Teaching Tip: Teaching Business Process Concepts in an Introductory Information Systems Class: A Multi-Level Game-Based Learning Approach

Authors

Bernie Farkas, University of TampaFollow
Yanyan Shang, University of TampaFollow
Farouq Alhourani, University of TampaFollow

Abstract

This research develops an effective methodology for a core business introductory information systems course to teach business process concepts and the role of information systems in business processes. The developed methodology also helps students properly diagram an organization’s business processes. The methodology uses an experiential learning approach: Multi-dimensional Game-based Learning. Initially, students learn elementary business processes and modeling concepts, e.g., start, end, activity, and gateway. Advancing to a more complex process during the second level, student teams learn the concept of process activity responsibility, e.g., role, pool. The last level challenges student teams to manage a company in a simulated business environment using an SAP® Enterprise Resource Planning system. Students learn the relationship between information systems and business processes and the concepts of data flow, encapsulation, event, and parallelism. A survey of the student’s perception and the researchers’ ad hoc observations demonstrates the effectiveness of the developed methodology.

Recommended Citation

Farkas, Bernie; Shang, Yanyan; and Alhourani, Farouq (2022) "Teaching Tip: Teaching Business Process Concepts in an Introductory Information Systems Class: A Multi-Level Game-Based Learning Approach," Journal of Information Systems Education: Vol. 33 : Iss. 4 , 306-323.
Available at: https://aisel.aisnet.org/jise/vol33/iss4/1