Information Technology Undergraduates Research Articles

Examining Instructional Approaches to Foster Soft Skills among Information Technology Undergraduates in Nairobi Metropolitan Area, Kenya

Abstract: This study examines the pedagogical methods meant to improve soft skill acquisition and development in information technology undergraduates in the Nairobi Metropolitan Area. Utilizing a sequential mixed-methods design, the research adopted a two-stage cluster sampling where 10 universities were selected from a total of 31 within the region, representing 5 private and 5 public institutions. Thereafter, 1,143 undergraduate IT students were randomly sampled from an overall population of 3,814 enrolled students, while professors and IT technicians were purposively selected for qualitative interviews. Quantitative data in this respect were collected by using semi-structured questionnaires, capturing the points of view of stakeholders on perceived improvement in soft skills. Although the modern-day job markets require graduates with soft and non-cognitive skills, employers have nonetheless complained about the lack of such competencies among university graduates concerning aspects such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and leadership. This study was based on Vygotsky's social constructivism theory and investigated the development of soft skills among students taking a Bachelor of Information Technology at selected universities within the Nairobi Metropolitan Area. The results have indicated that modern learning methods support the development and acquisition of soft skills aptly. The programs for soft-skill are adequate and frequent training which impacts performance in other disciplines. Signs were proving that there was significant enhancement regarding interpersonal and cognitive competencies of the students as a result of collaborative projects, problem-solving in real life, and reflective practices. It also stresses that educational institutions need to orient themselves more toward interactive and practical teaching methods to better prepare IT graduates for the challenges of a modern workforce.

Stakeholders’ Perspectives on Development and Acquisition of Soft Skills among Information Technology Undergraduate Students in Nairobi, Kenya

This study investigated stakeholders' perceptions of the development and acquisition of soft skills among IT undergraduate students among universities within the Nairobi Metropolitan area, using the mixed-methods approach. The study employed the two-stage cluster sampling procedure to select 10 out of 31 universities (five private and five public) in the Nairobi Metropolitan Region. The study selected 1,143 Information Technology undergraduate students from 3,814 enrolled students. A semi-structured questionnaire collected quantitative data, specifically capturing stakeholders' thoughts on soft skills. Data analysis encompassed quantitative techniques such as descriptive statistics and linear regression. The findings reveal a notable disparity between perceptions of stakeholders and actual development of soft skills among the IT undergraduates. Therefore, there is a need to enhance teaching methods, closely align curricula with stakeholders' expectations, and incorporate specialized modules to cultivate soft skills.

Validity and Reliability Diagnostic Test Computational Thinking Based on Local Wisdom

This study aims to analyze the validity and reliability of the diagnostic test instrument used to measure computational thinking skills based on local wisdom. This method of research is instrument development research. The subjects of this research were students of computer science and information technology undergraduate programs at Bumigora University, totaling 108 students using a random sampling technique. Data collection techniques using tests. The data analysis technique of instrument content validity was determined based on Aiken's V formula, instrument construct validity using EFA, and instrument reliability using Cronbach Alpha. Based on the results of this research, the content validity of the instrument has a high validity index, the construct validity of the instrument items is declared feasible, and the reliability of the instrument has a high-reliability coefficient. So, this instrument is declared valid, reliable, and suitable for use to measure local wisdom-based computational thinking diagnostic tests.

Improvement of Information Technology Undergraduate Thesis Project

Many students face challenges in the thesis preparation process, including time constraints, lack of integration with industry requirements, and lack of understanding of research methodology. This research aims to formulate another form of student thesis project with equal reasoning and difficulty level that can be measured and converted as a thesis. Apart from that, it also improves the quality and relevance of undergraduate thesis projects in Information Technology. The research method used is a descriptive approach, involving surveys and interviews. Research participants include Information Technology undergraduate students, supervisors, industry practitioners, and advisory boards. Data collection instruments include a structural questionnaire and interview guide designed to explore experiences, perceptions, and suggestions regarding changes in the preparation of the thesis project. The proposed solution involves implementing effective time management, closer integration with industry challenges through partnerships with companies, increased understanding of research methodologies, and adaptation of curricula to reflect dynamic changes in the Information Technology industry. It is hoped that the results of this research can provide concrete guidance for improving thesis projects and creating graduates who are better prepared and relevant to industry needs. Through this approach, it is hoped that this research can contribute to improving the academic process in producing higher quality and relevant thesis projects in the context of information technology.

