). Universities are also struggling with cheating on assignments, quizzes, and online exams, as evidenced in the scandal at the University of Central Florida (Nies and Russo, 2010). Business colleges have responded to this and recent corporate scandals by offering designated courses in ethics. In fact, some disciplines require an ethics course for students to be eligible to sit for a standardized exam (e.g. in accounting the Certified Public Accountants examination). The same holds true for information technology (IT). While there may not be a dedicated course in IT regarding ethics, ethical behavior is essential in such a dynamic and vastly changing discipline. College students admit to plagiarizing from the Internet to complete assignments. More specifically, undergraduate students find intellectual property violations to be more acceptable when IT is involved than when it is not (Molnar, Kletke and Chongwatpol, 2008). Additionally, undergraduate students make more of a justification for cheating when IT is involved for them personally (Molnar, Kletke and Chongwatpol, 2008). Why would the use of IT make a difference? Why would an intellectual property violation be judged differently due to the means used for the action? There seems to be a "disconnect" for the students when IT facilitates the action. The use of IT makes completing such an action very simple. For example, copying another's work from the Internet is completed with a mere copy and paste. Completing the same action without IT requires that the student physically type the material word-for-word. The action of typing makes it more likely that the student will revise the material because effort is exerted to complete the task anyway. Another common ethical concern online is the fabrication of information. Prior research finds that consumer falsifications online are affected by one's attitude, perceived behavioral control, and perceived moral obligation (Lwin and Williams, 2003). The Internet provides lack of personalization which allows individuals to be whomever they wish online; and in many cases, there is simply no way to verify the validity of the information. Given that IT presents a new challenge for ethical behavior, this study examines students' behavioral intentions when using IT to determine ways to promote ethical behavior when using technology. The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) is utilized to study the influences on a student's behavioral intentions when IT is involved in an academic setting. More specifically, this study examines the influence of attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control and extends the TPB by including moral judgment and perceived importance as potential influences. The paper begins with background literature regarding TPB and each factor proposed to be an influence, along with a hypothesis for each factor. This is followed by the research method and the study results. Finally, a discussion, limitations and conclusion are presented. 2. THEORY OF PLANNED BEHAVIOR The Theory of Planned Behavior is used in this study to assess a student's behavioral intention when using IT. TPB is an extension of the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) (Fishbein and Ajzen, 1975). The TRA indicates that one's attitude toward an act and one's subjective norm can be used to explain behavior and intentions. Ajzen (1985, 1989, 1991) extended the TRA to the TPB by adding perceived behavioral control. …

Teach Them How They Learn: Learning Styles and Information Systems Education

Abstract: 1. INTRODUCTION There are many differing contexts associated with the word "style." In a general context, style may refer to the characteristics which signify, unify, or distinguish an entity via form or function (Merriam-Webster, 2008). It is common to describe and classify unique styles in many domains. For example, there are various architectural styles that may be classified by elements of form, material, time period, and indigenous geographic region. Similarly, there are many distinct literary styles, classified by form, genre, and technique. However, style is not a term that is particularly well-associated with the processes that comprise the complex mechanism of individual learning. However, recent research suggests that the style by which one learns and applies knowledge is an important characteristic to consider in the aggregate educational processes (Graf, Lin and Kinshuk, 2008; Kolb and Kolb, 2009; Syler et al., 2006; Thorton, Haskell and Libby, 2006; Zualkernan, Allert, and Qadah, 2006) Acknowledgement of unique learning styles is an attempt to characterize the complex processes by which one acquires knowledge (Kolb, Rubin and McIntyre, 1974). Learning style may be thought of as a formulation of preconceptions by an individual engaged in the activity of learning (Biggs and Moore, 1993). These preconceptions may include a combination of one's expectations based on previous experiences, one's cognitive ability, and one's personality (Hall, Cegielski and Wade, 2006; Kiguwa and Silva, 2007). The literature in the area of learning styles indicates that some individuals demonstrate a more rapid absorption of subject matter when the pedagogical approach utilized in instruction closely mirrors the students learning style inclination (Felder and Silverman, 1988; Garcia, Schiaffino and Amandi, 2008; Honey and Mumford, 1992; Kolb, 1984; Litzinger and Osif, 1993; Park et al., 2010). The motivation for the current study is very specific with regard to the aforementioned assertion. The current study assesses the instructional impact of a treatment designed to facilitate the learning of object-oriented systems development (OOSD) for students who previously demonstrated an inclination towards a visual learning style. From the results of this study, instructors engaged in the teaching of OOSD may better utilize knowledge regarding learning styles as a tool to enhance student performance. The remainder of this manuscript is arranged in the following manner. First, we describe the significant concepts associated with learning styles; an area of popular pedagogical research that is heretofore underrepresented in information systems (IS) development research. Next, we describe the unique aspects of teaching OOSD. Thus, we present a comprehensive review of the general literature of learning styles and subsequently discuss the applications of such concepts to IS development through the contextual perspective of object-oriented programming languages (OOPL). Then, we propose a model that serves as the framework for this study and the basis of hypothesis development. Next, we discuss the methods employed to 1) assess the learning styles of the study participants and 2) measure the affect on outcomes via the treatment applied to the subjects. Finally, we present our findings as they relate to education of students engaged in OOSD courses. 2. LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Learning Styles Learning is a predominant cognitive function in human beings, which drives the development of new capacities, skills, values, understanding, and preferences (Yannakakis, Maragoudakis and Hallam, 2009). We define learning as the acquisition of different types of knowledge through the assimilation of data via the five senses. Although the definition is concise, the construct of learning is multifaceted (Saljo, 2009). Review of the published literature on learning reveals several substantial areas of active investigation related to the activity. …

Information Ethics Education for a Multicultural World

Abstract: 1 INTRODUCTION Information systems students will face a wide range of ethical dilemmas throughout their careers, related to issues such as trust (Kelton, Fleischmann, and Wallace, 2008), transparency (Fleischmann and Wallace, 2005, 2009), and security (Fleischmann, 2010; Jaeger et al, 2007), and they must be prepared to solve these ethical dilemmas as members of an increasingly globalized workforce Information systems professionals routinely engage in multinational collaborations, where they face important value conflicts (Fleischmann and Wallace, 2010) They must work with coworkers from across the globe, and in many cases they may work temporarily or permanently in countries with cultures that are dramatically different from the one(s) in which they are raised and educated Different cultures handle (and even perceive) ethical dilemmas differently, and have different ethical touchstones that establish the expectations for ethical behavior Thus, to prepare information systems students to enter the increasingly global workforce, it is critical to engage these students in ethical decision-making scenarios that will help each student to develop sensitivity toward the diverse ethical perspectives and values of their future colleagues, managers, and information system users from around the world This paper describes a subset of the activities of an interdisciplinary research team that aims to promote multicultural information ethics education Specifically, one activity has been to develop a series of information ethics courses that expose, through readings on sixteen different ethical theories from four continents, both undergraduate and graduate students to a wide range of ethical theories and theorists from across time and around the world, allowing instructors to transcend the traditional Western bias often found in information ethics education Another activity has been to use case-based education to engage small groups of students in ethical problem solving involving cases as seen from multiple perspectives of stakeholders within the scenarios, and frequently with an explicit international and/or multicultural flavor (Fleischmann, Robbins, and Wallace, 2009; Robbins, Fleischmann, and Wallace,, 2009) Finally, these cases have been embedded within an educational simulation that allows students to collaboratively solve cases through either face-to-face or online education (Robbins and Butler, 2009, 2010; Robbins, Fleischmann, and Wallace, 2009) This paper focuses on describing the educational interventions accomplished to date and providing a preliminary evaluation of their effectiveness through thematic analysis of feedback received from students at the end of the courses, as well as describing the future plans of the research team to continue expanding the educational opportunities for multicultural information ethics education The background section introduces the theoretical framework that guides the study The methods section details the educational approach taken by the research team in developing: undergraduate and graduate information ethics courses, multi-perspective cases for these courses, and an educational simulation used to deliver these cases The results section summarizes findings from the thematic analysis of feedback received from 101 undergraduate and graduate students The discussion section illustrates how the finding can be used to extend the theoretical framework introduced in the background section Finally, the conclusion section summarizes the contributions made by this paper to information ethics education theory and practice 2 BACKGROUND Both nationality and culture are linked to variations in ethical decision making For example, Peppas (2002) finds significant differences in the ethical perspectives of Asians and Americans Axinn et al (2004) demonstrate the interconnectedness of culture and values Recent research demonstrates that the effect of personal values across cultures affects ethical decision making …

