The Impact of the Introductory IS Course on Students' Perceptions of IS Professionals

Authors

Asli Y. Akbulut, Grand Valley State University

Abstract

Increasing the number of students pursuing Information Systems (IS) majors and careers is vital to the advancement of our knowledge-based economy. Literature suggests that one of the main reasons for students’ lack of interest in IS has been the negative stereotypical image of IS professionals. Research has also emphasized that the introductory IS course plays a significant role in busting prevailing myths about the IS profession and in attracting larger pools of students to the discipline. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to understand students’ perceptions of IS professionals before and after they were exposed to the IS field and careers through the introductory IS course. The findings suggest that students’ image of IS professionals might not be as negative as previously thought. Furthermore, the study confirms the importance of the introductory IS course on how students view the IS field. The paper concludes with a discussion of the findings, implications, limitations, and future research directions.

Recommended Citation

Akbulut, Asli Y. (2015) "The Impact of the Introductory IS Course on Students' Perceptions of IS Professionals," Journal of Information Systems Education: Vol. 26 : Iss. 4 , 295-304.
Available at: https://aisel.aisnet.org/jise/vol26/iss4/4