Nutritional Knowledge and Eating Habits among IT Undergraduates of Kathmandu Metropolitan City

Background & Objectives: Undergraduate students can be almost of any age, but majority of the students are in their late teens and early twenties. It is the time of physical and emotional changes as the body matures and the mind becomes more curios and independent and there is an increased desire for knowledge. Thus, the aim of the study was to access the nutritional knowledge and eating Habits among Information technology (IT) undergraduates of Kathmandu Metropolitan City. Material and Methods: This was descriptive cross-sectional study based in Kathmandu Metropolitan City. A total of 422 samples were taken and the study population was IT undergraduates. Chi-square test was used to determine the statistical relationship between dependent and independent variables. Results: The respondent's average age was 20.19. One of the primary sources of nutritional knowledge was education. Nearly all of the respondents thought that fast food and junk food tasted good. The main drivers of junk food and fast food consumption were convenience and flavor. A statistical association existed between the amount spent each week on fast food and junk food and the amount of monthly pocket money. The vast majority of respondents had poor eating habits and insufficient nutritional knowledge. While the majority of students skipped their meals, three-fourths of respondents ate three meals a day, with breakfast being skipped the most frequently, followed by lunch, dinner, and snacks. Conclusion: The study concluded that the vast majority of respondents had poor eating habits and insufficient nutritional knowledge. The primary reason of meal skipping was irregular college hours. It requires constant and long-term effort in personal, parental and college policy in order to make healthy eating a lifestyle must begin from the earliest age possible.

DIDACTIC POTENTIAL OF HUMANITIES IN DEVELOPING TRANSFORMATIVE COMPETENCIES AMONG COMPUTER ENGINEERING AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY UNDERGRADUATES

In the recent decades harnessing the advanced information technologies and their tremendous potential to improve the quality of life for people all over the world is becoming an urgent need than a luxury. Knowing full well that as an innovative student-centred learning paradigm Education 4.0 creates favourable prerequisites for developing valuable professional skills, abilities and knowledge among Computer Engineering and Information Technology undergraduates, the researchers assumed that it also might be effective in preparing them for challenges of the contemporary world through developing their transformative competencies while studying the humanities. The paper aims to reveal the didactic potential of humanities for developing Computer Engineering and Information Technology undergraduates’ transformative competencies. The researchers carried out an exploratory study in five Ukrainian universities using an online survey conceived and developed by a team of researchers. A total of 275 respondents selected by means of a purposeful sampling method took part in the survey. The study found that humanities (1) are more likely to apply various learning activities which can be done both individually and in groups than technical disciplines and (2) have much broader potential for developing all key constructs of transformative competencies among Computer Engineering and Information Technology undergraduates than technical disciplines. The results enabled the researchers to formulate recommendations for university teachers of humanities on how to develop transformative competences among Computer Engineering and Information Technology undergraduates. The combination of challenge-based learning (CBL) and activity-based learning (ABL) is being considered as a major methodological approach of Education 4.0 for developing transformative competences among Computer Engineering and Information Technology undergraduates. Scientific novelty of research consists in revealing and describing the didactic potential of humanities for developing Computer Engineering and Information Technology undergraduates’ transformative competencies.

DEVELOPING COMPUTER ENGINEERING AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY UNDERGRADUATES’ LEARNER AUTONOMY: INDIVIDUALISED INSTRUCTION IN ENGLISH CLASSROOM

The rapid development of information science and technology encourages lifelong learning and requires university graduates to be able to learn throughout their lives and have special abilities which help them search for continuous education and training opportunities. For students who associate their professional lives with computer sciences, learner autonomy is of immense importance since it helps them take full responsibility for success in professional life and career and contributes to the sustainable development of the current fast-moving digital society. As autonomous learners Computer Engineering and Information Technology undergraduates are able to define their goals clearly, to identify the most optimal learning strategies for achieving these goals and for acquiring new knowledge and skills necessary for their further professional development. The present study is aimed at finding out Computer Engineering and Information Technology undergraduates’ viewpoints on effectiveness of individualised instruction for developing their learner autonomy in English classroom. With this in mind, the team of researchers applied a questionnaire to a sample of Computer Engineering and Information Technology undergraduates who study at three higher education institutions of Ukraine. Data collection lasted for three months and took place in September-December 2022. The obtained results clearly demonstrate that individualised instruction delivered through online teaching tools and apps in English classroom enables university teachers to develop Computer Engineering and Information Technology Undergraduates’ learner autonomy effectively.

