Special Interest Group on Education Enhances the Information Systems Community

The AIS Special Interest Group on Education (SIGED) remains committed to fostering excellence in information management/systems/technology education, research, and practice. Dedicated to facilitating interdisciplinary exchange, SIGED serves as a central forum for information systems researchers and educators to share insights, methodologies, and real-world applications.

Society forms the context for human development and technological developments often act as a driver for change in society. Education must fulfill these changing requirements of the world we live in. Learning is acquiring new understanding, knowledge, behaviors, skills, values, attitudes, and preferences.

SIGED focuses on the changing roles of participants in the learning processes. In that sense, cooperative learning, more than traditional education, improves skills of teamwork, self-understanding, communication, decision-making and leadership of participants in education, which are all regarded as essential for their future professional development and resilience in an unknown future.

Acknowledging the above changes, SIGED developed from a single focus on ‘traditional’ IS/IT education to a double focus. This is based on studying the developments in IS and IT education and the role of IT in society in general and education in particular.

In 2023, SIGED has organized a series of enriching events aimed at enhancing member engagement. The main event is the annual International Conference on Information Systems Education Research (ICISER 2023); an ancillary conference prior to ICIS which attracts the attention of members and others who are concerned about the role of education in society.

To also help connect members around the world, a virtual networking event in October provided a platform for members to discuss forthcoming community initiatives.

Further solidifying its commitment to advancing IS education, SIGED curated a dedicated track, "IS in Education, IS Curriculum, Education and Teaching Cases," at AMCIS 2023. This track provided an opportunity for IS educators and researchers to exchange ideas, techniques, and applications through a combination of workshops, panels, and paper presentations.

In June, SIGED held "The Me-We-All Approach: Cooperative Learning for a Sustainable Future" at ECIS 2023. This event explored a paradigm shift toward harmonizing individual and societal perspectives to foster sustainable organizations, leveraging enhanced information management and collaborative visioning for future resilience.

Also in 2023, the launch of the SIGED Career Mentoring Program aims to support SIGED members towards developing their skills to achieve their career goals. This program is open to early and mid-career researchers who are education-focused or education and research-focused SIGED members.

Looking ahead

To also highlight a few of upcoming events in 2024, SIGED is organizing on June 16 in Paphos, Cyprus the pre-ECIS inaugural European Conference on Information Systems Education Research (ECISER 2024). Themed "Quality IS/IT Education," this mini-conference aims to facilitate discussion on experiences and challenges in IS education, focusing on elevating quality education.

In August, SIGED is represented in AMCIS 2024, with a track on "IS in Education, IS Curriculum, Education and Teaching Cases". This year, the track hosts a total of 9 mini tracks and is expected to attract considerable attention from the conference attendees.

In December, SIGED will be present at ICIS in Bangkok with its annual pre-ICIS event: the ICISER mini-conference of SIGED on Education Research. As always, the high caliber of the contributions in this and the other SIGED conferences is adhered by a serious review process.

Acknowledged as an Outstanding SIG for several years, including 2023, SIGED boasts a membership of nearly 200 individuals. Many actively participate in SIGED's conferences, workshops, and events, receiving regular invitations to contribute to education tracks at affiliated conferences.

SIGED’s motto is “Connect More, Achieve More!” and for 2024 the SIG’s focus is on “Promoting Sustainable IS/IT Education”. SIGED Board, extends an open invitation to all interested parties to join and contribute to the SIG's endeavors, emphasizing the collective pursuit of greater achievements.

Feel free to contact SIGED President 2024, Dr. Vasso Stylianou, President Elect, Dr. Rosetta Romano, or Past President, Dr. Toon Abcouwer, to join forces with SIGED.

For further information on SIGED and its initiatives, visit the SIGED website.