Challenges on the Brazilian Information Systems Education: The Professors’ Perspective

Abstract

<italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">Contribution:</i> The main contribution of this study is to gather and report on the challenges faced by IS courses based on the professors’ perspectives. <p xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <i>Background:</i> Information systems (ISs) area focuses on the interplay among people, processes/organizations, and technologies. As such, stimulating technical and nontechnical competencies are required from professors and students. For instance, despite the current number of IS bachelor’s degree courses, several difficulties have been faced, e.g., students dropout, novel careers in Computing and Informatics, and market waves. <p xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <i>Research Questions:</i> What are the challenges and difficulties of IS Education, considering the professors’ perspective? <p xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <i>Methodology:</i> A survey research was executed to collect data related to the IS courses, and a qualitative analysis was performed to answer the research question based on coding procedures. The nature of the research is exploratory and descriptive. <p xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <i>Findings: </i>Results reveal the importance of continuous training for professors, the institutional policies to support students, the creation of hybrid courses to reduce barriers to students, and course class time offered in the mornings and afternoons.