Teaching Tip: An Investigation of Digital Literacy Needs of Students

Abstract: 1. INTRODUCTION The top five challenges in teaching and learning with technology include the development of 21st century information, digital, and visual literacies to ensure that students are equipped with the skills needed to succeed in college and future careers (Educause, n.d.). Digital literacy is considered \"an essential requirement for life in a digital age\" (Bawden, 2008, p. 30). Often used interchangeably with computer or information and communications technology (ICT) literacy, digital literacy or competence, however, is a broader concept and does not automatically follow from the ability to use ICT tools (Ala-Mutka, Punie, and Redecker, 2008). Gilster (1997) first defined digital literacy as \"the ability to understand and use information in multiple formats from a wide range of sources when it is presented via computers\" (p. 1). Since then, a plethora of often inconsistent definitions of digital literacy have emerged that range from the technical aspects of operating in digital environments to the cognitive and socio-emotional aspects of work in a computer environment (Eshet-Alkalai, 2004). Such ambiguity obviously poses challenges for the effective design of curricula and courses targeting digital literacy. Determining what specifically should be taught is further complicated by a host of other issues: * Difficulties with clearly defining what a digital environment entails as rapidly changing technologies represent a moving target (Leu, 2002); * Lack of a common inventory of digital literacy skills or outcomes expectations; * Steady shift of introductory college level material to high-school curriculum (Yahya, 2010); * Disconnect between what colleges expect students to know and what students (often erroneously) think they already know as students' self-efficacy ratings exceed their actual performance scores (Easton, Easton, and Addo, 2006; Morris, 2010); * Claims that students who have been \"born digital\", i.e., only know a world that is digital (Palfrey and Gasser, 2008), are radically different and do not have to learn ICT but merely experience it (Nasah et al., 2010); * Very wide range of computer proficiency and online skills among students depending on factors such as socio-economic background and personal innovativeness (Hargittai et al., 2010; Nasah et al., 2010; Smith and Caruso, 2010); * Criticisms related to the exclusive use of or focus on products from one vendor, raising the issue of \"propagandizing a specific vendor\" or having higher education textbook publishers drive what the outcomes of a technology course should be (Hodge and Gable, 2010). * Concerns about making content relevant to different academic disciplines. Universities employ different methods to ensure computer literacy of their students including introductory and often required computer skills courses included in the general or liberal studies core (Van Lengen, 2004). In response to concerns about such a one-credit-hour course in software applications required of all students at a medium-sized university in the southeastern United States, a task force was formed in Spring 2010 to develop a better understanding of the digital literacy needs of students and determine core curriculum items that should be taught. Based on a survey conducted by the task force, we sought answers to three basic research questions: Q1. What are faculty perceptions of the importance of different aspects of digital literacy? Q2. What are the commonalities and differences between the colleges vis-a-vis the different aspects of digital literacy? a) What aspects of digital literacy need to be known by all students regardless of academic major or college affiliation? b) Are there significant differences in the digital literacy needs between the colleges? Q3. What are the implications of the digital literacy needs as perceived by faculty for course curriculum and course development, specifically the need for or redesign of the current one-credit-hour applications course? …

Experiencing the elicitation of user requirements and recording them in use case diagrams through role play

Abstract: This paper describes a role-play exercise used in a second-year tertiary Systems Analysis and Design course, and the quantitative and qualitative analysis of the students' responses to a survey that solicited their perceptions of that role-play experience. The role-play involved students in eliciting user requirements from customers during a Joint Application Development (JAD) session, thus simulating a common industry practice. Each JAD team had to interact to resolve conflicting customer requirements and record in IBM[R] Rational[R] Rose[R] the use cases necessary for a software solution. Completed diagrams were presented to the class using SynchronEyes technology, for review and discussion. The effectiveness of the role-play method was confirmed by students' perceptions collected in the survey following the exercise. The goal of the survey was to discover if students respond positively to learning about JAD, and use case diagrams, through role-play, and if they believe that they have improved their knowledge as a result of that experience. Student responses showed enthusiasm for experiential learning in the form of role-play and belief that learning had occurred. After experiencing the role-plays, students were also able to identify some of the limitations in the use of use cases, thus highlighting aspects that would require their future attention.

Designing an Academic Project Management Program: A Collaboration between a University and a PMI Chapter.

Abstract: 1. INTRODUCTION Projects are taking a more prominent position in strategic planning and organizational success in today's competitive environment. Industry has indicated a desire for universities to produce graduates with critical thinking, leadership, collaborative problem solving, and technical skills related to project management (Smith et al., 2008). Universities are responding to the increasing industry demand by developing project management courses, degree offerings, and certificate programs (Smith, et al., 2008). Within the literature there is significant coverage related to teaching project management, much of it related to different approaches to developing the necessary skills required to successfully manage organizational projects. Problem-based learning has been proposed as an effective way to utilize project work to engage students in a life-like environment (Guthrie, 2010). The importance of assigning interdisciplinary teams that mimic the diversity organizational functional units (Kruck and Teer, 2009) has been addressed. Programmatic approaches to teaching project management have been offered, including: the need for specific project management courses, integration of project management skills into a degree program, and the evolution of long-term projects that span the life of a degree program (Smith et al., 2008). Davis (2007) illustrates the effective use of mini-cases in order to broaden student thinking by raising difficult and focused questions without the overhead of working with a larger case. While the focus of each of these activities remain important to graduating students that obtain relevant project management skills in a "real world" experience, there is currently a void in the literature related to innovative ways of incorporating industry professionals to both participate in and inform activities in the classroom. We propose that collaborating with professional organizations within industry is an effective way to incorporate "real world" experience into the classroom itself. However, balancing the role of industry within the classroom can be a problematic. The goal of this article is to address the void in the literature by exploring the question, how can university information systems departments provide effective industry connected project management courses and programs for its students? We report a single case that describes and defines one approach to developing a project management program through the development of academic course offerings in a collaborative effort between a university and a local chapter of the Project Management Institute (PMI). The result of this collaboration is an undergraduate project management minor program created within information systems department in which members of the PMI are continually and actively engaged in the program and are an integral part of ongoing classroom activities and projects. This collaboration is designed to incorporate current industry demands into academic offerings in order to bring hands-on experience into the classroom while addressing the academic rigor of the university milieus. This paper proceeds as follows. First, the evolution of project management in industry and the demand for project management programs in universities that graduate students that meet industry demand is presented. We then report a case that describes the evolution of a collaborative effort between a university information systems department and a local chapter of the PMI, resulting in a project management minor program designed to meet both industry and academic needs. Specific course activities, outcomes, and implementation experiences are described. Finally we present a lessons learned section that captures both successes and challenges throughout the evolution of the program. 2. BACKGROUND AND RELATED WORK The motivation for this paper is derived from the intersection of increasing industry demand for competent and qualified project managers and the attempts of universities to develop project management classes and programs that graduate students with the skills to meet industry needs. …

Teaching Ethical Reflexivity in Information Systems: How to Equip Students to Deal with Moral and Ethical Issues of Emerging Information and Communication Technologies.

