Innovative Teaching in Systems Analysis and Design - an Action Research Project
Systems Analysis and Design is a key subject in
Information Technology courses, but students do not find it easy to
cope with, since it is not “precise" like programming and not exact
like Mathematics. It is a subject working with many concepts,
modeling ideas into visual representations and then translating the
pictures into a real life system. To complicate matters users who are
not necessarily familiar with computers need to give their inputs to
ensure that they get the system the need. Systems Analysis and
Design also covers two fields, namely Analysis, focusing on the
analysis of the existing system and Design, focusing on the design of
the new system. To be able to test the analysis and design of a
system, it is necessary to develop a system or at least a prototype of
the system to test the validity of the analysis and design. The skills
necessary in each aspect differs vastly. Project Management Skills,
Database Knowledge and Object Oriented Principles are all
necessary. In the context of a developing country where students
enter tertiary education underprepared and the digital divide is alive
and well, students need to be motivated to learn the necessary skills,
get an opportunity to test it in a “live" but protected environment –
within the framework of a university. The purpose of this article is to
improve the learning experience in Systems Analysis and Design
through reviewing the underlying teaching principles used, the
teaching tools implemented, the observations made and the
reflections that will influence future developments in Systems
Analysis and Design. Action research principles allows the focus to
be on a few problematic aspects during a particular semester.
[1] Altrichter, H., Kemmis, S., McTaggart, R. and Zuber-Skerritt, O.,
(2002), "The concept of action research", The Learning
Organization, 9(3), 125-131.
[2] Anderson, L.W., & Krathwohl, D.R. (eds.) (2001, A Taxonomy of
Learning, Teaching and Assessing: A Revision of Bloom-s
Taxonomy of Educational Objectives.
[3] Avison, D. and Fitzgerald, G., (2006), Information Systems
Development methodologies, techniques & tools, 4th ed. McGraw-Hill
Education, Berkshire.
[4] Bentley, L. and Whitten, J., (2007), Systems Analysis and Design for
the Global Enterprise, 7th ed. McGraw-Hill/Irvin, New York.
[5] Coornes, M., DeBard, R. (2004). Serving the Millennium Generation.
San Francisco: Josey-Bass.
[6] Dick, B., (1991), Action Research and Evaluation, Interchange,
Brisbane.
[7] Dick, B., (2002), "Postgraduate programs using action research", The
Learning Organization, 9(4), 159-170.
[8] Goede, R, (2010), Combining research methods from different
paradigms: a study in IS research practices. (In Goede, R, Grobler, L
& Haftor, D. Interdisciplinary research for practices of social change:
Proceedings of the 16 Annual Working Conference of CPTS, ISBN-
978-90-807718-8-8) pp. 85-106, CPTS: Maarssen.
[9] Kemmis, S. and McTaggart, R. (Eds) (1988), The Action Research
Planner, 3rd ed., Deakin University Press, Geelong, Victoria.
[10] Monaco, M., & Martin, M. (2009), The Flight of the Millennials in
Higher Education, Athletic Therapy Today, 14(1), 21-26.
[11] Roehling, P., Kooi, T., Dykema, S., Quisenberry, B., & Vandlen, C.
(2001), Engaging the Millenium Generation in Class Discussions.
College Teaching, 59(1), 1-6.
[12] Timmermann, S. (2007), What a Difference a Generation Makes:
How Our Life Experiences Shape Our Viewpoints and Behaviours,
Journal of Financial Service Professionals, 61(3), 25-28.
[13] Zuber-Skerritt, O. (1992), Professional Development in Higher
Education: A Theoretical Framework for Action Research, Kogan
Page, London.
[14] Zuber-Skerritt, O. (2001), "Action learning and action research:
paradigm, praxis and programs", in Sakaran, S., Dick, B., Passfield,
R. and Swepson, P. (Eds), Effective Change Management Using
Action Research and Action Learning: Concepts, Frameworks,
Processes and Applications, Southern Cross University Press,
Lismore, Australia, 1-20.
[1] Altrichter, H., Kemmis, S., McTaggart, R. and Zuber-Skerritt, O.,
(2002), "The concept of action research", The Learning
Organization, 9(3), 125-131.
