The Need for Mobile Application Development in IS Curricula: an Innovation and Disruptive Technologies Perspective
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Information Systems Education Journal (ISEDJ) 10 (1) February 2012 The Need for Mobile Application Development in IS Curricula: An Innovation and Disruptive Technologies Perspective Jeffry S. Babb, Jr. [email protected] Amjad Abdullat [email protected] Computer Information & Decision Management West Texas A&M University Canyon, TX 79119 Abstract Disruptive technologies, such as mobile applications development, will always present a dilemma for Information Systems educators as dominant paradigms in our environment will tend to favor the existing sustaining technologies that we have become known for in our discipline. In light of this friction, we share our approach in investigating and designing a mobile application development which centers on student-faculty partnerships. We discuss a mobile application prototyping strategy and process which has allowed first-hand exploration of the current generation of mobile devices, and associated operating systems (Android and iOS). The nature of application development for these current-generation devices is discussed. A strategy for investigating and incorporating disruptive technologies, such as mobile applications, is offered for curriculum development. These strategies and the thinking surrounding them are influenced by theories on disruptive technologies and innovation. Of particular interest is the need to keep abreast of innovative technologies without, at the same time, chasing down every “fad” that appears. Keywords: mobile applications, disruptive technology, curriculum development, innovation 1. INTRODUCTION successive “waves” of technological innovation and trends in practice – the micro-computer, To paraphrase Bower and Christensen (1995), a end-user computing, object-orientation, the failure to stay on top of technology and market world wide web, etc. – IS educators have been changes remains a persistent problem facing faced with a conundrum: whether an innovation Information Systems (IS) educators in their task is a “game-changing” development or something of curriculum design in the face of rapid more ephemeral? Moreover, the perspectives of Information Technology (IT) changes. In the the various stakeholders for a given program – case of this change, a primary challenge remains students, employers, educators, the public, and an ability to recognize and separate fad from the discipline at large – will each exert, at times, fundamentals (Noll & Wilkins, 2002; Lightfoot, contradicting and countermanding demands on 1999). As IS educators have witnessed the IS curriculum for the sake of relevance. This ©2012 EDSIG (Education Special Interest Group of the AITP) Page 61 www.aitp-edsig.org /www.isedj.org Information Systems Education Journal (ISEDJ) 10 (1) February 2012 dilemma is certainly a wicked problem and, experience. As such, this paper proceeds as arguably, is part and parcel to the very nature follows. First, we discuss how disruptive our discipline (Denning, et al., 1989). Thus, we technologies influence curriculum design. Next, assert that what is “core” to our discipline is not we discuss the latest generation of mobile always stable; new and disruptive technologies devices and characterize what is distinctive, will continually shape the curriculum as it does new, and disruptive about these devices. Next, the discipline. As we seek to develop over- we focus on how and why IS curricula should arching models for our curricula – as we think in plan on incorporating mobile computing in terms such as theory, abstractions, and design – accordance with the theory of disruptive we must be willing to introduce the new into the technologies. We then propose a course in tapestry of the old. mobile application development influenced by our experiences and strategies for adopting the There are two principal aims for this paper: first, technology. Finally, we conclude and discuss we consider the inclusion of mobile application how our experiences have reinforced the lessons development into the IS curriculum; and, of both disruptive technology theory and second, this paper takes a disruptive innovation theory, and what implications these technologies theory perspective on how IS hold for curriculum design. educators can recognize important disruptive technologies and incorporate these technologies 2. A DILEMMA FOR CURRICULUM DESIGN into the IS curriculum (Bower & Christensen, 1995), and also from an innovation theory The challenge for IS educators always has been perspective (Drucker, 1998). Specifically, we how to decide when to include a specific new consider the incorporation of the latest topic or technology into the curriculum, and how generation of mobile devices, and software to facilitate such implementation without applications (“apps”), into the IS undergraduate undermining the existing curriculum. curriculum. Developing a plan and strategy for incorporating mobile application development into IS curricula For IS educators and researchers, the latest is not a new or isolated change management generation of mobile device presents new problem. It has always been imperative that IS horizons for inquiry concerning portability, educators remain cognizant of new security, privacy, computing resource developments and be vigilant in developing management, human-computer interaction, and strategies for the research and development of the social impacts of computing. While these new innovations so as to anticipate demand. In phenomena are not new, the latest generation of doing so, IS educators may develop a “vision” mobile devices has newly synthesized these for which new technologies are suitable for their concerns in light of the convergence of circumstances (Johannessen, Olsen, & Olaisen, technologies manifest in the devices. In this 1999). One utility of this vision is as a means to sense, while mobile computing is not new, its assess risk tolerance in adopting new technology impact on cultures and societies has been acute innovation: is this new technology a right fit and in this latest generation of mobile devices. In how quickly can we capitalize on this new fact, mobile computing has further eroded the technology when demand arises? In this sense, digital divide as people from various we recall a paradox for research and backgrounds and socio-economic persuasions all development efforts in the areas of promising seem to have embraced mobile computing technologies: we must develop both the (Varshney & Vetter, 2000; Lyytinen & Yoo, temerity and instinct to act outside of 2002). For these reasons, we are certain that stakeholder demand by investing energy and mobile computing will continue to impact the IS resources into areas not yet in demand (Bower discipline pedagogically, professionally, and and Christensen, 1995). Part and parcel to this intellectually. concept is to develop an “incubator” within our departments for exploring new topics and In this paper, we take the position that currency technology. gained from embracing innovations will require risk-taking. To this end, we will share our In the context of mobile computing in the experiences in investigating mobile application Information Systems curricula, only recently, in development for inclusion into our curriculum. the IS2010 model curriculum, does ubiquitous Furthermore, we discuss a process by which IS mobile computing command serious mention departments can manage this risk, based on our (Topi, et al., 2010). Moreover, the IS2010 ©2012 EDSIG (Education Special Interest Group of the AITP) Page 62 www.aitp-edsig.org /www.isedj.org Information Systems Education Journal (ISEDJ) 10 (1) February 2012 model curriculum mentions ubiquitous mobile alignment with the current paradigm; our computing in the context of an extant concern, understanding of and expectations of our that of the Human Computer Interaction programs hinges on this paradigmatic activity. concentration (Topi, et al., 2010). Evidently, a Granted, our curricula, and models thereon, natural tendency exists such that we classify certainly allow for tailoring programs through new phenomenon in the context of extant free electives; however, it is less clear that we phenomenon (Christansen, 1997). When new are willing (or able) to fundamentally change the areas of concern arise, such as mobile paradigm. applications, social network computing, and even games and “gamification,” it is not likely We contend that thinking of curriculum that our peers, our stakeholders, or our development from a paradigmatic perspective constituents will “green light” the need for these supports Bower and Christensen’s (1995) innovations early enough such that an IS assertion that reconciling between the demands program is ready to “hit the ground running” of a sustaining technology and the uncertain when demand quickly thrusts the relevance of promise of a disruptive technology requires the innovation into our concern. In many cases, finesse and determination. A disruptive it will rest on IS faculty to provide the insight technology introduces a distinct set of qualities and leadership to recognize and assume these and capabilities which are not readily and risks. Moreover, we could argue that this is apparently relevant to the demands of the exactly the role faculty are meant to take – to existing paradigm. For instance, it has taken develop new ideas, new knowledge, and time to develop frameworks and infrastructure strategies for incorporating innovation into the such that web application development has curriculum. In fact, championship of the merged with aspects