Content area
Full Text
ABSTRACT
Assessment of learning goals has become the norm in business programs in higher education across the country. This paper offers a methodology for the assessment of both communication skills and research skills within a curriculum of the Bachelor of Science in Information Systems Program. Program level learning goals assessed in this paper are: (1) To be able to effectively communicate complex information system and business concepts both orally and in writing, (2) To be able to do research of the IS literature that will allow life-long learning in the field, and (3) To understand both individual and group dynamics of project teams. The discussion of each of the three learning goals includes: (1) the assessment methodology, (2) the assessment results and (3) recommendations on how to close-the-loop.
Keywords: Information Systems, Assessment, Communication, Research
INTRODUCTION
This paper examines the methodology used to assess communication and research skills in the information systems (IS) curriculum at California State University, Northridge (CSUN). Assessment of learning goals has rapidly become the norm in higher education business programs across the country. In the College of Business and Economics at CSUN, our assessment procedures must meet the assessment requirements of both the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).
The three learning goals for the Bachelor of Science in Information Systems (BSIS) Program to be studied in this paper are:
1. To be able to effectively communicate complex information system and business concepts both orally and in writing,
2. To be able to do research of the IS literature that will allow life-long learning in the field, and
3. To understand both individual and group dynamics of project teams.
Students in the BSIS program are required to take IS 335 near the beginning of the Program and IS 451 near the end. Spring 2009 assignments and presentations from these two courses will be used in assessing these three learning goals.
DESCRIPTION OF COURSES AND ASSIGNMENTS
IS 335-Information Technology for Business
This is one of the first courses that the IS majors must take. In it, students learn about several different operating systems and about computer hardware. This class has a semester-long group project which requires a final written report...