as-is and to-be process models

Posted: August 12th, 2013

This is page 27 in the ebook “Business Information Systems- Design an App : by Raymond D.Forst, Jacqueline C. Pike, Lauren N. Kenyo and Sarah E. Pels.

Book Guiding Principles

We developed a number of guiding principles in the creation of the book. We began with

creative, right brain problems. The business curriculum is so heavily focused on analysis

that there is little room for creative expression. We have students design and draw with

the software to remedy this problem. For example, students design an iPhone App in

PowerPoint and simulate its operation with hyperlinks.

We want to support and model critical thinking. There are many definitions of critical

thinking and we do not claim to have the most comprehensive one. However, we believe

that the explanatory framework offered by Richard Paul is especially powerful. Paul

encourages faculty to communicate concepts in four forms—definitions, rephrasing,

written examples and illustrations. The hope is that one or more of the forms will stick

and mutually reinforce each other in the student’s mind. Students frequently comment

that they see the value in what they are learning and are able to apply it not only in their

other classes, but also in real life.

Finally, we think that the book should support multiple learning styles. We use Neil

Fleming’s taxonomy of learning styles: Visual, Auditory, Read/write, and Kinesthetic

(VARK). Different students learn differently; this book contains something for everyone.