GLOBAL COMPETENCE DEVELOPMENT AMONG COMPUTER ENGINEERING AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY UNDERGRADUATES IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE CLASSROOM

Nowadays higher education institutions are directly involved in the training of new personnel, so they should seriously puzzle one of the most obvious questions today, how to prepare students to meet the challenges of Industrial Revolution 4.0 in an increasingly globalised society. And although the unequivocal answer to this question doesn’t exist, one thing is certain: while providing Education 4.0 through incorporating advanced technology into the curriculum for implementing best practices and innovative methodological approaches, methods and techniques, higher education institutions should do their best to shape the next generation of highly employable global citizens who can think and act from a global perspective. In the future students who specialise in the field of Computer Engineering and Information Technology will be at the forefront of advancing the technology available to all people in the world and, therefore, they should be globally competent. It means that they should possess a global competence to successfully compete on a global scale. Significant practical experience gained by the authors of the article made it possible to assume that being one of the humanities which is taught to Computer Engineering and Information Technology undergraduates in Ukrainian higher education institutions, English has a great potential for developing their global competence. Considering the fact that Ukrainian 15-year-old students were not a part of the PISA 2018 Global Competence assessment, the present research was aimed at finding out how the participants understood the concept of “global competence”, their awareness of the importance of global competence development in accordance with the requirements and principles of Education 4.0 associated with the Industrial Revolution 4.0 and participants’ views on the role of the English language in its development. For exactly this purpose the authors made a questionnaire in Google Forms. The research participants were 249 Computer Engineering and Information Technology undergraduates who were selected by means of a purposeful sampling method. The conducted research shows that the didactic uniqueness of the English language as an academic discipline aimed at developing global competence is manifested in the fact that it can be seen as both a learning goal and a learning tool. The results obtained became the basis for devising a paradigm defining strategy (the core strategy) and four sub-strategies effective for developing Computer Engineering and Information Technology undergraduates’ global competence in the English language classroom.

Information Technology Undergraduate Students’ Intercultural Value Orientations and Their Beliefs about the Influence of Such Orientations on Teamwork Interactions

Companies and their executives are concluding that to accomplish their complex tasks and all-encompassing missions and goals, they must step outside the traditional realms of teamwork and partnership and engage in cross-cultural and multinational alliances. One of the principal areas affecting teamwork today, especially in diverse workplaces, is the variety of cultural value orientations that the members relate to. To better prepare students for joining global enterprises, it is necessary to understand their cultural orientations and how those may influence their teamwork interactions. This study used a mixed methods design to characterize computer and information technology undergraduate students’ cultural orientations and their cultural awareness in the context of teamwork experiences. The data for the study was collected in the form of a reflection assignment that was implemented during the first week of classes as a way to promote students’ cultural awareness and how that may play out in their teamwork interactions. The reflection assignment had two parts: (i) a survey and (ii) reflection questions. The study used descriptive statistics and t-tests to analyze the survey (quantitative data), and thematic analysis was conducted to analyze the reflection questions (qualitative data). Our analysis of the quantitative data revealed that students identified the following core values they are Individualism, Equality, Monochronic, Meritocracy, Informality, Personal Efficacy, and Directness, and these values resonated with most of the students in class. Corresponding qualitative themes that emerged regarding students’ beliefs of how those values may play out in their teamwork experience were (a) Treating everyone equally and understanding others, (b) Increasing temporal Awareness, (c) Enacting effective communication, (d) Monitoring the progress of team members and (e) Establishing rules and boundaries.

