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ABSTRACT
The Information Systems discipline has long suffered an identity crisis. It has also been prone to program sustainability issues as a technology focus has waxed and waned over the last 50 years. This paper suggests a new approach to teaching Information Systems, utilizing the notion of "fundamental and powerful concepts." Using digital disruption as a fundamental and powerful concept, the authors argue for the core IS course and the courses that make up the major to be developed and centered around the transformation of business models, products, and services caused by emerging digital technologies. The paper includes an outline for the core IS course and the other courses in the major and concludes with a suggestion that the fundamental and powerful concept of digital disruption be used as an approach to teaching Information Systems.
Keywords: IS education, Fundamental & powerful concept, Curriculum design & development, Foundation course
1.INTRODUCTION
The Information Systems (IS) discipline has long suffered an identity crisis which has caused declining enrollments and IS departments either disappearing or being consolidated with other areas such as accounting or decision sciences. This paper proposes using digital disruption as a "fundamental and powerful concept" in focusing the IS curriculum, thereby making it more attractive and relevant to students and other stakeholders. Examples are provided for both the IS core course and electives.
2.BACKGROUND
2.1Information Systems Curriculum/History
The content of Information Systems (IS) courses has been debated since the emergence of the Information Systems discipline during the 1970s and 1980s. Debates have centered on IS course content (e.g., what should be included/excluded, what is relevant/irrelevant, and what is the best mix of technical and managerial concepts) as well as on the intended audience of an IS course (e.g., future information technology (IT) professionals or students across a vast array of business/nonbusiness disciplines). Although many outside the discipline were less receptive to this inclusion and jealously guarded their own turf, IS was seen by IS academics as permeating a wide range of disciplines. Information Systems instructors have been consistently challenged to make course content both interesting and valuable, even for students that perceive little overlap or relevance between IS and their majors. Identifying and articulating the long-view of IS continues to be a struggle for IS...