Appendix 1 -- Introduction to Appendix Material
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Information Systems '97 (IS'97), is a model curriculum for a bachelor's degree in Information Systems (IS). It is the result of the collaborative work of a Joint Task Force of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), the Association for Information Systems (AIS), and the Association of Information Technology Professionals (AITP -- formerly the Data Processing Management Association, DPMA). The appendix material presents detailed materials from the work of the task force. The materials are designed for faculty who need significant detail to organize and design courses and write course materials.
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| Appendix | Title | Overview |
| 2 | Background of IS Curricula and Related Disciplines |
Computing curricula were first developed in the late 1960s. The initial curricula were in Computer Science (CS). The need for Information Systems (IS) curricula was identified (Ashenhurst 1972; Couger 1973). Curricula were developed over the next decade. Since the late 1970s, both the ACM and DPMA have supported the development of model curricula for information systems. This appendix provides a chronology of significant events in these developments and the relationship between IS and other disciplines. |
| 3 | Details of the Development of IS'97 |
A systems development philosophy is described for the development of courses and learning units. The group techniques that were used are explained as are the procedures for working with the knowledge structures. |
| 4 | Depth of Knowledge Metric and Related Pedagogy |
A cognitive behavioral metric is presented for specifying and evaluating depth of knowledge. The specification includes a numeric depth indicator and appropriate language to describe presentation goals and resultant behavior expected of students completing specific parts of the curriculum. |
| 5 | IS Body of Knowledge |
An overview of the IS body of knowledge is presented. The full Body of Knowledge is in the form of a four level outline hierarchy. This appendix discusses the first two levels. It is based on previous efforts of DPMA and ACM (Longenecker and Feinstein 1991a, 1991b, 1991c; Ashenhurst 1972; Couger 1973; Nunamaker, Couger and Davis 1982; ACM 1983; DPMA 1981, 1986). The IS'97 body of knowledge contains the Computer Science and Engineering body of knowledge (Turner and Tucker 1991). |
| 6 | Learning Units | A modular concept of learning units is defined and utilized in specifying proposed courses. Elements from the body of knowledge are combined in a logical top-down manner to form Learning Units (LU). Each LU contains a goal statement, behavioral objectives and associated elements from the body of knowledge. The language of the goals and objectives is consistent with the depth of knowledge description. The appropriate depth of knowledge is specified for the associated body of knowledge elements. Methods for mapping the learning units to alternate course sequence plans are discussed. |
| 7 | Detailed Body of Information Systems Knowledge |
The complete four level hierarchy of the IS body of knowledge is presented. Depth of knowledge appropriate for each element is shown mapped to one or more of the 127 learning units. This allows a cross reference from the body of knowledge to learning units. This demonstrates the internal consistency and completeness of the model. |
| 8 | IS'97 Course Specifications and Learning Units |
Catalog overview, scope, course topics and expectations are shown for each of the courses of IS'97. In addition, the complete goals, objectives and set of body of knowledge elements are shown for each of the learning units. The set of learning units completely describes the IS'97 content. |
Appendix 2 -- Background of IS Curricula and Related
Disciplines
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Computer Science Curricula
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A curriculum for Computer Science (CS) was first outlined in
1968 (see list in Figure A2.1; ACM 1968) and revised a decade
later (ACM 1979). These curricula helped define the field of
Computer Science. A joint task force of the IEEE-CS and ACM
revised the curriculum in 1991 (Turner and Tucker 1991).
Information Systems Curricula
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Curriculum development for Information Systems (IS) began in the early 1970s (Ashenhurst 1972; Couger 1973); both the ACM and DPMA published versions of IS model curricula in the 1980s (DPMA 1981, 1986; Nunamaker, Couger and Davis 1982). Key events are listed in Figure A2.1.
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The DPMA IS'90 model was begun in November 1988 and completed by July of 1991 (Longenecker and Feinstein 1991b, 1991c). This model was based on a survey of information systems programs in approximately 1,000 colleges and universities in North America (Longenecker and Feinstein 1991a). Participants in the effort, the Curriculum Task Force (CTF 90), were drawn from an international community of industry, business and academia including both two and four year institutions. The work was supported by the DPMA but participants were also active in other organizations. Material from the unpublished work of the ACM-IS curriculum committee which met in the late 1980s was incorporated into the model.
