IT Accreditation and Model Curriculum Eydie Lawson, Chair SIGITE Barry M. Lunt, Ph.D. ISECON Nov

Overview What is IT Historical Development Accreditation Criteria Format Current Status Model Curriculum

What is IT? Information Technology (IT) in its broadest sense encompasses all aspects of computing technology. IT, as an academic discipline, focuses on meeting the needs of users within an organizational and societal context through the selection, creation, application, integration and administration of computing technologies.

History Phase 1—Utah, 12/2001 (TAC format) –Conference on Information Technology Curriculum –15 universities, ACM, IEEE, ABET –Formed committees Accreditation & Model Curriculum Phase 2—Savannah, 4/2002 (EAC format) –42 universities –Expanded committee membership –Formed SITE

History Phase 3—Rochester, 9/2002 (CAC format) CAC General Criteria – ITHan Reichgelt, Eydie Lawson – CSArt Price, Stuart Zweben – ISGayle Yaverbaum, George Kasper Minor revisions to IT criteria consistent with general criteria Phase 4—October 2003, what are standards vs criteria July 1—SITE became ACM SIGITE

Draft IT Specific Criteria I.Objectives, Outcomes and Assessment II.Student Support III.Faculty Qualifications IV.Faculty Size and Workload V.Curriculum VI.Technology Infrastructure VII.Institutional Support and Financial Resources VIII.Institutional facilities

FORMAT For each, there is a criterion, and a set of standards. A criterion describes the underlying principles that MUST be met for a program to be eligible for accreditation. Standards provide one example of how the criteria can be met; programs can show alternative ways of meeting the criteria. IT draft standards include minimum learning outcomes. Consistent with other Accreditation Commissions within ABET.

Current Status IT draft criteria submitted to CSAB Expect IT criteria 1-2 years before finalized ABET Board approved “general computing criteria” for first reading IT programs will be included in pilot of general criteria

IT Model Curriculum Barry M. Lunt, Ph.D.

Presentation Overview Background of development IT Pillars Jobs for IT grads Broad goals for IT programs One-sentence definition – IS comparison Knowledge areas Comparison to CS, IS Other characteristics of development Summary

First some background Who are the players? –Representatives from 4-year IT programs in 21 institutions –Members of ACM, IEEE Computer Society, ABET –Members of SIGITE

Additional Background 4-year curriculum committee formed in Dec 2001 (accreditation committee also formed) Effort has been both top-down and bottom-up –Multiple bodies have described what should be part of an IT curriculum – wide agreement –Desired outcomes defined –Job titles listed

Curriculum Pillars of IT Networking Databases Web Systems Programming Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)

Job Titles Envisioned Networking Information Services and Support Programming and Software Development Interactive Media

Broad Goals of IT programs Provide IT graduates with the skills and knowledge to take on appropriate professional positions in information technology upon graduation and grow into leadership positions or pursue research or graduate studies in the field. Specifically, within five years of graduation a student must be able to: Explain and apply appropriate information technologies and employ appropriate methodologies to help an individual or organization achieve its goals and objectives; Manage the information technology resources of an individual or organization; Anticipate the changing direction of information technology and evaluate and communicate the likely utility of new technologies to an individual or organization; Understand and for some to contribute to the scientific, mathematical and theoretical foundations on which information technologies are built; Live and work as a contributing, well-rounded member of society.

One-Sentence Definition Information Technology (IT) in its broadest sense encompasses all aspects of computing technology. IT, as an academic discipline, focuses on meeting the needs of users within an organizational and societal context through the selection, creation, application, integration and administration of computing technologies. IS, as an academic field, encompasses acquisition, deployment, and management of information technology resources, and the development and evolution of technology infrastructures and systems for use in organizational processes.

IT Knowledge Areas 1.Application Domain 2.Computer-Mediated Experience 3.HCI 4.Information Management/Databases 5.Networking 6.Security 7.Social & Professional Issues 8.Programming 9.Software Systems 10.Systems Administration 11.Systems Integration 12.User-Centric Issues

IT & Related Disciplines Information Systems; Computer Science Studied at 13 institutions: BYU (Utah)Capella Univ Georgia Southern UnivIllinois State Univ Indiana UnivMacon State Univ Penn. College of Tech.Purdue (W. Lafayette) RITSUNY-Morrisville Univ. of BaltimoreUniv. of Houston Univ. of South Alabama

Other Characteristics One layer deeper in the technology –Consider history of origin Multiple input forums –Industrial Advisory Boards –Delphi study: 15 academic institutions, 3 professional organizations –Multiple occasions –Feedback to full SITE/SIGITE membership

Summary IT curriculum definition well underway Input from many forums Distinguished from all related disciplines (?) Information Technology