Information Technology: Social Media (aka Web 2.0) applications for business; Computer and Communications Technology; Business Applications on the Internet; Internet Policy Issues; Telecommunications and Networking; Emerging Technological Issues, with a  focus on Small and Evolving Businesses; Multimedia and Web-based Virtual Teaching and Learning Environments.

I am a member of   the Management Information Systems area here in the Faculty of Business Administration at Simon Fraser University. I  have taught both place-based and 'virtual seminars,' where students interact completely using computers and telecommunications. The first virtual  course we ever offered in the faculty was entitled 'Business 362.' This course is an upper division (third year undergraduate) Business Systems Analysis and Design course which sometimes ran in the online format. In this format it was particularly suitable for co-op students and others who wished to complete an upper division course from anywhere the Internet exists.  I have also taught online in  the Graduate Diploma in Business Administration program. The course I designed and taught the inaugural versions of is a half course in issues in the management of information technology. The other course I am currently teaching is 'Business 466' , a course which explores the so-called 'Web 2.0' phenomenon and how it is radically changing the way we work, live, play and do business. Oh, and it changes the way we teach and learn, too. I advertised the newly revised course on my Facebook wall and with a series of YouTube videos with my friend and colleague Andrew Gemino (aka Zorro), and it went sideways pretty quickly (BUS466 and BUS462 are good search terms to get to the videos). Andrew started the character nonsense, but I posted the first video. We're a little competitive. Our antics ended up being discussed on CBC radio, and several newspapers across the country.

I served as the Associate Academic Director for the Faculty at our fabulous Surrey campus. It is housed in a facility that opened in the Fall of 2006. The Business space came online in the summer of 2007. Its an amazing campus a half-block walk from a Skytrain station, superb technology, and amenaties related to a presence in a large shopping mall. We have a new undergraduate area of concentration, 'Innovation', exclusively at the Surrey campus, along with Finance and Marketing offered on either campus. I hope we can continue to grow the program and continue the multidisciplinary tradition of the former Technical University of British Columbia, while capturing the best of Simon Fraser University as well.

Selected Research Investigations

(2009) Parker, D. and Gemino, A."Use Case Diagrams in Support of Use Case Modeling: Deriving Understanding from the Picture", Journal of Database Management, Vol. 20, 1-24.

(2009) Parker, D., Foreword in: Kotsopoulos, S. and Konstantinos, I (eds) Handbook of Research on Heterogeneous Next Generation Networking: Innovations and Platforms, IGI,

(2008) Masri, K., Parker, D. and Gemino, A. ‘Using Iconic Graphics in Entity-Relationship Diagrams: The Impact on Understanding,’ Journal of Database Management, Vol. 19, No. 3, July-September 2008.

(2006) Gemino, A., Parker, D., and Olnick Kutzschan, A. 'Investigating Coherence and Multimedia Effects of a Technology-Mediated Collaborative Environment,' Journal of Management Information Systems, Vol. 22, No. 3, Winter 2005-6.

(2004) Parker, D. and A. Gemino 'Moving a 'traditional' university toward online learning: Opportunities, Challenges and Technologies,' (an early version of the paper was originally presented at the 2001 Edineb Conference, Nice, France) Educational Innovation in Economics and Business VIII : Technology, Pedagogy and Innovation, Kluwer Academic Press, ISBN 1-4020-1787-1

(2003) Olnick Kutzschan, A., Gemino, A., and Parker, D. ‘The Role of Learning Style Diversity and Social Interfaces in Team Learning Performance,' Presentation and Proceedings Publication, International Conference on Informatics Education & Research, Seattle , Washington , USA , December 12-14, 2003

  (2003) Gemino, A. and D. Parker, ‘Is Relevance Relevant? Investigating Coherence in Knowledge Sharing Environments,' Published in workshop proceedings and presented at HCI/MIS 2003: The Second Annual HCI in MIS (HCI/MIS) Research Workshop

(2003) Gemino, A., D. Parker and A. Olnick Kutzschan ‘Putting the “I” in Fit: the Role of individuals in task technology fit,' Presentation, ASAC-IFSAM 2003, Administrative Sciences Association of Canada.

  Parker, D. and A. Gemino 'Inside Online Learning: Comparing Conceptual and Technique Learning Performance in Place-based and ALN Formats,' Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, Volume5, Issue 2, September 2001.

  Parker, D. and A. Gemino 'Issues in Online Learning: A Conceptual Framework for Course Design and Delivery,' working paper. An earlier version of this paper was presented at ASAC 2000 in Montreal, Quebec.

  Parker, D., C. Hill, and V. Merrill, The Impact of Instructional Design Methodology on Achievement in Alternative Course Delivery Formats, short paper presented and published in proceedings, WebNet 99.

  Parker, D., V. Merrill, and R. McTavish, Re-engineering the MBA Using Virtual Seminars, short paper , Ed-Media 99.

  Rossner-Merrill, V., D. Parker and S. Chu, Using Constructivist Instructional Design Features in Two Online Courses: Notes from the Field, Educational Media International, Volume 35, No. 4, December 1998.

Parker, D. and V. Rossner-Merrill, Socialization of Distance Education - The Web As Enabler, full paper presented and published in Proceedings, WebNet '98. This paper remains one of my favorites, and provided results that, to me, were both encouraging and counter-intuitive.

We live in greater Vancouver, British Columbia, on Canada's we(s)t coast. It rains so much sometimes that even my dog 'Bear' seeks light wherever he can. He has adoped the halogen light on my work desk as a sunlight substitute and basks there. Sometimes he just hangs at the coffee table. For those who know my peculiarities, I once met a wonderful celebrity. Anybody who spends 2000 years plotting to vaporize Earth because it interferes with his view of Venus has got to be commended for his determination. He was unarmed at the time (no Acme lasers or Iludium Pew-36 explosive space modulators nearby), so Julie and I got a picture with him.

This is my conceptual model of client-server computing...

And, the SDLC Approach...

And, finally, a personal note...

A recent adventure to get the dust out of my car. And to earn a beer. Thanks for the pics Steve. And thank heavens for a winch...