Abstract: 1. INTRODUCTION A problem that education in fast-moving technically oriented fields such as that of information systems (IS) faces is that the state of the art at the time of teaching tends to be obsolete by the time of graduation. The apparently ever-increasing speed of change and development renders this problem consistently acute. There are different possible answers that educators in IS can give to this problem. On the one hand they can attempt to keep their material up-to-date in the hope that the half-life of the technologies they teach is still relevant at the point of transition of students into their post-educational position. On the other hand, one can try to teach less variable principles that are likely to remain constant over time. A typical debate of this sort revolves around the question which programming language(s) to teach IS students. The one position would hold that students should learn programming languages they are likely to encounter in organizational practice. The other position is to teach the fundamentals of programming, possibly using legacy languages that are useful to understand principles, even if they are no longer used outside of educational environments. These two positions do not have to be contradictory, and a common aim is to combine them, to teach general principles using current tools. While the two positions thus do not have to be mutually exclusive, it seems to be widely accepted that education in technical subjects, just as education in general, needs to equip students with the ability to continue educating themselves. There are broad expectations that long-term employment in the same role will become less and less common, while technical, organizational, and social change will continue to speed up. If it is thus the task of IS education to provide students with skills to react variably and appropriately to problems and challenges that may not be visible yet, then IS educators need to ask themselves how they can know what the skills are their students are likely to require. The present paper takes this question as the point of departure to explore one specific area of IS education, namely that of ethics. Ethics is a conceptually difficult area, being related on the one hand to everybody's individual life-world, to socialize and internal experiences of what we believe to be right and wrong. At the same time ethics refers to several millennia of philosophical discourse. While it is easy to observe numerous ethically relevant phenomena arising from the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) that are directly relevant to the field and practice of IS (e.g. privacy in social networks, ownership of content and software, changing relationships due to computer mediated communication, ...) it is not always easy to determine why these are perceived to be of ethical relevance and how they are to be evaluated. This paper therefore starts by developing a framework for ethical issues in IS and shows that these have a significant tradition in the IS literature. The subsequent section will describe a research project aimed at identifying ethical issues that are likely to emerge in the medium term future (10 to 15 years). This project explored likely emerging ICTs and it then investigated and evaluated the possible ethical issues that can reasonably be expected to arise from these technologies. This description of ethical issues then leads the paper back to the question of education. The paper advocates the view that there are a number of interlinking policy and organizational activities that need to be in place if we are collectively going to be in a position to proactively engage with such emerging ethical issues. Education is one core aspect of this. The paper will argue that IS scholars and practitioners need to understand that ethics is a beneficial and pervasive aspect of any society and that it is in their interest to engage with it early. …

An Empirical Examination of the Composition of Vocational Interest in Business Colleges: MIS vs. Other Majors

Abstract: 1. INTRODUCTION Numerous studies have examined why students choose a particular major in college. This has critical significance not only for students, but for college departments as well. Students wish to pursue a major and subsequent career that matches with their talents and interests. One of the critical findings in most of these studies is that interest in a major and in the matching subsequent career significantly influences their choice of major (Mauldin, Crain, & Mounce, 2000; Moorman & Johnson, 2003). In fact, in many studies of business majors, interest has been found to be the most important influence in choice of major (Kim, Markham, & Cangelosi, 2002; Malgwi, Howe & Burnaby, 2005; Strasser, Ozgur & Schroeder, 2002; Zhang, 2007). Interest has been found to be significant (as well as most important) in many studies that concentrated on specific majors within the business college, including economics (the most important factor, Worthington & Higgs, 2004), management information systems (MIS) (the most important factor for both MIS majors and computer science majors, Downey, McGaughey, & Roach, 2009), marketing (Pappu, 2004), and accounting (Mauldin et al., 2000). There is not a known study that included interest in a major as one of the variables influencing choice of major in which interest was not significant. Based on the importance of interest in choosing one's major, the question that must be asked is what constitutes interest in a major? Although most (if not all) studies treat interest as one-dimensional, and one of many variables that influence choice of major, it seems intuitive that interest is a multi-dimensional construct, that there are various influences which promote an individual's interest in a particular career or major, and indeed research indicates this is the case (Izard, 1991; Silvia, 2006). But what in particular enhances interest in a particular major, and does this vary by major? This study examines the influences on interest in MIS (or the IT field) as a major and career. It examines 35 individual items that are theorized to promote interest in the MIS major. Further, it does the same empirical analysis for a group that includes business majors that are not MIS, in order to compare and contrast the items that significantly enhance interest in a business major. The choice of college major is an important choice for students as well as for colleges and their departments. This is especially true currently in MIS Departments, which have seen a decrease in enrollment in the last five years, as well as entire departments being closed (Aken & Michalisin, 2007; Downey et al., 2009; Pratt, Hauser, & Ross, 2010; Vegso, 2005). One obvious way to increase enrollment in MIS is to expand interest in IT, and to do this requires an understanding of the forces or influences which enhance one's interest in a major. This study examines these influences. 2. INTEREST AS A CONSTRUCT 2.1 Interest Interest in and of itself has a long history, dating at least as far back as Aristotle in the 4th century BC, who described it as voluntary choice involving rational principle and cognitive thought (Aristotle, trans. 1947). The American pragmatist philosopher John Dewey listed three characteristics of interest, stating it is dynamic (interest is an active activity), objective (it is focused on something, that is, it is "embodied in an object of regard"), and personal to the individual involved (Dewey, 1913, p. 16). Interest (or being interested) is cognitive in nature, that is, it involves mental processing and is the interaction between an engaged person and the external world (Armstrong, Day, McVay & Rounds, 2008; Hidi, 1990). It is not a biological orientation reflex (infant at nipple) and though it involves attention, it is clearly more than that (Izard, 1991). A person can be attentive to a math problem, but have little interest in math. …

Experience on Mashup Development with End User Programming Environment

Abstract: 1. INTRODUCTION Mashups are Web applications that combine data or functionality from other Web sources into a new and integrated service (Wikipedia 2009a, Yu et al. 2008, Zang and Rosson 2008). They are expected to be developed quickly using open data sources or Application Programming Interfaces (API) (Zang and Rosson 2008). Their rapid initial successes, especially in using Google Map API, quickly fueled phenomenal development and adoption. Mashup "has become one of the hottest buzzwords in the Web application development area" (Yu et al. 2008). For example, the website programmable Web (2009), which tracks mashups and related open APIs, recorded 4,254 mashups and 1,425 APIs. It also reported an increase of three mashups every day on the average. The importance of mashups is not only in its ubiquity. It is also a focal point of three interlinked major trends in information systems: Web 2.0, situational software applications, and end user programming. Since coined in 2004, Web 2.0 (O'Reilly 2005) has already become a household term. The pervasiveness of representative Web 2.0 applications, such as Facebook. Flickr, Twitter, Google Docs, and YouTube, ensures that the term has become a fundamental lexicon for the modern society. Besides being used universally, Web 2.0 also deeply influences nearly every facet of our lives: culture, education, business, technology, etc (Kim et al. 2009). In particular, the importance of Web 2.0 cannot be underestimated in IS education. The Journal of Information Systems Education recently devoted a special issue with twelve papers on the effective uses of different Web 2,0 technologies, including blog, wiki, podcast, social network and virtual world, in IS education (Harris & Rea 2009). However, the impact of Web 2.0 is even deeper than the proper integration of Web 2.0 technologies into IS learning and teaching. Equally importantly, Web 2,0 profoundly affects core components of the subject knowledge of IS education: how software are conceived, planned, specified, designed, developed, updated, and used. Web 2.0 techniques, architectures, tools, standards, software development methodologies, design patterns, and project management approaches should be studied and assimilated into IS curriculum to complement the existing set of methodologies. From this perspective, mashups are exemplary as an embodiment of Web 2.0 ideals (O'Reilly 2005, Kim et al. 2009). Mashups are highly popular and they frequently use Web 2.0 technologies such as AJAX, XML, RSS, JSON, Open APIs, and Web data sources (Kim et al. 2009). Their application areas are diverse and closely associated with key Web 2.0 application domains such as social networks. Their development methodologies are representative of Web 2.0: rapid development and modification, crowd sourcing, extensive use of open standards and APIs, etc. Thus, mashups are excellent pedagogical vehicles for Web 2.0. The second closely related trend is the proliferation of situational applications (SA), which loosely refer to applications built for addressing a particular situation, problem, or challenge (Cherbakov et al. 2007). Wikipedia (2009b) defines them to be '"good enough' software created for a narrow group of users with a unique set of needs." The application may be used specifically for a given task of a small social group (Shirky 2004), an enterprise business problem (Cherbakov et al. 2007), or any targeted situations. SAs are very useful because of their custom-made nature for particular situations. However, with limited user size, functionality, scope, and life-span, SAs can only be cost effective if their development cost is low enough. Until recently, this cost and benefit consideration did not favor SAs. Developing SA was just very expensive. The cost effectiveness balance had recently changed to largely favor SAs as their development cost was substantially lowered. Cherbakov (2007) listed eight contributing factors to the rapid rise of the popularity of Web-based SAs. …

An Approach to Meeting AACSB Assurance of Learning Standards in an IS Core Course