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The draft version "Information Systems The DPMA Model Curriculum for a Four Year Undergraduate Degree (IS'90)," was released in October 1990. This draft was presented at ISECON (Information Systems Educational Conference) in Chicago, at the DSI (Decision Sciences Institute) meeting in San Diego, and at ICIS (International Conference for Information Systems) in Copenhagen. A final document was released in June 1991. IS'90 prompted considerable dialogue. A partial list of papers that discuss various aspects of IS education is found in the bibliography (Aggarwal and Rollier 1994; Burn et al. 1994; Cale 1994; Chow, Dick and Edmundson 1994; Daigle and Kemp 1993, 1994; Daniels et al. 1992; Denison 1993; Doran, Longenecker and Pardu 1994; Cohen 1993, 1994; Granger and Schroeder 1994; Haney 1994; Klein, Stephens and Bohannon 1994; Lim 1993; Longenecker, Feinstein and Gorgone 1994; Longenecker et al. 1996; Longenecker et al. 1997; Lorents and Neal 1993; Mawhinney, Morrell and Morris 1994; McKinney, Agarwal and Sanati 1994; Pick and Schenk 1993; Pick, Baty and Phoenix 1994; Sanati, McKinney and Agarwal 1994; Smith 1994; Waugespack 1994).
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Currently, most information systems programs use either the
DPMA or ACM model or some combination of the two (Glass 1992;
Pierson 1994).
Characteristics of IS'97 Development
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In February 1994 the initial meeting of a Joint Task Force for ACM, AIS, and DPMA collaboration on a model IS curriculum was held. At the meeting, the IS'90 body of IS knowledge was reviewed and updated. During subsequent meetings, curriculum presentation areas were described. Courses were also developed based on specific goals and objectives. Statements specifying the characteristics of graduates were reviewed and extended. Preliminary versions of the curriculum were presented in 1994 and 1995 at ISECON (Information Systems Educational Conference, Louisville), DSI (Decision Science Institute, Honolulu), IAIM (International Academy for Information Management, Las Vegas), ICIS (International Conference on Information Systems, Vancouver), and SIGCSE (Special Interest Group for Computer Science Education, Nashville).
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The IS'97 materials were presented for review to 900 faculty, chairs, and distinguished IS professionals during the summer of 1995. The critique from the review process was used by the co-chairs in developing the edited version now called IS'97. The ACM Education Board members and DPMA management submitted significant suggestions for revision of IS'95. The upgraded materials were presented in 1995 at IACIS (International Association for Computer Information Systems), ISECON, DSI, and IAIM, and in 1996 at SIGCSE in Philadelphia.
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IS'97 and its predecessor IS'90 differ from other approaches in several fundamental ways.
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1. Development was based on a systems based methodology which can be replicated as the knowledge base evolves.
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2. Course content is determined in a functional manner rather than topically. For example, an integrated course in systems development replaces the necessity for separate courses in database, analysis, and design. These topics have always been strongly coupled and, therefore, should be taught together.
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3. The depth of coverage of elements of the body of knowledge within the objectives is progressive. This allows all related topics to be covered in an integrated fashion with repetition and increasing depth until the required exit competence is achieved.
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4. Measurable educational outcome objectives are identified and used uniformly throughout the methodology. Depth of knowledge is defined in a manner consistent with Bloom (1956). This allows for learning of the body of knowledge to a specified competence as well as continuous assessment and feedback (Argyris 1976, 1977) . Topics are revisited several times within the context of given goals of instruction (Gagne, Briggs and Wager 1988).
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5. The learning units provide small units for curriculum design. They support tailoring of courses and are not as prescriptive as courses used in previous models. This allows flexibility by individual academic units, yet with the ability to remain focused on overall objectives of the curriculum. This approach will help ensure the quality of graduates (Denning 1992; Bemowski 1991a, 1991b; Cherkasky 1992).