Using MIS
David Kroenke, University of Washington

ISBN-10: 0131433725
ISBN-13: 9780131433724

Publisher: Prentice Hall
Copyright: 2007
Format: Paper; 544 pp
Published: 12/30/2005


For introductory undergraduate courses in Information Systems taught in MIS, IS, CIS, Business and management departments.

 

Kroenke’s Using MIS helps instructors get students involved Using MIS. By actively engaging students it emphasizes how knowledge of MIS will help all business students  become better problem solvers and business professionals.

Kroenke’s Using MIS helps instructors get students involved Using MIS. By actively engaging students it emphasizes how knowledge of MIS will help all business students become better problem solvers and business professionals.

 

Q: I'm hearing some discussion and concern from MIS instructors in my territory (and from my peers around the country) about the Intro MIS course.  I'd like to get your thoughts on this critical course.  Could I take a moment to show you a few PowerPoint slides written by an instructor at the University of Washington, David Kroenke?
A. He finds this course can be difficult to teach. Would you agree? He also sees changes in the students? Are you seeing similar behaviors/trends? The last slide represents David's vision for improving the course and providing a solution to get students involved in Using MIS.  What do you think?   
 
Q: If you agree with his philosophy, I've got a two-part solution to show you.
Answer:  
1. The first is related to developing a community of MIS professors. Our author, David Kroenke, has created a Blog at http://www.teachingmis.com - it's a place where you can share ideas with other instructors, including specific teaching tips and tools. The article that has received the most attention by far is, The MISsed Opportunity - an article that deals with challenges teaching this course.
2. The second solution is a way of improving the intro MIS class - it's a new book by the author of the blog, David Kroenke.
 

Q: Would you like to get students more engaged and involved?

A: Our author has developed 5 unique guides that are included in every chapter of the text. These guides are intended to stimulate thought, discussion, and active participation in the classroom focusing on current issues in IS. If you turn to the inside cover of the text, flip to the second page, you'll see we provide a description and page reference on where all of the guides can be found in the text. Not only that, each guide includes discussion questions for the students.

  • THE GUIDES. Each chapter includes five unique guides focused on current issues in information systems.  Each guide includes discussion points intended to stimulate thought, promote discussion, and activate participation.They help students develop their problem solving skills and become better business professionals. You can use as many or just a few in the class and assign the others for homework.
    • Ethics Guides. Stimulates debate on how ethics apply to information systems issues.  Ethical issues abound in business. As recent news stories indicate, some businesspeople are better than others at sorting through ethical conflicts.  Therefore, the author chose not to have a separate chapter on "ethics" but rather discuss ethics in every chapter  because it is so paramount to business. 
      • Helps students respond to future ethical dilemmas authentically and in a way that is consistent with their values. See examples: Dialing for Dollars pp.205a-b; Misdirected Information Use pp. 11a-b; Ethics of Classification pp. 289a-b
    • Security Guides. Highlights appropriate security skills and behaviors to protect valuable assets, both theirs and the firm.  There is also a separate chapter 11 (Information Security Management) that addresses security issues from an organizational managerial perspective.
      • Emphasizes that because we live in an information age, securing information is mission-critical for businesses and their employees. See examples: Centralized Vulnerability pp. 217a-b; Passwords and Password Etiquette pp. 5a-b; Semantic Security pp. 275a-b
    • Problem Solving Guides. Present ideas from cognitive science and apply them to MIS.
      • Teaches students to use technology more wisely to attain their business goals, while they learn methods of how to better analyze and solve just about any problem life throws at them. See examples: Thinking About Change pp. 211a-b; Immanuel Kant, Data Modeler pp. 89a-b; Testing Security pp. 351a-b
    • Opposing Forces Guides. Promotes discussion by introducing students to someone who disagrees with one of the main ideas and methods in the chapter.
      • Helps students learn to manage their opinions and respond effectively.  See examples: Flavor-of-the-Month Club pp.215a-b; I Don’t Need This Class pp. 13a-b; The Real Estimation Process pp. 171a-b
    • Reflections Guides.  An editorial by the author that expresses his opinion on some aspect of the chapter's contents. Students are encouraged to approach them with skepticism and a critical eye.
      • Helps students respond to these opinions and practice their reflection skills. See examples: ERP and the Standard, Standard Blueprint pp. 219a-b; Jumping Aboard the Bulldozer pp. 325a-b; Requirements Creep pp. 101a-b; Your Personal Competitive Advantage pp. 35a-b 

Q: Do you want to make enhancements to the course but are short on time (i.e. research commitments, number of preps, personal, etc.)? 

