Configuring information systems for the university classroom

Abstract

Over the last decade, a model for management of information technology resources was devised, which favors purchase of ready-for-use information systems (IS), known as packages, instead of software development. As such, the future IS administrator is now required to master concepts related to implementation of these packages, and above all, the configurable information systems. That is why the concept of parameterization of business transactions supported by IS must be well mastered, a subject not easily discussed, exemplified and learned without hands-on experience. The configurable and implemented IS, available for academic use at the university, has revealed itself a complex, expensive and non-functional undertaking. As such, this study proposes an alternative method for teaching and learning IS configuration, based upon development and use of simulators. With this new approach, students will be able to experience how to perform work flow in a configurable IS; how to change IS parameterization for a new business environment situation and how to achieve awareness of new results generated after re-configuring an IS.