This issue contains an invited paper "The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning: Putting Your Money Where Your Mouth Is on Teaching Effectiveness" written by Professor Cynthia V. Fukami, from the Department ofManagement, Daniels College ofBusiness, University ofDenver. Professor Fukami is on the Honor Roll ofthe Organizational Behavior Teaching Society and was the Evelyn and Jay Piccinate Professor for Teaching Excellence at the University ofDenver. The article initially appeared in The Decision Science Institute's Decision Line, March 2004, in the Academic Leadership Issues from the Dean's Perspective section. As I read the article, I thought: "All deans, those that make funding decisions and those that make tenure and appointment decisions should read this article." Those who research in the teaching of their discipline and constantly strive for improvement in the classroom, but do not get acknowledged for their efforts should read this article and share it. Then continue improving course offerings and teaching effectiveness. The articles in this issue aid in those goals.
If there is a theme to this issue, it must be that there are many issues that need to be addressed in the Informatics curriculum. The articles cover distance-education, certificate programs in developing countries, database concerns, end-user specialties and the never ending discussion ofteaching CASE in the systems analysis and design course. Some findings support what is suspected, others give us pause to thiuk about course content.
There is discussion concerning moving JIER on-line. What are your thoughts about changing the format? How are on-line publications viewed by your administration? How will that affect tenure and promotion decisions? I asked those questions at George Washington and received mixed answers, some positive and some skeptical of on-line journals. University libraries are limited by budgets and space. Would an on-line JIER be accessible to a wider audience? Would both authors and readers benefit? Questions, who has the answers? Tom Case and I welcome all suggestions. Thanks for reading JIER.
Mary J. GrangerReturn to the Table of Contents