Business Systems Innovation Labs - AMCIS 2016 Presentation

Innovating Business Systems Labs for Engaging

iGeneration Students

Tim Hill, Chair

William Nance, Professor

Management Information Systems

Lucas College and Graduate School of Business

SJSU Washington Square

Context

Pain Points

iGen

Before

After

Max

The Labs (walk-thru)

Reaction/Results

Lessons Learned

Bottom Line

Discussion

Overview


Founded 1857

~30,000 students; 2000 faculty

Leading workforce supplier to Silicon Valley

SJSU


Lucas College & Graduate School of Business

Undergraduate Concentration within BSBA

~400 f/t MIS students; 10 tt/t faculty; 8 adjunct

Teach Core Business Systems course for all BSBA (Fin, Mktg, …)

MIS@SJSU


Bus 188 - Business Systems, required for all business students

(except MIS concentration)

Provides an introduction to information systems, including terms,

concepts, capabilities, and impacts on business organizations:

Course Context

Mobile Computing & BYOD

Data and Databases

Cloud Computing

Big Data Analytics

Business Process Automation

Collaboration Tools

Enterprise Applications and CRM

Technology for Competitive Advantage

We want students to get a peek “under the IT hood” so they can

leverage the technology & support staff on the job

To get it, they need to do it - so hands-on is essential


Course-related

Many students (Class size = 45)

Many sections (12-14/semester)

Many instructors (pool of 7-10 w/rotations in/out)

Pain Points: Course-related


MS Access-based (lightweight reputation)

System compatibility issues (Windows only)

Non-cumulative exercises (limited-concept learning objectives)

Traditional, dry format (“Today you will create a table”)

Lackluster scenarios (orders for farm equipment products)

Plug-&-chug instructions (non-conceptual/rote learning)

Auto-graded (erratic, questionable accuracy)

Pain Points: Lab-related


Little predisposition, interest in non-consumer technology

iGeneration issues…

Pain Points: Student-related


Rosen, 2010:

Social Media & tech immersion has “rewired” their minds

Educators must find ways to “spark their imaginations”

Mott, et al. 1999: incorporate challenge, curiosity and fantasy into

learning environments through a compelling narrative element of

“storification” to generate intrinsic motivation

Picucci, 2014:

paralleling graphics sophistication, story-telling trend in digital

gaming since 1990’s,

now drawing/supporting high-value stars, eg. Bruce Willis,

Liam Neeson, Keifer Sutherland

Engaging iGeneration Students


Storified Learning

Scene 1

Story Arc (the clothesline)

Scene 2Scene 3

Presentation Evolution Resolution

Scenario (feasible) Challenges/opportunities Renewed

Character (relatable) Learns Achieves“I am like…” (you) “This is what happened; what I did, how/why” “how it turned out”

Cumulative

Learning

Objectives

Modular

Learning

Objectives Engagement LearningSatisfaction


Enter Max


Plus Salesforce

Bay Area Juggernaut Salesforce named Most Innovative Company by Forbes 2011-2014

(2nd in 2015)


iGen engagement:

“Storified” labs build on each other thru case scenario based

on Silicon Valley startup (students relate thru perspective of

business student Max, supporting grad students in a startup

with apps, built in Salesforce)

Social media delivery through blog format (native format for

students, fresh voice, humor, etc.)

Salesforce cache´ generates excitement

Teaches business systems concepts and weaves innovation,

including Silicon Valley history & lingo, startup/venture capital

basics, etc.

Salesforce-based Labs (developed @ SJSU)


Conceptual Topics

Database/Data Integrity

Business Analytics

Process Automation

Innovation/Ventures

Web-Database Integration

Salesforce-based Labs (developed @ SJSU)

Enterprise Systems

Mobile Apps

Cloud Computing

CRM

Social Business/Media


Salesforce-based Labs (developed @ SJSU) Salesforce Skills

Auto-response Rules

Reports & Dashboards

Lead Assignment Rules

Chatter Posts & Polls

Custom Fields/Objects

HTML Email Templates

Data Import Wizard

Workflows

Schema Builder

Web-to-Lead Forms


Pre-lab:

“I’m Max. This is my class blog. I’m not a geek, but…”

“So this Silicon Valley is…startup central. Who knew?”

“We’re learning Salesforce! Plus - extra credit for Entrepreneurship Club!”

“I met a Suit (MBA) with a Geek! I’m in a startup…if I can build a mobile app!”

Lab 1: “I did it! I’ll show you. Follow along…I tracked their VC pitches like this…”

Lab 2: “DataMatic. It slices. It dices. (DIY Dashboard!)

Lab 3: “Data Trouble Mystery…Solved” (How to vanquish the bad data monster)

Lab 4: “Halloween Data Fright” (Data monster rises again…but dies in the end!)

Lab 5: “Need Superpowers? Go Cyborg” (Process automation for scalability)

Lab 6: “How to be a Better Borg” (Web+Database; Social Business & CRM tools)

Max’s “Distinctive, Impressive BizTech Student Blog”


Pre-lab


Lab 1a


Samples


Lab 3b Walk-thru


“I like the backstories for each lab. Makes it more human and

less of just instructions.”

“I really enjoyed reading the blog postings. I’m really into blog

posts so it only makes sense.”

“Great job keeping me engaged. Fun!”

“I thought creating an app was very difficult, but thanks to

Salesforce, I learned how in a few easy steps.”

“I felt engaged because I felt like I was learning something

useful for my future career.”

“It was very challenging for me. It made my brain hurt...but so

worth it.”

“I feel smart. :-)”

Student Response


Student Response - Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RX96P4cLY7g





Lab integration effects?

One instructor; 2 sections, one using labs, all else equal

“Light” exposure (homework only; no classroom integration)

Learning Objectives

11 pre-existing general concept course LOs; none lab-related

student self-rated mastery; 5 pt Likert scale

no significant differences but lab section higher of 10/11

Student Teaching Ratings (13 items, 5 pt Likert scale)

Prior semester - nearly identical; average diff = 0.02

Lab semester - lab section higher on 13/13; avg diff = .25

sig at 0.5 for “analytical”; .10 for two others

Looking at the Numbers


Phased in/honed to minimize missteps

Language and writing style key to authentic/engaging “voice”

Students cite humor as a key

Still need to stress that the text around the instructions is

where they learn the “what” and “why’s”

Lab assistants make instructors feel “safe”

Implementation/Lessons Learned


Hands-on experience makes abstracts concepts tangible and provides

exposure to leading enterprise technology:

Blog format & style is familiar, accessible–gets students to read

Student point-of-view puts students “in” the innovation-based

scenario–captivates, taps their enthusiasm/energy

Scenario lets students “discover” gradually, exercise their curiosity &

gives them the feeling of innovating, vicariously

Interweaves data & process concepts, Silicon Valley innovation

culture/history, start-ups & business development, personal branding

Embeds hyperlinked opportunities to “drill down” & learn more

INNOVATIVE PEDAGOGY + INNOVATIVE TOOLS = ENGAGED INNOVATION LEARNING

Bottom Line

Business Systems Innovation Labs - AMCIS 2016 Presentation

Education

Transcript of Business Systems Innovation Labs - AMCIS 2016 Presentation