Engaging IT undergraduates in non-IT content

Abstract

This paper reports on the efforts made to enhance the engagement of IT students with non-IT specific content. The mechanism to foster this engagement was the introduction of an ELearning Information System (ELIS) for a finance related subject within an IT undergraduate degree at our University. The subject developers were primarily concerned with both the learning design and the engagement of the student to enable the effective incorporation of an ELIS into the classroom. Design/methodology/approach This interpretive research used a comparative case study as the aim was to gain an in depth understanding of a particular situation. The research approach also allows an open-minded interpretation of the collected data as the researcher is interested in looking for the "Why and not the How". Data was collected via an online University student feedback survey. Findings Four key themes emerged from the data as follows: 1. IT students learning non-IT related content was a major driving force behind the changes to the course. 2. Staff change brought fresh eyes to the subject content and enabled improvements to occur. 3. Introducing the ELIS assisted the teaching staff to reduce preparation time while also helping students learn at the own pace. 4. Collaborative group work helped facilitated student insights into real life work scenarios The findings show that each of the key themes identified played a role in improving student engagement and satisfaction with the non-IT subject matter. Research limitations/implications A limitation of this research is that it is restricted to one subject within our University which has used two different ELearning ISs. As such, the research provides a limited snapshot of delivering non IT content to IT undergraduates As additional data in relation to areas where subject content and the group work aspect could be improved has been collected from students. Using this data future research can identify new complimentary themes will be identified and then explored in detail to highlight areas where further improvements to the operation of the current ELIS. Another area for future research is investigating an individual's learning perspective in regards to using an information system in an ELearning context. Another area for future research is a focus on the Service Delivery and Quality of the ELIS to help ascertain if these components warrant investigation under a known industry framework such as the Information Technology Infrastructure Library. Practical implications The outcomes from this study are far greater than for the specific subject discussed in this paper. There is potential for any ELIS implementation to benefit from these outcomes however the ELIS itself is not the sole driver in improving student engagement as the other themes identified in this paper have all contributed to this improved student engagement and satisfaction. Originality/value The value of this paper is from its practical perspective. Engaging IT students in non-IT subject matter is a challenging proposition for w...

A Study on Access Control Technology for a Multimedia Based E-Learning System: A Learning Intervention

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