[2] Anderson, L.W., & Krathwohl, D.R. (eds.) (2001, A Taxonomy of
Learning, Teaching and Assessing: A Revision of Bloom-s
Taxonomy of Educational Objectives.
[3] Avison, D. and Fitzgerald, G., (2006), Information Systems
Development methodologies, techniques & tools, 4th ed. McGraw-Hill
Education, Berkshire.
[4] Bentley, L. and Whitten, J., (2007), Systems Analysis and Design for
the Global Enterprise, 7th ed. McGraw-Hill/Irvin, New York.
[5] Coornes, M., DeBard, R. (2004). Serving the Millennium Generation.
San Francisco: Josey-Bass.
[6] Dick, B., (1991), Action Research and Evaluation, Interchange,
Brisbane.
[7] Dick, B., (2002), "Postgraduate programs using action research", The
Learning Organization, 9(4), 159-170.
[8] Goede, R, (2010), Combining research methods from different
paradigms: a study in IS research practices. (In Goede, R, Grobler, L
& Haftor, D. Interdisciplinary research for practices of social change:
Proceedings of the 16 Annual Working Conference of CPTS, ISBN-
978-90-807718-8-8) pp. 85-106, CPTS: Maarssen.
[9] Kemmis, S. and McTaggart, R. (Eds) (1988), The Action Research
Planner, 3rd ed., Deakin University Press, Geelong, Victoria.
[10] Monaco, M., & Martin, M. (2009), The Flight of the Millennials in
Higher Education, Athletic Therapy Today, 14(1), 21-26.
[11] Roehling, P., Kooi, T., Dykema, S., Quisenberry, B., & Vandlen, C.
(2001), Engaging the Millenium Generation in Class Discussions.
College Teaching, 59(1), 1-6.
[12] Timmermann, S. (2007), What a Difference a Generation Makes:
How Our Life Experiences Shape Our Viewpoints and Behaviours,
Journal of Financial Service Professionals, 61(3), 25-28.
[13] Zuber-Skerritt, O. (1992), Professional Development in Higher
Education: A Theoretical Framework for Action Research, Kogan
Page, London.
[14] Zuber-Skerritt, O. (2001), "Action learning and action research:
paradigm, praxis and programs", in Sakaran, S., Dick, B., Passfield,
R. and Swepson, P. (Eds), Effective Change Management Using
Action Research and Action Learning: Concepts, Frameworks,
Processes and Applications, Southern Cross University Press,
Lismore, Australia, 1-20.
@article{"International Journal of Business, Human and Social Sciences:57706", author = "Imelda Smit", title = "Innovative Teaching in Systems Analysis and Design - an Action Research Project", abstract = "Systems Analysis and Design is a key subject in
Information Technology courses, but students do not find it easy to
cope with, since it is not “precise" like programming and not exact
like Mathematics. It is a subject working with many concepts,
modeling ideas into visual representations and then translating the
pictures into a real life system. To complicate matters users who are
not necessarily familiar with computers need to give their inputs to
ensure that they get the system the need. Systems Analysis and
Design also covers two fields, namely Analysis, focusing on the
analysis of the existing system and Design, focusing on the design of
the new system. To be able to test the analysis and design of a
system, it is necessary to develop a system or at least a prototype of
the system to test the validity of the analysis and design. The skills
necessary in each aspect differs vastly. Project Management Skills,
Database Knowledge and Object Oriented Principles are all
necessary. In the context of a developing country where students
enter tertiary education underprepared and the digital divide is alive
and well, students need to be motivated to learn the necessary skills,
get an opportunity to test it in a “live" but protected environment –
within the framework of a university. The purpose of this article is to
improve the learning experience in Systems Analysis and Design
through reviewing the underlying teaching principles used, the
teaching tools implemented, the observations made and the
reflections that will influence future developments in Systems
Analysis and Design. Action research principles allows the focus to
be on a few problematic aspects during a particular semester.", keywords = "Action Research, Project Development, Systems
Analysis and Design, Technology in Teaching.", volume = "6", number = "4", pages = "537-7", }