Abstract: 1. INTRODUCTION Accreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) is much sought after by business schools. However, only 35% of four-year undergraduate business programs in the United States have AACSB accreditation. All accredited business schools share a common purpose--to prepare students for professional, societal, and personal lives. However, AACSB recognizes that different business schools may have different missions. As such, schools that intend to obtain or retain AACSB accreditation must develop a clear mission, develop a structured set of processes to set educational goals consistent with its mission, and assess the degree to which students meet these educational goals. A school's achievement of its educational goals is an important consideration for accreditation. To be accredited, a business school must meet AACSB standards. In 2003, AACSB significantly revised its standards to require a business school seeking to acquire or maintain accreditation to meet standards in three general areas: 1) the Strategic Management Standards verify that the school focuses its resources and efforts toward a defined mission as embodied in a mission statement, 2) the Participants Standards ensure that the school maintains a mix of both student and faculty participants that achieve high quality in the activities that support the school's mission, and 3) the Assurance of Learning Standards (ALS) ensure that the school sets student learning goals, assesses student achievement of these goals, and addresses the disparity between the goals and student achievement (http://www.aacsb.edu/ ). The most significant change mandated by AACSB is the requirement that schools meet the Assurance of Learning Standards. By introducing ALS, AACSB changed its focus on the business curriculum from an assessment of inputs (i.e., what is taught during the course) to an assessment of outputs (i.e., what the student knows upon completing the course). This change has significantly increased the demands on faculty at institutions seeking to gain or maintain AACSB accreditation. Under the old standards (assessment of inputs), the demands on faculty went little beyond the provision of course syllabi. However, under the new ALS, faculty are required to set learning goals, assess student achievement of these goals, and address areas in which student achievement of goals is deficient. Specifically, AACSB accreditation teams will "evaluate how well the school accomplishes the educational aims at the core of its activities. The learning process is separate from the demonstration that students achieve learning goals." (AACSB-International, 2010, pg. 58) (1). Assessment of learning goals requires the collection, review, and use of information about educational programs undertaken to improve student learning and development (Palomba and Banta, 1999). Therefore, a school must develop processes that use assessment data to facilitate continuous improvement. As a consequence, faculty must develop formal methods to measure student learning, and, as we describe later, determine how to use learning assessment results to improve their courses. Typically, undergraduate business programs include one or two Information Systems (IS) courses in the business core. Until recently, IS core course discussions among academics have centered on inputs, notably, course content and delivery (Silver, et al., 1995, Stohr, et al., 1990). Recently, however, there has been some discussion of assessment (Beard, et al., 2008, White, et al., 2008). White et al. (2008) provide a concise but useful overview of different types of assessment, while Beard et al. (2008) describe how soft IS skills can be assessed. Outcome assessment is complicated by the fact that core courses in undergraduate business programs are typically taught by multiple faculty members in a single semester (because of the large number of sections that are usually offered). …

The Challenge of Implementing an ERP System in a Small and Medium Enterprise--A Teaching Case of ERP Project Management.

Abstract: 1. INTRODUCTION Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system implementation projects are notoriously risky. Failure rates for ERP projects have consistently been reported as very high (Aloini, Dulmin, Mininno, 2007; Kwahk and Lee, 2008). About 90% of ERP implementations are late or over budget (Martin, 1998), and the success rate of ERP systems implementation is only about 33% (Zhang et al., 2003). In response, today's IS curriculum has expanded to emphasize the need for improved ERP technical skills, the integration of ERP team knowledge, and the acquisition of greater overall business knowledge (Boyle and Strong, 2006). However, serious deficiencies remain in ERP related project management, procurement, human resource, and top management education (Chen, Law, and Yang, 2009; Davis and Comeau, 2004; Du, Johnson, and Keil, 2004; Smith, Sarkusky, and Corrigall, 2008). In addition, a renewed emphasis on top management involvement in ERP implementation has been identified as an important topic for IS education (Liang, Saraf, Hu, and Xue, 2007; Ifinedo, 2008). The impact of firm size on ERP implementation success clearly requires greater study. Our review of ERP case research indicates that prior studies have traditionally focused on major ERP vendors targeting sales efforts toward large firms. Examples for such research are: the case study of implementation of ERP to reengineer the business processes of a major manufacturer (Al-Mashari and Al-Mudimigh, 2003); discussion of the factors that lead to the success or failure of ERP on large construction firms (Voordijk et al., 2003). At many universities this has led to the development of an IS curricula that is biased toward large-scale vendors, such as SAP. As the large-scale ERP market has matured, vendors have increasingly retargeted their sale of ERP software toward medium and small size firms. While large-scale ERP cases continue to be developed, relatively few new ERP cases have been published that further ERP implementation education in small to medium size firms (Winkelmann and Leyh, 2010). This case is about the implementation of a new ERP system in a medium sized manufacturing firm. As students explore the case they will be required to address the many ERP related project management, procurement, human resource, and management involvement issues raised by it. This case highlights the ERP implementation problems experienced by Custom Engineering Solutions (CES), including senior management's role, in its Electronic Control Systems (ECS) division. The firm is considering whether or not to implement this same ERP system in its Electromechanical Motors & Equipment (EME) division. Before proceeding, CES' board of directors has concluded that a review of the ECS ERP implementation is needed. They believe that such an assessment could provide valuable insight and lessons learned that could improve EME's implementation outcome. 2. COMPANY BACKGROUND Custom Engineering Solutions (CES) is an engineering services company specializing in custom electronic industrial controls and the remanufacture of heavy, electro-mechanical industrial equipment. It was initially formed after World War II to repair and rewire large electric motors used in a wide range of sophisticated applications, including industrial machinery, generators, and aircraft engines for example. The founder, who was a mechanical engineer, grew their business by delivering custom engineering services to local companies of various sizes. In the past decade, global companies have come to demand CES' products and services, especially its electronic industrial controls. As it has grown, it has begun to source assemblies required for production from Ireland and China. Currently, CES produces approximately 1,500 different active products, with a mix of around 300 of these products and on average 3,600 units shipped to its customers every month. Their sales are distributed through 8-10 wholesalers, and a few of them are large national distributors with significant bargaining power. …

The Systems Analysis and Design Course: An Educators' Assessment of the Importance and Coverage of Topics

Abstract: 1. INTRODUCTION A Management Information Systems (MIS) curriculum should reflect the needs and expectations of industry, as this helps to ensure that students are adequately prepared for their employment. It is often quite difficult, however, to achieve this (Anandarajan and Lippert, 2006; Tang, Lee, and Koh, 2000). The "IS 2010 Curriculum Guidelines for Undergraduate Programs in Information Systems," established by the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) and the Association for Information Systems (AIS), are designed to help with this alignment (Topi et al., 2010). The IS 2010 guidelines represent numerous perspectives of faculty and practitioners alike. Furthermore, they are developed with careful consideration of industry requirements and an understanding of organizational needs and expectations. Importantly, the IS 2010 Curriculum Guidelines identify the Systems Analysis and Design (SAD) course as a core in an MIS undergraduate curriculum Topi et al, 2010). Indeed, the suggested catalog description provided within the IS 2010 guidelines (Topi et al, 2010), shown below, amplifies the significance of the SAD course: This course discusses the processes, methods, techniques and tools that organizations use to determine how they should conduct their business, with a particular focus on how computer-based technologies can most effectively contribute to the way business is organized. The course covers a systematic methodology for analyzing a business problem or opportunity, determining what role, if any, computer-based technologies can play in addressing the business need, articulating business requirements for the technology solution, specifying alternative approaches to acquiring the technology capabilities needed to address the business requirements, and specifying the requirements for the information systems solution in particular, in-house development, development from third-party providers, or purchased commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) packages (p. 48) In addition, employment projections are seemingly reflective of the importance of systems analysis and design. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2011), employment of systems analysts is projected to grow significantly between 2008 and 2018 as compared to the average growth of all other occupations. In fact, employment of systems analysts is projected to increase by 20% during this time frame. As more advanced technologies continue to emerge and as increasing numbers of organizations seek to embrace these new innovations, the demand for these workers is expected to continue rising (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2011). It is necessary for IS professionals, and those training to become practitioners, to understand the complexities and uncertainties that exist in the utilization of these new technologies and applications for systems development. Thus, it is important for MIS students to have a good understanding of the systems development process, with sufficient knowledge of various methodologies, strategies, and techniques pertaining thereto. What topics should be the focus in the SAD course? Presumably this question is important to those who teach the SAD course, as well as those who ultimately hire MIS graduates. This study examines instructors' perceptions regarding the skills and topics that are most important in the teaching of a Systems Analysis and Design course and the amount of class time devoted to each of the more traditional areas. This is an important step in determining if educational objectives related to SAD are in line with current industry needs. This paper begins with describing the motivation for the study, reviewing the literature on this topic, and presenting the research questions. The analysis, discussion, conclusions, and recommendations for future research follow. 2. MOTIVATION FOR STUDY Anecdotal evidence suggests that Information Systems professionals seem to express more of an interest in using object-oriented modeling and analysis in the workplace. …

IS 2010 and ABET Accreditation: An Analysis of ABET-Accredited Information Systems Programs.

