Into the New Millennium: Why do Students Decide to Study IT?

Abstract

The shortage of Information Technology (IT) professionals is a recognised world wide problem. During the last ten to fifteen years we have seen the introduction of computers into high school and also primary school. These computers are now being used, not only as an adjunct to school subjects, but for the study of IT as a subject in its own right. As we begin this new millennium, this study aims to discover if these changes in curriculum are affecting students' decisions to become IT professionals. A survey was administered to a group of students, undertaking an IT programme of study, to examine the IT subjects they completed in high school and the effect these subjects had on their decision to study IT. The literature suggests that gender is an important constructs in students' decision to study IT and so this variables were examined also.

Now I know what ICT can do for me!

“…(2006, p. 91), ‘even at schools that are “heavily wired,” computer science is too often interpreted as “computer literacy” and only low‐level user skills are taught’. The students are obtaining a skewed view of the ICT field because of the focus on mastering software packages and the perception of ICT being simply word processing (Newmarch et al ., 2000; Downes, 2004). Other common impediments to pursuing ICT education and careers cited by the students attending TTYA included timetable clashes, prioritisation of subjects and the unavailability of ICT subjects.…”