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Executive SummaryActive learning has been championed in academic circles as the pedagogical fix to boring lectures typically found in introduction to information systems courses. However, the literature on active learning is mixed. In this paper, we critically examine active learning research and discover a misplaced emphasis leading to paradoxical findings in four areas. First, creating activities for cognitive engagement is not unique to active learning. Second, the amount of instructor led control and direction is often glossed over, leaving a vague impression as to how much is necessary. Third, out of class activities are often ignored when they also accomplish the same effects for the same reasons. Fourth, an over-emphasis on techniques rather than outcomes renders active learning bound to means and not to ends. The proper end should be the meaningful learning of the course objectives.We offer an alternative pedagogical framework for evaluating classroom techniques based on philosophic, psychological, and pedagogical research. Ausubel's Assimilation Learning Theory fits this research with a focus on meaningful learning of classroom objectives. In order to achieve meaningful learning of new concepts, an instructor must accomplish four things: (1) clearly define the concepts, (2) provide proto-typical examples, (3) integrate the concepts within the students' knowledge, and (4) motivate the students to want to learn. Application of this pedagogical framework to introductory information systems classes provides a basis for evaluating classroom techniques and increasing meaningful learning. Turning the theory into practice, we propose three different ways to teach a Decision Support System module within an information systems course. Each approach is consistent with the meaningful learning framework. Those three approaches include the traditional lecture format, an activity based format consistent with active learning, and a case study based format which serves as a hybrid between passive and active learning techniques. For each approach, we highlight how the class structure, examples, and resources can help instructors create a meaningful learning experience for their students.

Abstract:For human resource (HR) departments, screening job applicants is an integral role in acquiring talent. Many HR departments have begun to turn to social networks to better understand job candidates' character. Using social networks as a screening tool might provide insights not readily available from resumes or initial interviews. However, requiring access to an applicants' social networks and the private activities occurring therein-a practice currently legal in 29 U.S. states (Deschenaux, 2015)-could induce strong moral reactions from the job candidates because of a perceived loss of information privacy. Subsequently, such disclosure requests could induce job candidates to respond in a multitude of ways to protect their privacy. Given that an estimated 2.55 billion individuals will use social media worldwide by 2017 (eMarketer, 2013), the repercussions from requests for access social media environments have potentially far-reaching effects. In this research, we examine how one such disclosure request impacted six information privacy protective responses (IPPRs) (Son & Kim, 2008) based on the job candidates' perceived moral judgment and the perceived moral intensity of the HR disclosure request. These responses occurred when we asked respondents to provide personal login information during a hypothetical interview. By modeling data derived from a sample of 250 participants in PLS-SEM, we found that the five IPPRs (i.e., refusal, negative word of mouth, complaining to friends, complaining to the company, and complaining to third parties) were all significant responses when one judged the request to be immoral and perceived the moral intensity concept of immediate harm. The amount of variance explained by these five IPPRs ranged from 17.7 percent to 38.7 percent, which indicates a solid initial foundation from which future research can expand on this HR issue. Implications for academia and practice are discussed.

New web technologies have enabled online education to take on a massive scale, prompting many universities to create massively open online courses (MOOCs) that take advantage of these technologies in a seemingly effortless manner. Designing a MOOC, however, is anything but trivial. It involves developing content, learning activities, and assessments to accommodate both the massiveness and openness of the course. To design an effective MOOC, instructors need to integrate both pedagogical and information systems theory. In this paper, we present a case study of a MOOC grant and a series of decisions made in its development. These decisions, when paired with the theoretical framework, suggest five principles -meaningful, engaging, measurable, accessible, and scalable -may be applicable to future MOOC development projects.

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