Transitioning a traditional introductory information systems course to a data analytics focused course

Abstract

Firms desire graduates capable of executing current and future business practices, many of which revolve around data. To meet those needs, we shifted the orientation of our required information systems course from technology to data. Instead of a survey of information systems, students learn the data acquisition–preparation–mining–presentation process in an information-systems setting. The scope of the revised undergraduate introductory course includes decision trees, Bayesian classifiers, and clustering; it uses Microsoft's Excel, Access, SQL Server, Power BI, and SQL Server Analysis Services to reveal the basics of data analytics to students. Students have welcomed the change and understand that the course material directly applies to what they will experience as working professionals. Similarly, employers have appreciated the change and tell us that our graduates are better prepared to perform data analysis with minimal training.