Beyond the Model: Building an Effective and Dynamic IT Curriculum

A model curriculum, such as that developed by the ACM/SIGITE Curriculum Committee (2005), has two important functions. First, it provides a base structure for newly developing programs that can use it as a platform for articulating a curriculum. Second, it offers an existing curriculum framework that can be used for validation by existing programs. The model does not, however, reflect many of the characteristics and considerations necessary to build a fully-functional, effective and dynamic curriculum. Necessary components for a comprehensive curriculum that are discussed in this paper include adaptation to the institution’s mission and other program goals, responsiveness to local and regional needs, sensitivity to the availability of expertise and other technical resources, and a mechanism for response to a continuously changing environment.