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ABSTRACT
This paper builds on the concept of the learner-centered paradigm described in the previous paper, by discussing its importance and relevance to postsecondary information systems education. Five key trends and issues for information systems educators are discussed in relation to the learner-centered paradigm. From these issues, seven propositions are presented for stimulating thought among IS educators.
Keywords: Learner-Centered Teaching and Learning, Outcomes-Based Education, IS Curriculum, Accreditation, Assessment
1. INTRODUCTION
The learner-centered approach (Huba and Freed, 2000) with its emphasis on actively engaging the learner in the educational process and on assessing well-defined educational outcomes, represents a paradigm shift in higher education. The Saulnier et al. paper, found elsewhere in this issue, introduces the learner-centered paradigm and provides a stark contrast between it and the more traditional and dominant teacher-centered paradigm. As a general educational approach, the learner-centered paradigm informs all fields of study. So, why do educators in postsecondary information systems (IS) programs especially need to consider the value of the learner-centered approach? This paper attempts to answer that question.
When referring to the paradigm, this paper uses the terms learner-centered and outcomes-based interchangeably, because they are both part and parcel of the same approach, Usually the term learner-centered is used when the emphasis is on issues relating to the student, while the term outcomesbased is used when the emphasis is on the learning outcomes and their assessment.
In this remainder of this paper, we look at five major trends and issues that are critically important to postsecondary IS education. For each IS education trend or issue, we discuss the relevance of the learner-centered paradigm and offer one or more propositions to stimulate critical thought among IS educations and to drive future research that synthesizes the learner-centered approach with that IS education area.
2. IS EDUCATION TRENDS AND ISSUES
The five key areas for IS education include recruiting and retention of students in information systems programs, the issue of learning in a dynamic field, the prevalence of professional certifications, the presence of a longstanding outcomes-based model curriculum, and the increasingly outcomes-based approach required by accrediting agencies.
2.1 Recruiting and Retention
The learner-centered paradigm's emphasis on engaging students and focusing on student success is critical to attracting and retaining students. The recent enrollment declines...