Abstract: 1. CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS IN INFORMATION SYSTEMS (IS) Curriculum development efforts for baccalaureate degree programs in Information Systems have been ongoing for close to four decades. Driven by the recognition that the educational needs of those entering the business environment are significantly different than from those entering the field of computer science and/or computer engineering, the first "Curriculum Recommendations for Undergraduate Programs in Information Systems" (Cougar, 1973) was sponsored by the Associate for Computing Machinery (ACM) and prepared by the ACM Curriculum Committee on Computing Education for Management (C3EM). The report emphasized that although historically entry into information systems did not necessarily require a college degree, and in fact many information systems professionals at that time entered the field laterally from other disciplines such as accounting, the requirement for a college level degree was an implicit if not explicit requirement for information systems positions in medium to large size companies using third generation computing equipment. During the mid- to late-1970s the Data Processing Management Association (DPMA) and the Association for Systems Management (ASM) were the two leading professional organizations for business computing professionals. Although the ACM curriculum recommendations were highly respected in academic circles, the recommendations were not widely distributed to nor did they receive much support from those in the business computer industry. Relying heavily on advisory councils composed of business computing professionals, most of the newly evolving undergraduate programs in Information Systems did not migrate to the ACM model. In February 1979 the Information Systems department of California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (Cal Poly) hosted the first national conference/workshop on Computer Information Systems Education. The conference brought together representatives from industry and education to discuss and make recommendations for improving business computing education at the undergraduate level. This conference put forward the following positions: (1) there are significant differences among educational programs in information systems, computer science, and computer engineering; (2) programs in computer information systems have the distinct primary goal of preparing entry-level applications programmer/analysts for commercial environments; and (3) it is desirable that a nationally recognized model curriculum offering guidelines in the development of educational programs in computer information systems be established. The conference concluded with the establishment of a task group to develop specific plans for establishing this model curriculum. The success of the first conference attracted the attention of DPMA, who expressed interest in co-hosting with Cal Poly a second national conference to continue the curriculum development effort. The second national conference was held in January of 1980 and was attended by computing educators and industry representatives from around the nation. Discussion centered on a preliminary version of a model curriculum which developed as an outgrowth of the first conference. Evolving from the discussion was a set of core courses that all agreed should form the basis for all undergraduate programs in Computer Information Systems. As a result of the work from this second conference the DPMA Education Foundation agreed to sponsor the curriculum development project and to support its recommendation as viable standards for baccalaureate Computer Information Systems Education. A target date of June 1981 was tentatively set for project completion. In May of 1981 a draft of the report was presented at the First National Conference on Information Systems Education, and the final report (DPMA, 1981) was published later that year. The report was widely supported by industry and widely adopted by undergraduate programs throughout the country. …

Communication Challenges in Requirements Definition: A Classroom Simulation

Abstract: 1. INTRODUCTION Systems analysis and design is a standard course offering within information systems programs and often an important lecture topic in Information Systems core courses. Given the persistent difficulty that organizations experience in implementing systems that meet their requirements, it is important to help students in these courses get a tangible sense of the challenges they will face, whether as Information Systems practitioners or business professionals, in the systems analysis and design process. This article presents a hands-on design game that focuses in particular on the structuring of opportunities for user participation in requirements definition. The game provides an opportunity to raise central questions about communication, knowledge transfer, and the level and timing of user involvement during systems projects. Students are organized into small groups that adopt multiple roles over the course of a simplified "system" development life cycle. Each group begins in the role of users with the initial articulation of a business need or opportunity, which they simulate by creating a model using Lego blocks. The Lego models are then put away, and pairs of teams exchange roles as users and analysts in conversations focused on preparing requirements documents that will give an account of each user team's model. During the subsequent construction phase, programmer teams attempt to use these requirements documents to recreate the original models. Acceptance testing follows, during which the entire class evaluates pairs of models--in each case, the original model representing the users' business requirements and the corresponding model created by the programmer team. The final step in the exercise is a post-project review, when the class discusses the challenges that arose during the game, and the instructor draws parallels to problems in system implementation practice. This exercise has been used and refined over a period of several years in core courses in information technology management at both the undergraduate and graduate levels and in classes in systems analysis and design. Students find the exercise highly engaging, and the divergent mismatches that always surface between "before" and "after" models are the cause of hilarity and good-natured finger-pointing. (See Figure 1a below with a "before" model on the left and the companion "after" model on the right; the requirements document is in Figure 1b.) [FIGURE 1A OMITTED] [FIGURE 1B OMITTED] The full payoff comes in the final phase, when students, with the instructor's guidance, draw out parallels between the difficulties encountered first-hand in the interpersonal communication of the game and the problems that commonly arise in translating business professionals' requirements via systems analysis for software builders. This also provides an opportunity to explore the implications of alternative project structures for user participation, and to make connections more broadly to issues of IT governance and business-side accountability. We begin our discussion here with some theoretical grounding in user participation issues, and we then explain how the Design Game helps to surface problems in this domain. After a summary overview of the game, step-by-step instructions are offered for conducting the exercise. Next, we provide detailed teaching notes to help guide instructors in preparing materials, integrating the exercise within a course plan, facilitating the related class discussion, and making the most of the game as a metaphor for real-world challenges in user participation. We conclude with some observations on learning outcomes, based on our experiences in using the game. 2. USER PARTICIPATION IN SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT In the 1980s and 1990s system development methodologies relied upon the identification of known requirements (Valusek and Fryback, 1985) in a manner that didn't accurately model the real world as users experienced it (Land, 1982). …

Using Debates to Teach Information Ethics

Abstract: 1. INTRODUCTION Debates have been used successfully as a teaching method in many disciplines, including Sociology (e.g. Huryn, 1986), Hospitality (e.g. Edelheim, 2010), and even in the technology field (e.g. Scott, 2008). While most Information Systems (IS) topics may not, on the surface, lend themselves to the debate format in a classroom setting, the area of Information Ethics is an ideal subject for using debates to enhance student learning. The use of teaching methods that enhance critical thinking skills, such as debates, may improve the students' abilities to better apply ethical theories and resolve moral conflicts (Vartiainen and Siponen, 2010). This experience report details the use of debates in an Information Ethics course offered at a typical four-year public university in the United States. The use of debates in the class has been extremely successful. Students are more engaged, multiple points of view are expressed, and there is less reliance on simply reading and regurgitating facts. As a side benefit, debates also help to improve the students' communication and presentation skills. It is hoped that the material and suggestions provided in this report will aid other faculty faced with teaching this sometimes difficult topic. 2. THE INFORMATION ETHICS COURSE The College of Business offers an Information Ethics course as an elective in the Management Information Systems (MIS) major, although it is open to all students in the College. In most semesters, the course enrollment consists mainly of students majoring in MIS, with one or two students from other business disciplines. It is assumed that the students have little background in ethics, so the first three weeks of the course are spent introducing the students to the main ethical theories (utilitarianism, deontology, egoism, etc.). The students are then introduced to ethical decision-making, using an analysis process such as that presented in Kallman and Grillo (1996), followed by an overview of the main topics in Information Ethics, starting with Richard Mason's seminal 1986 paper. The remainder of the course is spent studying one specific topic per week (e.g. intellectual property rights, privacy, censorship, accessibility, etc.). In the first class session of the week, a debate is used to introduce the topic to the students. This debate provides the starting point for discussion of the topic and immediately involves the students in the material. 3. THE DEBATES The enrollment for the course is usually 20-25 students, making the debate format manageable. The students are divided into teams of three. If necessary, due to enrollment numbers, some two member teams are allowed. Students are permitted to select their teams; those students that do not pre-select a group are randomly assigned to a team. Each debate consists of a proposition (see the Debate Topics section below). One team is assigned the PRO position (i.e. they agree with the proposition) and the other team supports the CON position (i.e. they disagree with the proposition). The debates are assigned to the teams using a "draft" system. The teams are placed in a random order and then take turns choosing the PRO or CON side of the debates in which they wish to participate. The order is reversed, once each team has selected a debate, and the process is repeated, until all of the debates have been assigned. Some restrictions are placed upon the teams, during this process: each team must debate at least once as a PRO side and at least once as CON side, and no two teams can debate each other more than twice. Teams often end up arguing for a position with which they may not agree, but most have found this to be an excellent learning experience, and it aids in anticipating the opposition' s strategy. Each team participates in at least three debates, during the course. The general format for each debate can be found in Table 1. …