A. Yes.

 

Q: Would you be interested in a resource that would save you time, offer suggestions on making the course more engaging, while providing the opportunity for consistency amongst sections/instructors?

A. David Kroenke wrote a special "Annotated Instructor's edition" for YOU which includes tips from his classroom experiences to give you suggestions on how you might use these guides in your classroom.

 

  • Annotated Instructor's Edition. The AIE is 150 pages longer than the student edition. It provides suggestions, insights, and advice in structuring lectures and class discussions for the Opening/ Closing scenario and all of the The Guides ---all prepared and class-tested by David Kroenke personally. 
    • Saves instructor's preparation time, facilitate student learning, and make the class more interactive and fun to teach.

Q: Have you heard of David Kroenke? 

A. David is a notable author, teacher, and former IT industry executive whose teaching philosophy is to have students take more ownership of their learning, They are able to do this, in part, by responding to the Guides.  

 

  • Notable Author, Teacher, and Industry Executive.
    • David Kroenke currently teaches the introductory IS course at the University of Washington.  He has a wealth of experience: publishing successful database texts; teaching at notable institutions such as Colorado State University, Seattle University and the University of Washington; and consulting  for well-known firms including IBM and Microsoft.
  • Author Blog. www.TeachingMis.com
    • David Kroenke is the first author to reach out to the IS community by creating a blog to provide an outlet for instructors' to discuss contemporary issues, challenges and opportunities for teaching the MIS class.

OTHER POINTS OF DIFFERENTIATION

 

Q: In your experience, what examples resonate best with your students?

A. A mix of realistic business scenarios and/or real-world companies.

 

Q: Would you be interested in a text that opens every chapter with a business problem and then closes with a solution that applies what students have learned?

  • Opening and Closing Scenarios. Each chapter opens with a compelling business problem that entry-level employees may encounter on the job. At the end of the chapter, we revisit the same scenario and offer solutions or responses based on what has been learned in the chapter.
    • Shows how to apply lessons learned in the chapter to solve real business problems. See examples: Universal Electronics pp. 193-195, 220; Is $80,000 Enough pp. 47-48, 64; Carbon Creek Gardens pp. 266, 272-273

Q: What do you assign for homework?

A. Any combination of the following: Excel & Access Projects, Career activities, Case studies, Team projects, etc. 

 

  • MIS in USE Cases. Each chapter includes two "MIS in USE" case studies. These real-world cases describe how particular experiences of current companies relate to the chapter topic. In some chapters, an "MIS in Use" case continues in a Case Study in the end-of-chapter homework material.
    • Provides an inside look at real companies in action and how they are embracing information technology. See examples: The Choice Point Attack p. 354; Expert System for Pharmacies p. 296

  • Application Exercises. These exercises ask students to solve situations using spreadsheet (Excel) or database (Access) applications.

    • Helps students develop computer skills. See examples: OLAP and Market Basket p. 299; Hardware Budgeting and Tracking p. 67.
  • Career Assignments. These exercises require students to go online for information about career opportunities. Students will analyze what knowledge they need and what real-world experiences (ie. internships) might be beneficial.
    • Requires students apply their knowledge to real situations. See examples: p. 223; p. 68
  • Case Studies. Two case studies close each chapter. These cases describe how real business organizations use the technology or systems presented in the chapter. Students will reflect on the company, its experience, and recommend solutions.
    • Requires students to apply their knowledge to real world situations. See examples: Enterprise IS and the Physical Workplace pp. 223; Antiphishing Tactics p. 365; Benchmarking p. 110 
  • Student CD. Includes video clips of the author sharing strategies for how to tackle the chapter material, answering questions concerning difficult concepts, and providing key topics to help students with their studies. An icon in the margin indicates the CD connection.
    • Relates chapter material and develops better study skills for students.
  • Applying Your Knowledge. These exercises ask students  to take what they have learned one step farther and apply your new learning to a practice problem.
    • Tests students critical thinking skills.

