Over 20 years after introducing and popularizing agile software development methods, those methods have proven effective in delivering projects that meet agile assumptions. Those assumptions require that projects be small and simple in scope and utilize small, colocated teams. Given this success, many agile advocates argue that agile should…

The adaptation of traditional systems to service-oriented architectures is very frequent, due to the increase in technologies for this type of architecture. This has led to the construction of frameworks or methodologies for adapting computational projects to service-oriented architecture (SOA) technology. In this work, a framework for adaptation…

The redesign of learning spaces has been a growing trend in education, especially higher education. The redesign of such spaces takes time and involves a variety of stakeholders, sometimes resulting in ill-defined designs. This can be exacerbated when individuals leading such efforts depart and there is not a consensus on the design, sometimes…

In this teaching tip, we describe our approach to elevating the quality of group work in an information technology (IT) project management course by implementing three practices of experiential and peer learning that work more effectively when combined. The first practice addresses slacking in group work by applying a flipped classroom style that…

One way to help frame a focus on problems instead of things is the Grand Challenges concept, which has been used in many other fields to date. Grand Challenges are an articulation of large-scale, complex problems that may be addressed through coordinated and sustained efforts but require long-term effort. Often, the articulation of Grand…

Nearly two billion children across the globe are growing up in an increasingly digital world. Yet even as the ways that kids engage with new technologies constantly evolve, our efforts to attend to their healthy development hasn't kept pace. It's time to prioritize the well-being of children in digital spaces, which we believe requires a…

This article highlights the importance of leadership engagement throughout the leadership learning process, adding to the leadership learning framework literature. We include a brief overview of leadership engagement as it relates to user-centered design (UCD), commonly utilized in information technology companies. The authors offer how UCD can…

The changing global scenario throws a big responsibility to higher education institutes to prepare future ready students. The curriculum is the most important input, which can play a vital role in the overall development of students. Present work identifies the need for curriculum change in the 21st century and presents a responsible approach to…

This paper is an experiential report describing the faculty and student experiences and knowledge gained from developing an Internet of Things (IoT) course within an Information Technology (IT) Department at a large southeastern United States public university. The paper contributes insights gained developing the introductory IoT course, and it…

Public media has the potential to play a powerful role in the media landscape for tweens and teens. With the By/With/For Youth: Inspiring Next Gen Public Media Audiences project, the Joan Ganz Cooney Center conducted focus group interviews with tweens and teens across the country in order to better understand how young people are engaging with…

Over the past decade, geospatial technologies have emerged as a tool for developing spatial reasoning and cognitive processes. While the foundational Learning to Think Spatially report from the National Research Center (2006) launched research into the use of geospatial technologies in isolation, more recently, cloud-based simulation software have…

When "software takes command", people take fright -- a reaction which frequently accompanies change or novelty. Their fears are understandable, but they also cloud people's view of the potentials that digital tools and digital media hold for society and especially educational contexts. Their fears also define societal debates and…

Underutilized in higher education, soft systems thinking can mitigate common challenges in implementing instructional design and technology initiatives. A valuable approach is soft systems methodology (SSM), which captures multiple stakeholder perspectives in rich pictures and activity models to support structured conversations about how to…

Empathy is seen as essential for user-centered design and thus needs to be taken into consideration in design education. Personas are a design method that is meant to promote empathy with users and are also used to foster an empathic design approach in educational settings. Empathic involvement is considered to be particularly important to…

For decades, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) forms were processed electronically by the legacy Central Processing System. In 2021 the Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) initiated a system development effort and in December 2023 deployed a new system to process forms for the 2024-2025 school year. However, student aid…