The Effects of Teaching the Universality Thesis on Students’ Integrative Complexity of Thought

Abstract: 1. INTRODUCTION The importance of providing IS users and professionals with a proper knowledge of ethics has been increasingly recognized. This is evident from the large number of frameworks for IS ethics education proposed by scholars (e.g., Kallman & Grillo, 1996; Maner, 1980; Martin & Huff, 1997; Tavani, 2001; Siponen and Vartiainen 2002; Vartiainen and Siponen 2010) and professional organizations such as ACM and IEEE. One of the main elements of these frameworks is the utilization of relevant theories of ethics. Although it is worthwhile to construct conceptual-analytical IS ethics frameworks (cf. Hare, 1981), there is an equal need for empirical research, specifically on the effects and implications of ethics theory when used in an IS context. In particular, it would be useful to know how students experience such theories, and what effect they have on their thinking and the development of their moral reasoning. This should confirm the practical value of the frameworks, which of course should be the ultimate goal of the training programs. Unfortunately, we find no IS studies that have studied the effects of theories of ethics on students' thinking. As a step towards remedying this gap in the literature, we test the effects of an education program based on the universality thesis. By teaching the universality thesis, we aim to encourage students to acquire more diverse viewpoints on ethical issues and thereby to develop them in reasoning in moral conflicts. Therefore, we assess the effects of three versions of the universality thesis on students' thinking in terms of integrative complexity (Suedfeld, Tetlock & Streufert, 1992), which represents individuals' cognitive styles and different ways of processing information. Integrative complexity is an established social science measurement tool, used to measure the effect of education in social and personality psychology, in addition to attitude change (e.g., Conway et al. 2008; Winter, 2007). In our study, we assess whether students progress in terms of integrative complexity during the educational intervention. Our study is a continuation of our efforts to develop ethics teaching in IS education using the approach of empirical research (e.g., Vartiainen and Siponen 2010 on students' intention to use theories of ethics). This paper is organized as follows. The second section presents the theoretical framework, and the third considers the research methods used. The results are presented in the fourth section, and their limitations and significance are discussed in the fifth. The final section reiterates the key findings. 2. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK The theoretical framework of this study is twofold. First, given that in one study we are only able to test a limited number of theories, we first discuss the rationalizations as to why we selected the universality thesis to constitute the substance of the teaching intervention. To be more precise, we introduced three versions of this thesis to students during an IS ethics educational intervention program. Second, we applied the theory of integrative complexity in order to assess whether IS ethics teaching based on the three universality theories positively modified complexity of thought. The three theories are discussed next. 2.1 Three aspects of the universality thesis There are several alternative theories of ethics, including utilitarianism (Bentham, 1876; Mill, 1895), universal prescriptivism (Hare, 1981), Kant's theory (1993), intuitionism (Moore, 1966; Ross, 1930), and the theory of information ethics (Floridi, 1999). A common element is the so-called universality thesis. Hare (1981) defines this doctrine as follows: "If one judges that one's action in a particular situation is right, one must then acknowledge that a similar act by anybody else in a similar situation would also be right." The different versions of the universality thesis form the core element in Confucianism (Hansen, 1991), Judeo-Christian ethics (Outga, 1972), Kant's theory (1993), Mackie's theory (1981), Rawls' theory of justice (Rawls, 1971; Kukathas & Pettit, 1990), and universal prescriptivism (Hare, 1981), for example. …

GlobePort Faces Global Business Challenges--Assessing the Organizational Side of Information Systems Projects

Abstract: 1. GLOBEPORT NETWORKS GlobePort Networks is a leading multinational networking product design, development, manufacturing and servicing company. GlobePort is a market leader in the business of manufacturing and servicing of networking equipment, networks and network based applications (such as call centers, telephony applications). The company designs and manufactures a variety of communications hardware and software platforms and multiple applications--such as CRM (Customer Relationship Management), conferencing solutions and other telephony based applications. The company also resells other manufacturer's products and solutions. GlobePort has a large services business and organizational capabilities to support an end-customer's entire end to end networking solution. The services business is an important part of GlobePort's overall operations. Upwards of 50% of GlobePort's revenue (nearly $2 billion a year) and 115% of GlobePort's profit (approx $250 million) comes from the Services business. The service experience starts with consulting and design services, which work with end-customers to analyze needs. GlobePort offerings continue into integration and implementation of the solution. Subsequently GlobePort sells service contracts to the end-customer (large multinational customers such as multinational banks, as well as to smaller regional business customers such as hospitals, universities) on the basis of the product elements installed for the end-customer's service location. A service contract entitles the customer to extended service beyond the product warranty period. Service entitlements include help desk support, break fix support and maintenance, systems administration, network monitoring and management reporting activities. 2. INDIRECT CHANNEL ISSUES GlobePort sells product and service through both a direct sales channel as well as an indirect (via distributors and resellers) sales channel. The indirect channel was used primarily in the international markets to exploit the existing local business practices of system resellers around the world and the established relationships between those distributors and resellers in those markets. GlobePort did not have the cultural capabilities of all these different local resellers and wanted to use them to build their global business model. The later consisted of a hierarchy of local retailers, solution providers and service providers under large regional distributors. Consequently, GlobePort allowed customers to order through either the direct or indirect channel, as some multinational companies had centralized purchasing organizations and wanted to deal directly with GlobePort for all their multiple global sites. In the indirect channel, GlobePort qualified the distributor and sold their product to the distributors. The distributors then qualified their local resellers and allowed the resellers to sell the product to end-customers. There is a major difference between the two channels related to the service delivery experience as well. The direct channel customers received service from GlobePort, who maintained a few regional centers of excellence (e.g. at Singapore, London, Budapest, Casablanca, Buenos Aires and Denver) to deliver the field service. The alternative service delivery approach used in the indirect channel was to allow the end-customer to receive the service from the local reseller's service personnel. The resellers sold the products packaged with service offers to end-customers. The local resellers had the customer relationships and the local manpower to service the customers. It was difficult for GlobePort to maintain that kind of local operation throughout the world. Hence it was a win-win for GlobePort, who prided themselves in packaging and providing service to their customers and not just selling a "box" as their main competitors in the networking equipment industry. [FIGURE 1 OMITTED] But developing the capability of these resellers to service sophisticated networking products was a challenge for GlobePort. …

Integrating Healthcare Ethical Issues Into IS Education

Abstract: 1. INTRODUCTION From the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), about 20 percent ($19 billion) of the total funds were allocated to the health sector as only about 20 percent of physicians and 10 percent of hospitals had used basic electronic medical records (EHRs) and only about 6 percent of physicians and two percent of hospitals had used them comprehensively (Dentzer, 2010). One ARRA provision was the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH), which called for an increase in IT professionals educated in adoption, implementation, and meaningful use of EHRs. The 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) is expected to increase access of U.S. residents to healthcare visits with providers. In preparation, the North Carolina Institute of Medicine (2011) reported that the State has been awarded over $10.4 million to expand the healthcare professional workforce, including provisions to focus on IS professionals working in the healthcare environment (NCIH, 2011). Thus, the HITECT Act (of ARRA) and ACA may bring about an expansion in EHRs as well as a surge in the number of patients, estimated at 23 million additional regular users (Harmon, 2010). Accompanying these changes is the importance of professionals (with IS and health IT competencies) on interdisciplinary healthcare teams that represent clinical, administration, and information systems areas. Healthcare has continued to experience an ever-burgeoning need for IS graduates, precisely because of the recent focus brought about from the aforementioned federal initiatives. Estimates indicate that from 2011-2016, the U.S. will experience a shortfall of about 50,000 qualified health IT workers (HITECT RegionD, 2011). IS graduates working on healthcare teams will have opportunities to make valuable contributions to the discussions of ethics in their healthcare organizations, alongside clinical healthcare professionals. For instance, using the Internet as the only method to publicize a healthcare organization's services has ethical implications. It is unjust to implement a strategy that disenfranchises many potential patients simply because they lack Internet access. IS professionals should have important roles in such discussions. The purpose of this paper is to present and discuss ways to integrate healthcare ethical issues within IS education. To this end, we first present the notion of mutual understanding in which IS educational programs may prepare their graduates by building their knowledge and skills in bioethics. Second, we discuss the professional code of ethics as an advance organizer for IS students as they consider ethical issues in healthcare. Last, we present an example to illustrate ethical dilemmas that IS professionals may meet as they work in healthcare. 2. MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING Building knowledge and skills in bioethics creates a mutual understanding between IS professionals and health practitioners in the classroom and in the work place. Both sets of professional have ethics in their educations. Prominent accrediting bodies for IS educational programs mandate ethics as a component of the curricula: * ABET, Inc. (accreditor for college and university programs in applied science, computing, engineering, and technology) requires that curricula result in graduates' having: ** An understanding of professional, ethic, legal, security and social issues and responsibilities (2011-2012 Criteria for Accrediting Computing Programs. Criterion 3. Student Outcomes) and ** An understanding of professional and ethical responsibility (2011-2012 Criteria for Accrediting Applied Science Programs. Criterion 3. Student Outcomes. Baccalaureate Programs) * AACSB International--The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business requires that curricula include learning experiences in the ethical and legal responsibilities in organizations and society (Eligibility Procedures and Accreditation Standards for Business Accreditation. …