 

 

Kroenke’s Using MIS helps instructors get students involved Using MIS. By actively engaging students it emphasizes how knowledge of MIS will help all business students become better problem solvers and business professionals.

 

Q: I'm hearing some discussion and concern from MIS instructors in my territory (and from my peers around the country) about the Intro MIS course.  I'd like to get your thoughts on this critical course.  Could I take a moment to show you a few PowerPoint slides written by an instructor at the University of Washington, David Kroenke?
A. He finds this course can be difficult to teach. Would you agree? He also sees changes in the students? Are you seeing similar behaviors/trends? The last slide represents David's vision for improving the course and providing a solution to get students involved in Using MIS.  What do you think?   
 
Q: If you agree with his teaching philosophy, I've got a two-part solution to show you.
Answer:  
1. The first is related to developing a community of MIS professors. Our author, David Kroenke, has created a Blog at http://www.teachingmis.com - it's a place where you can share ideas with other instructors, including specific teaching tips and tools. The article that has received the most attention by far is, The MISsed Opportunity - an article that deals with challenges teaching this course.
2. The second solution is a way of improving the intro MIS class - it's a new book by the author of the blog, David Kroenke.
 

Q: Would you like to get students more engaged and involved?

A: Our author has developed 5 unique guides that are included in every chapter of the text. These guides are intended to stimulate thought, discussion, and active participation in the classroom focusing on current issues in IS. If you turn to the inside cover of the text, flip to the second page, you'll see we provide a description and page reference on where all of the guides can be found in the text. Not only that, each guide includes discussion questions for the students.

  • THE GUIDES. Each chapter includes five unique guides focused on current issues in information systems.  Each guide includes discussion points intended to stimulate thought, promote discussion, and activate participation.They help students develop their problem solving skills and become better business professionals. You can use as many or just a few in the class and assign the others for homework.
    • Ethics Guides. Stimulate debate on how ethics apply to information systems issues.  Ethical issues abound in business. As recent news stories indicate, some businesspeople are better than others at sorting through ethical conflicts.  Therefore, the author chose not to have a separate chapter on "ethics" but rather discuss ethics in every chapter  because it is so paramount to business. 
      • Helps students respond to future ethical dilemmas authentically and in a way that is consistent with their values.
    • Security Guides. Highlights appropriate security skills and behaviors to protect valuable assets, both theirs and the firm.  There is also a separate chapter 11 (Information Security Management) that addresses security issues from an organizational managerial perspective.
      • Emphasizes that because we live in an information age, securing information is mission-critical for businesses and their employees.
    • Problem Solving Guides. Present ideas from cognitive science and apply them to MIS.
      • Teaches students to use technology more wisely to attain their business goals, while they learn methods of how to better analyze and solve just about any problem life throws at them.
    • Opposing Forces Guides. Promotes discussion by introducing students to someone who disagrees with one of the main ideas and methods in the chapter.
      • Helps students learn to manage their opinions and respond effectively.
    • Reflections Guides.  An editorial by the author that expresses his opinion on some aspect of the chapter's contents. Students are encouraged to approach them with skepticism and a critical eye.
      • Helps students respond to these opinions and practice their reflection skills.

Q: Do you want to make enhancements to the course but are short on time (i.e. research commitments, number of preps, personal, etc.)? 

A. Yes.

 

Q: Would you be interested in a resource that would save you time, offer suggestions on making the course more engaging, while providing the opportunity for consistency amongst sections/instructors?

A. David Kroenke wrote a special "Annotated Instructor's edition" for YOU which includes tips from his classroom experiences to give you suggestions on how you might use these guides in your classroom.

 

  • Annotated Instructor's Edition. The AIE is 150 pages longer than the student edition. It provides suggestions, insights, and advice in structuring lectures and class discussions for the Opening/ Closing scenario and all of the The Guides ---all prepared and class-tested by David Kroenke personally. 
    • Saves instructor's preparation time, facilitate student learning, and make the class more interactive and fun to teach.

Q: Have you heard of David Kroenke? 

A. David is a notable author, teacher, and former IT industry executive whose teaching philosophy is to have students take more ownership of their learning, They are able to do this, in part, by responding to the Guides.  

