The fall of 2015 was another big semester for MIS2101. As the course coordinator for MIS2101I took the lead on the implementation of a completely redesigned course (originally redesigned by Professor Steven Johnson but not implemented until Fall 2015 after he left the university) The new course is very non-traditional for an intro to MIS course. We have eliminated the textbook and replaced it with current, relevant readings that are available for free over the Internet. We have transformed the classroom from a place of lecture to a place for discussion and interaction by leveraging activity based learning. We have replaced the exams that have only challenged a student’s ability to memorize with exams that challenge the critical thinking skills of students. As you might expect any time you introduce this kind of change, we had many major issues in the fall. Over the last few semesters this course had consistently improved and is now doing well. This course has been the focus of many conversations and presentations as part of the current BBA redesign being one of the few courses in the core curriculum that incorporates critical thinking, business analytics and communications into that is taught in large sections.