The Effect of Distributing Electronic Notes to Students: Ethical Considerations Raised by Computer Science Faculty at the University of Namibia.

Abstract: 1. INTRODUCTION Many tertiary education institutions throughout the world have adopted technology-enhanced learning as either an alternative or a supplementary method of delivering education to their geographically dispersed and on-campus students. An annual survey which keeps track of online learning trends reported that in the year 2010, 63% of institutions in the United States alone indicated that online learning was a critical part of their institutions' long term strategy (Allen & Seaman, 2010). The report also highlighted that online enrolments had substantially exceeded the total higher education student population. Similar reports of increasing online enrolments are reported throughout the world (see for example (Sutherland-Smith & Saltmarsh, 2010)). This provides evidence that the use of technology, and more specifically the Internet, has today become pervasive in tertiary education institutions. There is also consensus that the question to ask today is no longer whether or not technology should be used in education, but rather how it can be successfully integrated to ensure improved ability to educate (McNeill, Woo, Gosper, Phillips, Preston, & Green, 2007; Abrahams, 2010). Significant benefits resulting from the use of technology in education are reported in the literature. Bates (1997) identified four of the most frequently cited reasons that institutions believed could accrue from using technology: to improve the quality of learning, to improve access to education and training, to reduce the costs, and to improve the cost-effectiveness of education. Of these, efficient and timely provision of access to learning materials as well as the ability to reach geographically dispersed students that could not be reached without technology is the most widely cited (Allen & Seaman, 2007; Ally, 2008; Gulati, 2008). In developing countries especially, technology-enhanced learning is believed to have a potential to promote equitable access to different targets of populations, as well as the possibility to mitigate the effects of the identified shortage of, and unavailability of well qualified teachers (Delors, 1996; Keats, Beebe, & Kullenberg, 2003; Andersson & Gronlund, 2008). The use of technology in education in these countries is also believed to overcome social exclusion by providing increased participation in education (Gulati, 2008). Recent research has however reconfirmed that developing countries are still facing the basic challenges that prevent them from reaping the benefits of technology-enhanced education. These include: lack of basic technical infrastructures, lack of qualified professionals, negative attitudes towards technology and inappropriate policy and funding decisions (Gulati, 2008; Shih, Kraemer, & Dedrick, 2008). All these challenges have further widened the gap in the adoption of technology between developing and developed countries. While the introduction of technology offers numerous benefits to educational institutions, several researchers have also argued that its usage has not fulfilled its expectations (Bejerano, 2008; Derry, 2008). Geoghegan (1994) and Abrahams (2010) found that institutions were enthusiastic to use technology, but actual implementations showed that technology was not widely adopted by faculty, nor was it deeply integrated in the teaching and learning activities of the institutions. According to Zemsky and Massy (2004), the use of technology, together with newly adopted theories of learning, promised to revolutionize pedagogy in the following ways: learning would be customized; instructors would be replaced by facilitators; course materials would be rapidly distributed; and education would be provided at a much lower cost. They observed however, that the much anticipated revolution did not take place. Despite the unfulfilled expectations of the technological revolution however, Ferdig (2006) warned against taking a side in the debate of whether technology has inherent ability to benefit teachers and learners. …

LAN Configuration and Analysis: Projects for the Data Communications and Networking Course

Abstract: 1.INTRODUCTION The importance of computer networks in organizations cannot be over emphasized. However, the typical networking course involves many technical concepts and terms; as a result, lectures and textbooks are often perceived to be too technical, too abstract, or a bit "dry". To make the class more interesting and to engage students in active experiential learning, many instructors add hands-on exercises and activities. For example, Sanders (2003) utilized simple hacking techniques to teach system security and hacker identification; Cavaiani reported using the Ipconfig command to teach network troubleshooting techniques (2005) and using Wireshark to conduct data packet analysis (2007). OPNet network simulation software (OPNet University Program) is gaining popularity in network classes for hands-on exercises; one indicator of its popularity is that several data communication textbooks integrate lab manuals for using OPNet, such as textbooks by Stallings (2004 and 2009), Fitzgerald and Dennis (2008), and Panko (2008). In addition to using hands-on exercises to make the abstract and "dry" concepts concrete and interesting, instructors also need to create opportunities for students to understand how a network can be configured to support business in a real world organization. This teaching tip describes two such projects for the introductory data communications and networking course for MIS majors at the undergraduate level in a business school. The purpose of the projects is to strengthen the connection between technical concepts and business applications so that students gain not only a deeper understanding of how a network works, but also how a network can be managed and configured to support operations in an organization. One project focuses on LAN configuration; student groups are required to set up a small LAN for a small imaginary organization. The other project focuses on LAN analysis; student groups are required to analyze a LAN in a small real world organization and recommend improvements to the organization's LAN. These two projects are independent of each other and can be implemented one without the other; however, we believe the two projects complement each other in terms of content. 2. LAN CONFIGURATION AND LAN ANALYSIS PROJECTS Students form groups of three or four by themselves at the beginning of the term. They are in the same group for both projects because of its convenience for both students and instructors. This means that students have fewer team meetings, and their schedules are easier to coordinate; for instructors, it is easier to track the teams' progress and to contact individual teams. Whether students are in the same group or not should not affect their learning in either project. To prepare students for both projects, we cover the OSI and TCP/IP network layer models, explain the layers of the TCP/IP model, and then explain LANs, wireless LANs, and network operating systems in detail during the first half of the term. In the second half of the term, we cover wide area networks (including the Internet), network design, network management, and network security. Students start to work on the LAN analysis project several weeks before the midterm examination, and they start to work on the LAN configuration project after the midterm examination. It takes more time to do the LAN analysis project than the LAN configuration project. Since these two projects are independent of each other, the order for starting the project does not effect learning. In this paper, we will explain the LAN configuration project before we explain the LAN analysis project because the configuration project is smaller in scale. For the LAN configuration project, we provide a small computer laboratory with all the needed hardware: two computers, a network printer, network cables, and a switch. Students are required to install Windows Server 2003 on one computer as the server and Windows XP on another computer as the client. …

