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Sciences, the humanities, and most other professional schools tend to
view information technology as a black box-something that is invariable
and inviolate, to be taken 'as is' and simply used to best advantage. In
fact, information technology is subject to few fundamental limitations
of import, and is today a result of anonymous market forces and design
decisions. Given a reasonable technological fluency, our students will
mold information technologies in new ways to make them more valuable and
useful in the real world.
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Information studies (IS) addresses issues surrounding information and
its uses. Practitioners of IS are represented on our faculty. We
recognize the disruptive effect of rapidly advancing and diffusing
information technologies, and so have added other relevant disciplinary
perspectives to the program, allowing us to adapt quickly and
effectively to these changing technologies.
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Computer science is advancing the deeply technical aspects of
information technology. However, it is not well equipped to address the
important issues surrounding the uses and impacts of information
technology in its social context.
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The social and behavioral sciences have an expanding interest in
human-centered activities surrounding information systems, including
those of individuals and groups, organizations, and society. However,
they are not well equipped by virtue of their disciplinary perspective
to pursue a holistic approach to information management, nor are they
generally inclined to study the synthesis of social and technical
aspects of information systems.
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Other professional schools such as those of business and law and education
are deeply interested in the design and synthesis of collaborative
learning, organizational, governance and legal systems. However they are
not well equipped to consider how information management or information
systems (especially the technological components) can be molded to
create new opportunities or adapt to changing needs. They don't
emphasize how organizations can utilize information and information
systems in new ways. They also don't focus on synthesizing the
organization and management of information, the technological
information systems, and the social. Instead, they concentrate on either
narrower application areas (such as business, education, public policy,
or mass communication), or on a narrower set of issues (e.g.
legal).
A revealing parallel to SIMS is architecture and its relationship to
civil engineering, urban planning, natural resources. Architecture
focuses on the relationship of a building to its occupants and their
organizations, the esthetics of the building, and the relationship of
the building to its environment. Like architecture, information
technology has strong ramifications for the social structure and
organization of its human users. Like buildings, information systems
need periodic refurbishments to match changing needs and technology.
Next: What is the
teaching philosopy at SIMS?
Previous: Why is SIMS
interdisciplinary?
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