Abstract: In discipline areas such as information technology and eBusiness, technology advances so rapidly that the issue of developing student skills and capabilities adequate to the demands of the industry becomes a moving target. Industryrelated learning models such as cooperative education can help academic programmes meet the challenge of keeping the IT and eBusiness curricula up-to-date. This paper presents the results of an investigation into student and employer perceptions of the relevance of the professional academic content and outcomes of an undergraduate programme with specializations in IT and in eBusiness. The research models used in the study are derived from a general framework, based on a nomological net of constructs representing three major stakeholder groups: academia, students, and industry. The study found that while both employers and students placed an increased emphasis on technical skills, the need for better understanding of the processes of convergence and integration within the business was also evidenced. Areas in need of specialized curriculum development are identified, as well as a possible misconstruction of the eBusiness discipline as perceived by employers and students.

Keywords: Education, Information technology, eBusiness, Skills, Capabilities, Cooperative education, Curriculum development

Download this article: JISE - Volume 16 Number 1, Page 27.pdf

Recommended Citation: Petrova, K. & Claxton, G. (2005). Building Student Skills and Capabilities in Information Technology and eBusiness: A Moving Target. Journal of Information Systems Education, 16(1), 27-42.