Convention Center Management: A Systems Analysis & Design Course Project

Abstract: 1. CASE LEARNING OBJECTIVES The semester project is structured as a group effort; however, it is extremely important for each student to have an opportunity to participate in all phases of the project, with the workload evenly spread so that no one person bears the burden of too much work. This teamwork approach should provide appropriate learning opportunities for all. The learning objectives for the case are as follows: 1. To provide each student with an opportunity to work with other students in team-building exercises, which emphasize individual contributions to a team effort, aimed at solving real business problems. 2. To expose each student to a situation that is conducive both to the development and the enhancement of the student's problem-solving, analytical abilities. 3. Gain insight about the use of information technology (IT) for support of operational, tactical, and strategic levels of management for the firm. 2. PROJECT SPECIFICATIONS Each group must employ the following phases of the systems analysis and design methodology, which is a variation of those described by Whitten and Bentley (2008): 1) scope definition (i.e. identify baseline problems and opportunities; develop baseline scope; develop baseline schedule and budget); 2) problem analysis (i.e. understand the problem domain; analyze problems and opportunities; establish system improvement objectives); 3) requirements analysis (i.e. identification of functional and nonfunctional requirements of the system); 4) logical design (i.e. creation of context diagram; creation of E-R diagram); 5) decision analysis (i.e. identification and analysis of candidate solutions; recommended solution); 6) physical design and integration (i.e. physical design and integration of system); 7) construction and testing (i.e. construction and testing of system); 8) installation and delivery (i.e. selection of appropriate implementation methodology; creation of user manual; post-implementation review); 9) system operation and maintenance (i.e. system use and operation; system maintenance, updates, and revisions). In the above, steps 8 and 9 are optional. Each group is also responsible for creating a video presentation to summarize the various aspects of the project. The essence of the project involves the analysis, design, and development of a database solution (Microsoft Access) for booking and events planning at the City Dome and Convention Center. Group members are charged with designing a database that handles the booking and events planning for both of these venues. The remaining paragraphs present a fictitious explanation regarding this case. At the present time, when an individual or company calls to make a reservation at either the City Dome or the Convention Center, the entire process is handled manually and by one office (located offsite). With the recent population growth experienced by the city, it has become nearly impossible for the current scheduling office to handle all of the paperwork. Harry Underwood (Office Manager) and Kathleen Wallace are the only individuals working in the scheduling office at this time. Everything is quite disorganized with constant mistakes being made (i.e. double-booking of some of the rooms in each of the venues). Such errors are unnecessary, time-consuming, and costly. It is, therefore, imperative to implement a database solution as soon as possible. And while it is necessary to ensure that the fundamental aspects of the scheduling process are reflected in the database solution, the inclusion of features that aid in a user-friendly interface and quality-enhanced reporting, for example, would be welcomed. The immediate concern is to make certain that efficiencies are improved with regard to the storage of data pertaining to event scheduling (e.g., customers, venues, etc.). The handling of this data manually has become too slow and cumbersome and Harry is becoming increasingly frustrated with the inefficiencies. …

Trade Secret Law and Information Systems: Can Your Students Keep a Secret?

Abstract: 1. INTRODUCTION In 2010, the IS community released a major update to its undergraduate curriculum guidelines that encompasses not only technical knowledge and skills but also managerial knowledge and skills (Topi et al, 2010). The 2010 guidelines identified seven key capabilities that high-performing IS graduates should demonstrate upon completion of their IS degree: "improving organizational processes; exploiting opportunities created by technology innovations; understanding and addressing information requirements; designing and managing enterprise architecture; identifying and evaluating solution and sourcing alternatives; securing data and infrastructure; and understanding, managing and controlling [information technology] IT risks" (Topi, et al., 2010, pp.362). These capabilities reflect "the change in the nature of the jobs IS graduates are likely to have by focusing on business analysis, organizational processes, enterprise architecture, sourcing options, and security/risk management" (Topi, et al., 2010, pp. 375). In addition to these capabilities, the guidelines expect that IS professionals will "exhibit strong ethical principles and have good interpersonal communication and team skills" (Topi, et al., 2010, pp. 370). To this end, the guidelines encourage educational experiences that require students to identify and evaluate ethical issues in the IS field, work with others in the IS field and outside of the field, and demonstrate effective communication (Topi, et al., 2010). The guidelines recognize the need for IS students to be familiar with the legal environment in which they will work and identify several courses that would be appropriate delivery points for this information and experience. For example, in IS project management courses, students need to "understand the mechanisms for dealing with legal issues" (Topi et al, 2010, pp. 398), while in IS Systems Analysis and Design, students need to "analyze and articulate ethical, cultural, and legal issues and their feasibilities among alternative solutions" (Topi et al, 2010, pp. 400). In IT Security and Risk Management courses, students need to learn to secure information assets and mitigate effects of legal prosecution. Further, the guidelines suggest that specific knowledge areas of IS include professional IS issues such as ethical and legal issues, intellectual property, and privacy (Topi et al., 2010). This paper focuses on aspects of intellectual property, specifically trade secrets, and data security that need to be addressed in the IS curriculum. 2. WHY IP LAW IS IMPORTANT TO IS STUDENTS AND PROFESSIONALS Creativity has long been considered a foundation of the American economy and has been protected by law since this country's inception through the grant of constitutional protection (U.S. Constitution, art. I, [section] 8). Accordingly, under United States IP laws, the purpose of IP protection is twofold: to provide a financial boon to the inventor or creator of the work and to promote creativity, which drives economic growth by keeping information in the public domain (Lao, 1998). The two IP forms that most IP professionals and students are familiar with are copyright and patent. Generally speaking, copyright law grants certain exclusive rights to those who produce original creative works while patent law grants certain exclusive rights to those who produce new inventions or processes. Copyrights and patents are often used to protect business process and software development and as such, IS professionals encounter those forms of IP and the legal protections they are afforded (Ford, et al., 2010). However, another important form of IP is trade secrets, which are generally defined in the U.S. as proprietary information that generates an economic advantage for a particular business (UTSA 1985, section 14). When it enacted the Economic Espionage Act, Congress recognized "the great importance of trade secrets to the national economy, going so far as to equate threats to trade secrets with threats to the country's national security" (Brenton, 2009, pp. …

Teaching IS Ethics: Applying a Research Technique for Classroom Use

Abstract: 1. INTRODUCTION This paper describes a classroom exercise that creates lively discussion regarding issues of ethical use of information and information systems. This classroom exercise is built on an approach toward investigating values and norms pertaining to ethical judgment regarding behaviors that involve use of information systems. Donn Parker (1968) pioneered the use of business scenarios for IS ethics research purposes. He investigated the relative perceived appropriateness of particular actions regarding a wide range of information systems related situations. He contrasted views held by IT professionals, faculty, and students. Parker used the scenario technique for contrasting the ethical values of different categories of stakeholders. In contrast, we are applying the technique in the classroom for eliciting ethical thinking from students for the purpose of allowing them to contrast and compare their views. As a byproduct of this technique we receive a substantial amount of data regarding student views on various issues. We use this data to illuminate the students' understanding of the issues and to provide feedback for instructors to allow stronger background knowledge for leading these discussions. Others have followed with various refinements to this technique in research applications (e.g. Ellis and Griffith, 2001), however we are not familiar with anyone who has modified it for use in the classroom. The unprecedented evolution of information technology (IT) challenges many aspects of traditional ethical thinking. IT creates opportunities for the extension of face to face behaviors into an electronically mediated environment. For example, the experience of "bullying" has recently moved from the school playground to "cyberspace" (e.g. National Crime Prevention Council, 2011; New Zealand Cyberbulling.org, 2011). IT enables the near instant spread of embarrassing, scandalous, and libelous information content regarding individuals which may or may not be true. Once information is published on the Internet, it may be irretrievably held in countless places and, as a result, never fully expunged from accessibility. Public issues regarding information appear almost daily in news outlets. Google in Italy was convicted in 2011 of malfeasance for allowing a video showing a handicapped child being bullied to be posted and not removing it for months after it was reported (February 25, 2010). The particular issue pertains to whether the conduit of information, Google, is also responsible for unacceptable content. The importance of ethical behavior among MIS personnel results from interacting with the storage, processing, and presentation of data and information that may affect people's lives in a wide variety of ways. Woodward et al. (2007) provide many arguments regarding the critical nature of ethics for MIS personnel. Further they show for a sample of students the relationship between ethical decision making and reasoning, leading to a call for both more research into the state of MIS students' ethical processing and manner for conveying processes and content pertaining to ethical decision making and reasoning in the classroom. We would argue that with the pervasiveness and ubiquity of computing in society in general and throughout business, sensitivity to the ethical issues wrought specifically by information and information systems is of relevance not only to MIS majors but to all business students, perhaps to all citizens. For example, the recent collapse of the 'News of the World" has reminded us the importance of ethics in journalism (van Onselen, 2011). In this paper we present an approach that can be used with MIS majors or with general business or non-business students. It focuses on scenarios that can apply to any individual, rather than focusing on those specifically faced by MIS professionals, such as informing management when projects fall behind. Discussion with MIS students can focus on the results of their decisions and actions, whereas discussions with more general business students can focus on appropriate use of information and IT in society. …