International Journal of Information and Operations Management Education (7 papers in press)

• Fantasy Football and Managerial Economics
  by Daniel Sutter, Jennifer Logan 
  Abstract: The National Football League is America’s most popular team sport, and educators have found “Fantasy Football” to be a valuable teaching vehicle. This paper discusses several exercises using Fantasy Football to facilitate students’ understanding of principles of managerial economics and the use of business statistics in the decision-making process. The assignments are suitable for courses in managerial economics and business statistics. The exercises provide students with an intuitive application of basic business statistics and to acquire an understanding of the theoretical framework in which statistics is taught.
  Keywords: Managerial economics, business statistics, cost minimization, forecasting, National Football League, fantasy sports
   
• Combining learning styles and technology acceptance: New perspectives on online business education
  by Kathryn Zuckweiler, Qing Cao 
  Abstract: As online education continues to grow worldwide, scholarly interest in various aspects of the phenomenon is also rising. There is considerable research into learning styles within the field of education, but only recently has that knowledge been applied to online learning environments. Similarly, the technology acceptance model (TAM) has been widely tested in the information systems literature, but few studies of the TAM exist in higher education, let alone online learning. This paper links the research on learning styles and technology acceptance through a matrix of online course tools indexed by a student’s learning style and proposes an extended TAM model.
  Keywords: Online education; business education; technology acceptance model; learning styles; quantitative courses; operations management education; information systems education
   
• The Practice Of Operations Research In Jordanian Industry: A Field Study
  by A.A.S. Al?Zawahreh, michael cox 
  Abstract: This study is concerned with the evaluation of the status of operations research (OR) practice, training and its diffusion into Jordanian industrial shareholding companies. The purpose of such an evaluation is to explore the level of OR awareness. To discover the extent of acceptance and implementation of OR and the adequacy of computing and training facilities in OR. It also attempts to identify the obstacles to the wider adoption of OR. The methodology for the study is essentially based upon a questionnaire that was directed to the practitioners of OR in all Jordanian industrial shareholding companies (86 companies) during summer 2003. The study concludes that the level of OR awareness and usage in the companies, is low. Also, there is a lack of specialised personnel, computer usage and OR departments. Moreover, the study concludes that many barriers are hindering the wider adoption of OR in the companies investigated.
  Keywords: Developing Countries, Jordan, Operational Research (OR), Training
   
• An Effective Methodology for Teaching Service Operations Management
  by Farouq Alhourani 
  Abstract: Teaching Operations Management from a service perspective using only the traditional lecturing techniques can be very challenging. This subject can be boring and the students may not appreciate the importance of service operations management especially if their major is not management. Field projects can be powerful teaching tools as many service operations are accessible and familiar to students. The paper defines an effective methodology to teach service operations management. The methodology is based on conducting real world projects in local businesses for every major topic covered in the course. The students in a survey rated the real world projects as the best learning activity followed by the instructor presentations that included extensive pictures and personal experiences. The students also reported that they enjoyed the class and believed that it will be helpful for them in their capstone courses and future career.
  Keywords: Service Operations Management; Field Projects; operations analysis of a service organization
   
• A Pedagogical Approach Integrating Research and Applied Learning in a Graduate OM Course
  by Dana Johnson, Cynthia Hodges, Tanya Sickels, Paul Skinner 
  Abstract: This case study of an integrative approach to experiential learning in a graduate level operations and quality management course allowed for achieving high-order learning based on Bloom’s Taxonomy by integrating research and applied learning techniques. Students were able to achieve the highest level of cognitive learning, evaluation (Athanassiou, McNett, and Harvey, 2003), by using a combination of research and application to solve a real-world operations management problem, elimination of trans fats in the supply chain for a small hospital in rural Michigan. This paper outlines the methodologies used to apply the operations management concepts using multiple methods.
  Keywords: Bloom’s taxonomy; experiential learning; research; lessons learned
   
• The use(lessness) of online quizzes for achieving student learning
  by Harm-Jan Steenhuis, Brian Grinder, Erik de Bruijn 
  Abstract: This paper describes experiences with online quizzes in an operations management course. Online quizzes were introduced to offset larger class sizes. During several quarters, experimentation with online quizzes took place including the number of attempts, the amount of time allowed, and the topical coverage in the quizzes. Three research questions are explored: what type of online quiz taking behavior do students have? Do online quizzes help students improve their grade, i.e. does improvement occur within a course? And, does the use of online quizzes help a class overall? It was concluded that online quizzes do not significantly improve student learning.
  Keywords: online test, online learning, education
   
• Active Learning in an Undergraduate Management Science Course Through the Use of a Mobile Computer Lab
  by Janice Eliasson, Brent Snider, Diane Bischak 
  Abstract: Our business school’s undergraduate degree program includes a required spreadsheet management science course taught at the third-year level. Employers, faculty, and students consistently indicated that this course was not successful in teaching management science or even basic spreadsheet modeling skills. To improve students’ understanding and retention of the course content, we purchased and implemented a “mobile computer lab” that could be set up in a regular classroom. We discuss how the lab supported a change to active learning, in which informal student groups would “discover” management science techniques, and we provide some examples of the exercises we have incorporated in the course. For instructors who are interested in implementing a mobile lab, we also provide details on the infrastructure of the lab, costs, software and hardware security, and classroom logistics.
  Keywords: active learning; mobile lab; spreadsheet management science; undergraduate; business school; computers; laptops; management science; software; hardware; computer lab; mobile computer lab; informal student groups