An Approach to Measure the Pedagogy in Slides with Voice-Over Type Instructional Videos

: E-learning provides a more suitable learning environment for educators and learners. Hence, the e-learning community has rapidly increased over the years. At present, e-learning environments use several materials to transfer knowledge to learners. Out of various types of materials, instructional videos have become the prominent source of information in popular e-learning environments. Instructional videos in e-learning can be categorised into many types based on the content presentation method. Voice-over slides are popular instructional videos at present. Since the instructional materials are a key component of an e-learning environment, maintaining the required quality of these materials is vital. Using proper pedagogy in instructional materials mainly enhances the quality. There are many pedagogical principles proposed over the years, and these principles address different features of all instructional materials. Therefore, it is necessary to derive the applicable pedagogical principles based on the features available in the instructional video to analyse the pedagogy in an instructional video. The investigation related to this paper aims to derive an approach to analysing and quantifying the pedagogy in slides with voice-over type instructional videos. In this study, a thorough literature review first identified the pedagogical principles applicable to slides with voice-over type instructional videos. Next, the prominence of the identified pedagogical principles was derived from a Likert-scale survey conducted by several Information Technology undergraduates. The survey response assigned a rank to each identified pedagogical principle. The rank was derived by the mean score obtained for each pedagogical principle. Next, one-way ANOVA tests were performed for the mean score of pedagogical principles to derive their prominence levels. The ANOVA tests were conducted by adding adjacent pedagogical principles with a non-identical rank until the ANOVA results claimed a significant difference in variances. A new level was defined when the ANOVA results showed a significant difference. This study proposed a pedagogical score calculation formula using these levels (derived from the statistical analysis) to derive a qualitative measure of the use of pedagogy in slides with voice-over type instructional videos. The pedagogical evaluators and content developers can use the proposed scoring method to quantify and compare the pedagogy in slides with voice-over instructional videos.

An empirical survey on prevalence and demographic differences in academic dishonesty among undergraduates from four public universities in China

PurposeThis empirical survey is conducted to investigate the prevalence rate of academic dishonesty (AD) in examinations and assignments among undergraduates. The study compared the difference in admitted behaviours of academic dishonesty between male and female students comprising second-year, third-year and fourth-year students from the discipline of business, engineering, information technology (IT) and education.Design/methodology/approachA cross-sectional study was utilized in this study and collected data via the online questionnaire. A total of 1,624 respondents participated from four public universities of four provinces in China Mainland.FindingsThe findings showed that the proportion of respondents from China participating in AD is between 15.4 and 51.7%. The findings showed that more than two-thirds of the respondents stated involved dishonesty in examinations and assignments at least once during the previous academic year. In addition, male and female undergraduates in second-year, third-year and fourth-year showed statistically significant differences in dishonest behaviours. Specifically, the male/senior students were more involved in dishonest behaviours than the females/sophomores.Originality/valueUnlike previous studies, this study found that discipline in the Chinese context was not a significant demographic predictor of dishonesty. Although not significantly different, the respondents majoring in business reported a high engagement rate of dishonesty, followed by engineering and information technology undergraduates, but education undergraduates revealed the lowest engagement rate of dishonesty. The target integrity education should be imparted among male and senior students.

Undergraduate Nursing Students Endorse Education Standards in Blended e-Learning Theory Teaching during COVID-19 Pandemic

Aim: The aim of this study was to survey student learning perspectives as measured by ‘student satisfaction’ following the rapid introduction of remote blended e-learning into the existing undergraduate nursing curriculum at Umm Al-Qura University, Saudi Arabia. Background: National legislation resulting from the spread of Covid-19 required all theoretical and practical nurse training to move immediately to online provision using an unfamiliar e-learning environment and associated tools. Objective: The objective of this study was to use a validated satisfaction questionnaire developed elsewhere, but within a similar educational context involving both theoretical and practical components, for the purpose of checking that educational objectives were being satisfactorily achieved across five relevant domains of educational enquiry, and to use survey findings to improve the online delivery of the nursing program in future academic years. Methods: A validated 35 item questionnaire was circulated online to all male and female nursing students in their 2nd, 3rd and 4th years of study. The questionnaire content was subdivided into the five domains of ‘Interaction’, ‘Instruction’, ‘Instructor’, ‘Course Management’ and ‘Technology’. Descriptive and comparative statistics were used to compare levels of satisfaction between genders and among undergraduate years of study, and against findings from undergraduate information technology undergraduates. Results: 199 female and 84 male students completed the questionnaire (response rate 59.2%). Mean satisfaction scores for male and female nursing undergraduates were significantly greater than 3 (neutral score) in all domains of enquiry, indicating good satisfaction with blended e-learning (p<0.001). However, multivariate regressions of domain satisfaction scores taking gender and year of study as explanatory variables had poor resolving power. Domain scores were also significantly greater than those of a comparator study in three of the five domains (p<0.030) and similar in the domains of course management (p=0.717) and technology (p=0.677). Levels of satisfaction in males and females were similar in 80% of the survey questions, but in females, satisfaction was significantly lower in some questions concerning technology (p<0.003), willingness to interrupt the instructor (p=0.021), comparison of blended learning and face-to-face teaching (p=0.002) and timely feedback on tests and assignments (p=0.031). Fourth-year students showed the highest levels of satisfaction across all five domains. Conclusion: Undergraduate nursing students reported above-average satisfaction levels across all five domains of education provision. Despite an unfamiliar blended e-learning curriculum environment, they demonstrated compatible technological skills, satisfactory interaction with teachers and other students and engagement in the learning process. A number of recommendations identified in the literature as underlying a successful program of blended e-learning are recorded for the benefit of readers.

