Information Systems Not Computer Science March 20, 2009
Posted by afoote in : Information Systems, Uncategorized , add a commentThe computer program at Stevenson University is Information Systems or Information Technology. The program is not Computer Science. There is nothing wrong with computer science programs and they are extremely important to the computer field, but at Stevenson University the program is information systems (IS).
According to Wikipedia, a computer science program is focused on the properties of programs used to implement software such as web browsers, operating systems or database management systems. Information systems is focused on systems, data and the activities of individuals to process that information in an organization.
The Information systems program is part of the School of Business and Leadership and focuses courses on systems needed by business. The program studies how operating systems, web browsers, network operating systems and database management systems can by used to process information. All of the courses work with business applications, such as accounting, marketing or management.
Usually in a computer science program there is an abundance of mathematics involved in the computer work. For the IS program there is a smaller amount of mathematics required with Statistics and Algebra being the major courses.
At Stevenson University our Information Systems (IS) program is divided in three major parts with additional programs branching off from them. The Software Design track is concerned with programming and business application development. The Network Design track is concerned with setting up networks for business and the Business Information Systems track is concerned with using computers in the business. This program studies how a business would use networks, databases and the web.
President’s Reception 4/4/09 March 17, 2009
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On Saturday, April 4th from 1:30-4:30pm, the Admissions Office is holding the annual President’s Celebration for Accepted Students. The event begins at the Greenspring campus.
Also, accepted students who register and attend will be eligible for the raffle to receive a complimentary 1-year meal plan from dining services (a $3,396 value)!
More information is available at: http://www.stevenson.edu/admissions/visiting/pres-celeb/index.asp
Students can RSVP online at:
http://apps.stevenson.edu/forms/admissions/celebration.cfm
Mind Maps March 11, 2009
Posted by afoote in : Knowledge Management , 1 comment so farOne of the tools we use in Knowledge and Project Management are Mind maps. Mind maps are graphical tools used to link concepts. We use Mind maps as an alternative to the traditional outline format that students have been using since elementary school. The Mind map gives the user a picture of how concepts are related and it does not have to be hierarchical. With web pages and other computer oriented concepts using the tree and branch structure can be a little confining.
In the class we are using the open source software from sourceforge – freemind to create the mind maps, but there are a number of other free mind mapping tools that can be used. Xmind from Collaborative Minds and VUE (Visual Understanding Environment) from Tufts University are other Mind mapping tools that we discuss in the course. For a general discussion of Mind mapping the website of mind-mapping.org is an excellent resource.
Tony Buzan, the guru of the mind map, has a website that is also a valuable resource for creating and using mind maps. On his website is a link to his mind mapping tool, iMindMap. iMindMap is not a free tool, but there are a number of videos, tutorials and guides. This site includes a video of using mind mapping with project management.
Some of the assignments in which mind maps are used include identifying and organizing tasks for a project in project management, organizing terms on a wiki and organizing concepts for the final term paper and presentations.
Mind maps are very similar to concept maps as discussed by the educational philosopher, Joseph Novak. The Institute for Human and Machine Cognition (IHMC) has done a large amount of research on concept maps. The website is set up as a concept map for the user to access materials and resources. This group also has a free concept mapping tool that can be used to create maps. Vic Gee on his webpage has explained the differences between a mind map and a concept map, but there are a lot of similarities. With some of the “mind mapping” tools the resulting diagram may be considered a “concept map”.
Jonathan Bailey February 24, 2009
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In the course of an academic semester the main focus is on activities in the classroom and how well students are proceeding with the course. There are always tests, computer projects and papers that need to be completed. In this process it is all too easy to forget that there are individuals involved in it. Then an event like the tragic death of one of our students puts things into perspective.
On the evening of October 18, 2008 one of the IS community’s Networking students, Jonathan Bailey, was killed in an automobile accident a few miles from his home. Jonathan was in his third year at Stevenson and just beginning his career in Computer Networking.
I had Jonathan as part of my IS231 Networking course last year. He frequently came to class with his motorcycle helmet under his arm. Whenever the weather permitted, he would ride his motorcycle to Villa Julie (Stevenson). He had a large number of friends and he was a real pleasure to have in the classroom.
I was Jonathan’s advisor for the IS program which meant I saw him on occasion to make decisions on courses for the next semester. He never really seemed to need a lot of suggestions from me. He seemed to know what he was doing. At the beginning of October, Jonathan did come to visit me. He wanted to add a Philosophy minor to his program. We talked about what a great idea that was and how it would work with the Network Design program. We were both very excited about the idea and I signed the form to add the minor to his program. Of course he had ridden his motorcycle that day and had his helmet with him. As he left I watched him walk out of the building, put on the helmet and ride off on his motorcycle.
It has been about six months since the accident and there is still extreme sadness about his loss. I and the rest of the IS community at Stevenson University miss him. Thank you, Jonathan for riding into our lives. The biggest regret is that you did not keep riding for a lot longer.
Is Google Making us Stupid? February 18, 2009
Posted by afoote in : Knowledge Management , add a commentIn Allan Blagg’s, a student in my IS481 class, comments about Grown Up Digital he referred to “The Atlantic project“ at the website http://thinkagain.theatlantic.com/. The website presents a number of philosophical questions such as – “Is America still the land of opportunity?” and “Why does your dog pretend to like you?”
One of the questions of The Atlantic project is – “Is Google making us Stupid?”
To answer this question, the term stupid may need to be defined. Is stupidity the same as ignorance, apathy or just lack of intelligence? What is intelligence?
I am sure that a number of us in the baby boomer generation remember our parents telling us that television will make us stupid. Maybe that is the problem with the world today. We all watched too much television.
In the article Is Google making us Stupid?, the author, Nicholas Carr, criticizes the internet and Google for changing the way we think. We skim web pages instead of reading every word. Because of text message and instant messaging, we are reading more, but it is a different type of reading. The internet is causing us to stop read complete books from cover to cover. This is a problem because skimming permits the reader to miss details of the book.
This may be true, but when we consider how much information Google makes available for us you have to wonder how can Google make us stupid. Although Google can make an overwhelming amount of information available to us, there is a personal responsibility to use the information in the appropriate way. That is the individual’s responsibility not Google’s. Personal responsibility has a part in determining if Google makes us stupid.
Is Google making us stupid, or is it how we use Google that makes us stupid?
If Google makes us stupid, what would we be if we did not use it?
Project & Knowledge Management – Grown Up Digital February 10, 2009
Posted by afoote in : Knowledge Management , add a commentTo start the course IS481 Project and Knowledge Management, the book Grown Up Digital by Don Taspcott was discussed. This book looks at how the Net Generation has grown up in a digital world with the Internet, video games and cell phones. It discusses their approach to the workplace and to the world of education. During the discussion on education the video of A Vision of Students Today was presented. This YouTube video is critical of the way students are educated today. The video suggests that maybe changes are needed to the education process. Do the same techniques that have been used for the past hundred years still work? Students have grown up with Google, Wikipedia, virtual reality and blogs. They are using them in our classes. Is there a way we can use them in the education process?
