Robert Mantha

Impact of organizational maturity on information system skill needs

This article presents the results of a study which analyzes skills perceived as useful by information systems (IS) managers and systems analysts in IS organizations of different levels of maturity. These IS skills were examined under two major subgroups of generalist/managerial and specialist/technical skills as well as under more detailed categories of organizations, people, society, systems, computers, and models skills. Generalist, i.e., organizational and people skills, were rated highest. Based on these rankings, which deviated little between managers and analysts and across the maturity spectrum, recommendations concerning graduate IS curriculum are suggested.

Data flow and data structure modeling for database requirements determination: a comparative study

This study investigated, in an experimental setting, the existence, nature and causes of the differences in the completeness of logical data specifications generated by professional systems analysts having training and experience in the use of one of two modeling approaches. The approach used primarily modeled either the data flows or the data structure of an object system. The systems analysts were asked to analyze a case and to generate logical file specifications which were evaluated for completeness. The results of the study indicate that the data structure analysts produced logical data specifications which contained a greater number of entity views and attributes than those of the data flow analysts. Data flow analysts had greater difficulty with the concepts involved in specifying logical data specifications and consequently derived less complete data specifications than data structure analysts.

Integrating Information and Communication Technologies into Higher Education: Investigating Onsite and Online Students' Points of View

For the past two decades, information and communication technologies (ICT) have transformed the ways professors teach and students learn. The purpose of this study is to investigate the points of view of onsite students (blended or hybrid mode) and of those taking the same courses on the Internet (online mode). A moderator‐type theoretical research model was developed, out of which nine hypotheses were formulated. The model was tested in a field experiment. Data were collected using a multi‐method approach; that is, a web survey involving open‐ended and closed‐ended questions. The sample was formed of 313 onsite and online students from eight undergraduate and graduate courses offered at the Faculty of Administration of a large Canadian university. The quantitative data analysis was performed using structural equation modelling software; that is, partial least squares. The qualitative data were analysed following a thematic structure using QSR NVivo software. This paper presents a summary of the quantitative results (closed‐ended questions) supported by and enriched by the qualitative results (open‐ended questions).

A Database System for Course Administration.

Abstract This paper describes a computer-based course administration system that facilitates the preparation of high quality, multiple-choice examinations while releasing instructional resources for activities such as individual counselling which are deemed more helpful to students. The key feature of the system is a database of questions which is used to automatically generate exams based on specified parameters, such as subject coverage and degree of difficulty. Item analysis statistics, stored with the questions, are used to periodically upgrade question quality. Facilities are also included for automatically marking the exams and for all of the routine record keeping and processing tasks associated with teaching a course with high enrollments. The system permits deployment of limited teaching resources in ways that are more helpful to students and proposes a more reliable and consistent means of measuring student achievement. It was developed with resources normally found in College and University computing centers.

Integrating ICT into Higher Education: A Study of Onsite vs. Online Students' and Professors' Perceptions

For the past two decades, information and communication technologies (ICT) have transformed the ways professors teach and students learn. This study aims to investigate the perceptions of onsite and online students and professors. It was conducted into ICT-supported or technology-rich environments at a Faculty of Administration of a large Canadian university. To conduct the study, a moderator-type theoretical research model was developed, out of which nine hypotheses were formulated. We used a multimethod approach to collect data, that is, a Web survey involving open- and closed-ended questions, as well as a structured interview. The sample was composed of 313 students who completed an electronic survey on a Web site and 16 professors teaching to these students who participated in a structured interview. The quantitative data analysis was performed using a structural equation modeling software, that is, Partial Least Squares (PLS); the qualitative data were analyzed following a thematic structure using QSR NVivo software.