How Much Is Enough? Teaching Information Technology in a Business-Oriented IS Curriculum

IS 2002 is a model curriculum for undergraduate degree programs in Information Systems typically offered in business and management schools. The curriculum is designed to produce graduates equipped to assume entry-level information systems positions and provide them with the fundamental knowledge required for continued career growth. This paper specifically addresses the challenge that instructors face in designing a course intended to be consistent with the learning unit goals and objectives specified in the IS 2002 for the Information Technology Hardware and Software course. While the authors agree in principle with the identified course objectives, they suggest that those objectives, when broadly defined, constitute more material than can be reasonably covered in a single course. Given that some depth must be sacrificed to achieve the desired breadth of coverage, the paper calls for the IS community to participate in an effort to more fully specify concepts and skills that should be taught in order to best fulfill our students’ and their future employers’ needs. The paper describes and critiques the authors’ current course design as a starting point for this effort.