Lessons learned from the teaching of IS Development

Abstract

The importance of information systems as a strategic resource to organizations and the amazing rate of information system technology evolution are widely recognized. As a result, undergraduate courses in this field need frequent updating to remain effective. This article presents a model to restructure the teaching of information systems. This model has received inputs from students, teachers and ex-students of our Computation Department and also from the organizational staff that interacts with our students in their training posts. These inputs help us to identify the main gaps in our curriculum and the organizational necessities that concern information systems staff. The model identifies the main areas that are the basis of our curriculum proposal, as well as the main knowledge topics to be covered. We conclude that an information systems curriculum must have an organizational emphasis as big as, or greater than the technological one.