White, Lucy (2007) Integrating IT Industry Certification into Irish Institutes of Technology : A Stakeholders Perspective. Masters thesis, Waterford Institute of Technology.
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Abstract
This study investigates the potential for integrating IT industry certification into the undergraduate computing curricula in Irish Institutes of Technology (IoTs) from two key stakeholders’ perspectives: Heads of Department (HoDs) and lecturing staff. A rich contextual framework is derived using aspects of Soft Systems Methodology, and five research propositions are identified to investigate. Given the complexity of the humanoriented domain of this research, an interpretivist epistemology was deemed appropriate. A web-based survey was employed to provide a combination of both quantitative and qualitative data for in-depth analysis. Two web-based questionnaires were administered to 13 IoTs in the Republic of Ireland, resulting in 86 responses. The findings reveal that both HoDs and lecturing staff anticipate that certification integration into Irish IoTs would require lecturing staff to obtain additional training to effectively deliver IT industry certification. Both respondent groups highlighted that resources would also be an issue. Similarly, the evidence shows that lecturing staff would be required to change some of their current work practices to ensure effective delivery of IT industry certification training and testing. In general, both HoDs and lecturing staff indicated that they would be in favour of integrating certification into the undergraduate computing curricula, though not at the expense of the existing modules. Both respondents agreed to some extent that certification would help improve students’ competencies, skills, and employability and it would raise the profile of the IoT. Overall this study concludes that, currently, Irish IoTs do not have the required level of capability or maturity to integrate IT industry certification into the undergraduate computing curricula.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Masters) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Information Technology, Certification |
| Departments or Groups: | *NONE OF THESE* |
| Divisions: | School of Science > Department of Computing, Maths and Physics |
| Depositing User: | e- Thesis |
| Date Deposited: | 23 May 2008 16:08 |
| Last Modified: | 22 Aug 2016 10:25 |
| URI: | https://repository.wit.ie/id/eprint/964 |
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