 

  • Notable Author, Teacher, and Industry Executive.
    • David Kroenke currently teaches the introductory IS course at the University of Washington.  He has a wealth of experience: publishing successful database texts; teaching at notable institutions such as Colorado State University, Seattle University and the University of Washington; and consulting  for well-known firms including IBM and Microsoft.
  • Author Blog. www.TeachingMis.com
    • David Kroenke is the first author to reach out to the IS community by creating a blog to provide an outlet for instructors' to discuss contemporary issues, challenges and opportunities for teaching the MIS class.

OTHER POINTS OF DIFFERENTIATION

 

Q: In your experience, what examples resonate best with your students?

A. A mix of realistic business scenarios and/or real-world companies.

 

Q: Would you be interested in a text that opens every chapter with a business problem and then closes with a solution that applies what students have learned?

  • Opening and Closing Scenarios. Each chapter opens with a compelling business problem that entry-level employees may encounter on the job. At the end of the chapter, we revisit the same scenario and offer solutions or responses based on what has been learned in the chapter.
    • Shows how to apply lessons learned in the chapter to solve real business problems.

Q: What do you assign for homework?

A. Any combination of the following: Excel & Access Projects, Career activities, Case studies, Team projects, etc. 

 

  • MIS in USE Cases. Each chapter includes two "MIS in USE" case studies. These real-world cases describe how particular experiences of current companies relate to the chapter topic. In some chapters, an "MIS in Use" case continues in a Case Study in the end-of-chapter homework material.
    • Provides an inside look at real companies in action and how they are embracing information technology.

  • Application Exercises. These exercises ask students to solve situations using spreadsheet (Excel) or database (Access) applications.

    • Helps students develop computer skills.
  • Career Assignments. These exercises require students to go online for information about career opportunities. Students will analyze what knowledge they need and what real-world experiences (ie. internships) might be beneficial.
    • Requires students apply their knowledge to real situations.
  • Case Studies. Two case studies close each chapter. These cases describe how real business organizations use the technology or systems presented in the chapter. Students will reflect on the company, its experience, and recommend solutions.
    • Requires students to apply their knowledge to real world situations.
  • Student CD. Includes video clips of the author sharing strategies for how to tackle the chapter material, answering questions concerning difficult concepts, and providing key topics to help students with their studies. An icon in the margin indicates the CD connection.
    • Relates chapter material and develops better study skills for students.
  • Applying Your Knowledge. These exercises ask students  to take what they have learned one step farther and apply your new learning to a practice problem.
    • Tests students critical thinking skills.

 

 

Part One    Introduction to MIS

Chapter 1       MIS and You

Chapter 2       Purposes of Information Systems

 

Part Two    Information Technology

Chapter 3       Hardware and Software

Chapter 4       Database Processing

Chapter 5       Telecommunications and Internet Technology

Chapter 6       Systems Development

 

Part Three Information Systems

Chapter 7      Information Systems within Organizations

Chapter 8      E-commerce and the Supply Chain Information Systems 

Chapter 9      Business Intelligence and Knowledge Management

 

Part Four  Managing Information Systems Resources

Chapter 10   Information Systems Management

Chapter 11   Information Security Management

 

Glossary

David M. Kroenke entered the computing profession as a summer intern at Rand Corporation in 1967. Since then, his career has spanned education, industry, consulting, and publishing.


He has taught at Colorado State University, Seattle University, and the University of Washington, where he currently teaches. Over the years he has led dozens of teaching seminars for college professors. In 1991 the International Association of Information Systems names him Computer Educator of the Year.

 

In industry, Kroenke has worked for the U.S. Air Force and Boeing Computer Services, and he was a principal in the startup of three companies. He also was vice president of product marketing and development of the Microrim Corporation and was chief technologist for the database division of Wall Data, Inc. He is the father of the semantic object data model. Kroenke's consulting clients include the IBM Corporation, Microsoft, Computer Sciences Corporation and numerous other companies and organizations.

 

His text Database Processing was first published in 1977 and is now in its tenth edition. He has published many other textbooks, including the classic Business Computer Systems, (1981). More recently he authored Database Concepts, which is in its second edition. An avid sailor, Kroenke also wrote Know Your Boat: The Guide to Everything That Makes Your Boat Work. Kroenke lives in Seattle. He is married and has two children and two grandchildren. 

View a Sample Chapter PDF:

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