A programme management approach for ensuring curriculum coherence in IS (higher) education

Abstract

This paper examines IS higher education, concentrating on issues of ‘coherence’ in IS curricula. While curriculum coherence can be jeopardized by poor curriculum design, misalignment between module content and/or misalignment between module or course aims can cause serious coherence issues over time. Misalignment of this type is exacerbated by the traditional processes of curriculum (re)design, which rely heavily on the (singular) interpretation of highly abstract documents, such as module syllabi and course specifications – often produced by curriculum designers in isolation. To improve curriculum coherence, this paper examines the use of a programme management framework as a means of (a) ‘humanizing’ the abstract aims and goals of curricula schemes and (b) managing the delivery and evolution of curricula in relation to the stakeholders in the process of delivery. The practical use of the framework is examined in the context of a Masters-level course in ‘Information Systems Management’. An action research approach is used to demonstrate the practical utility of the framework in terms of (a) improving communication of curricula, (b) improving the coherence between modules and between modules and course and (c) removing content redundancy. Analysis of outcomes demonstrates a significant positive impact of the use of the framework in relation to the above points from the perspective of all stakeholders. Guidelines are presented that generalize the findings in order that key practices may be adopted by others.

Keywords:

• IS education
• curriculum coherence
• curriculum management

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Tally Hatzakis

About the authors

Tally Hatzakis is a lecturer for Brunel Business School. Her teaching areas include Organisational Theory and Analysis, Managing the Digital Enterprise and Change Management in Digital Enterprises. Her research interests include IT-driven organizational change, trust, and trust-building, and has been chairing workshops and conference tracks in these areas under the auspices of the British Computer Society, European Congress of Organisational Studies, and the European Institute for Advanced Studies in Management. She holds a Ph.D. in Information Systems, an MBA and a B.Sc. in Marketing Management. Prior to returning to education, Tally spent a number of years in industry, where she has worked in project management, advertising and marketing research. Tally has acted as Director of Quality Standards for Brunel Business School for the last 2 years.

Mark Lycett

Mark Lycett holds a B.Sc. in Computing and Business (Oxford Brookes), an M.Sc. in Information Systems (Brunel) and a Ph.D. in Information Systems (Brunel). Prior to returning to education, Mark spent a number of years in industry and he has both worked on and managed a number of national and international feasibility/development projects. His research concentrates on the development of adaptable/evolutionary information systems (with an interest in knowledge, semantics and learning) and he has published his work in a number of leading journals and conferences. Mark is currently engaged in ongoing research with a number of organizations. Having acted as Director of Programme Development for a number of years, he is currently Deputy Head of School (Enterprise).

Alan Serrano

Alan Serrano is a lecturer in the School of Information Systems, Computing and Mathematics (SISCM) at Brunel University where he also received his Ph.D. in Information Systems and an M.Sc. in Data Communication Systems. He received his B.Sc. in Administrative Computer Systems from the University of the Valley of Mexico (Mexico). His research focuses on IT-driven organizational change, business process simulation, information systems simulation, and the alignment of business and information technology. He has a wealth of expertise gained from 7 years of work experience in Mexico, ranging from distributed systems to computer network and IS design and development. Alan has acted as course director for M.Sc. programmes at SISCM for more than 4 years.