IT Accreditation
and
Model Curriculum
Eydie Lawson, Chair SIGITE
Barry M. Lunt, Ph.D.
ISECON Nov -- 2003
Overview
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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
– IT
– CS
– IS
Han Reichgelt, Eydie Lawson
Art Price, Stuart Zweben
Gayle 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.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
VIII.
Objectives, Outcomes and Assessment
Student Support
Faculty Qualifications
Faculty Size and Workload
Curriculum
Technology Infrastructure
Institutional Support and Financial Resources
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 2004-2005
IT Model Curriculum
Barry M. Lunt, Ph.D.
Presentation Overview
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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
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Networking
Databases
Web Systems
Programming
Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)
Job Titles Envisioned
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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.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
Application Domain
Computer-Mediated Experience
HCI
Information Management/Databases
Networking
Security
Social & Professional Issues
Programming
Software Systems
Systems Administration
Systems Integration
User-Centric Issues
IT & Related Disciplines
• Information Systems; Computer Science
• Studied at 13 institutions:
BYU (Utah)
Georgia Southern Univ
Indiana Univ
Penn. College of Tech.
RIT
Univ. of Baltimore
Univ. of South Alabama
Capella Univ
Illinois State Univ
Macon State Univ
Purdue (W. Lafayette)
SUNY-Morrisville
Univ. of Houston
Management Information Systems
Computer Science
60.00%
60.00%
50.00%
50.00%
40.00%
40.00%
30.00%
30.00%
20.00%
20.00%
10.00%
10.00%
Information Technology
60.00%
50.00%
40.00%
30.00%
20.00%
10.00%
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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