Collaborative learning approach to teach computer coding in informal spaces

ABSTRACT This study examines the participation of the Less Effective Learning Group(LELG) students in Collaborative Learning in Informal Space (CLIS) to gain more insights in two of the five principles of the Framework of Participation. Their participation is based on relationships of mutual recognition and acceptance and participation requires learning to be active and collaborative.Of note, the LELG students focus more on individual work and less on group discussion and the informal learning space includes both the physical and virtual spaces without the presence of a lecturer. The study aims to contribute new pedagogical practices to the framework that are suitable for the LELG students. The research involved 90 Information Technology undergraduates. Data gathered through semi-structured focus group interview were analysed deductively with predetermined codes using the conceptual content analysis. The findings emphasise the importance of teaching LELG students’ self-regulation and the appreciation of interdependence that implies accepting theirpeers’ views and also defending their contributions. To co-construct knowledge effectively in a collaborative manner they have to regulate their cognitive processes. The pedagogical proposals include promoting group co-regulation and teaching students how to collaborate effectively.

Mobile Applications for Learning: Exploring Information Technology Undergraduates’ Preference in Malaysia

Mobile devices, mobile applications (apps), smartphones, tabs are all tools used in the proliferation of mobile learning. These devices have been influential in changing how students communicate and learn today hence revolutionizing the 21st-century classroom. A total of 79 Information Technology undergraduates from two higher education institutes participated in this study. Findings revealed that WhatsApp was the most used application for communicating and sharing learning contents with peers and lecturers. Respondents used YouTube and Internet browsers to access alternative learning contents and the least used applications were related to learning management (calendar and cloud storage). Furthermore, results indicated no significant difference between gender and academic year towards their perception and concurrently all students had a positive perception towards using mobile technology for teaching and learning.

Education for Electromagnetics: Introducing Electromagnetics as an Appetizer Course for Computer Science and IT Undergraduates [Education Column

Engineers are a global commodity, who serve to advance the betterment of mankind. Electromagnetics (EM) engineers especially will play an increasingly crucial role in making solar energy economical, advancing health informatics, and preventing nuclear terror, among other roles in the near future. In this day and age, many disciplines are closely intertwined. Traditionally, electromagnetics has played an important role in the curriculum of electrical and/or electronic (EE) engineering. In this paper, electromagnetics is proposed to be introduced as an appetizer course for CS (computer science) and IT (information technology) undergraduates. Since the majority of these students will not pursue a career specializing in electromagnetics, a different approach should be taken to the designing and conducting of this electromagnetics appetizer course that differs from the traditional EE curriculum, which covers topics such as vectors, statics, transmission lines, and waves. On the contrary, this appetizer course should revolve around topics that are relevant to modern life, such as the received signal strength indicated on the smart phone, to which students can relate. The rest of this paper presents an electromagnetics appetizer course introduced at the Department of Computer Science and Networked System, Sunway University, Malaysia, the curriculum of which was validated by Lancaster University, UK.

Design of an Information Technology Undergraduate Program to Produce IT Versatilists

This paper attempts to present a model for designing an IT undergraduate program that is based on the recommendations of the Association for Computer Machinery/ Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers – Information Technology (ACM/IEEE – IT) Curriculum Model. The main intent is to use the ACM/IEEE – IT Curriculum Model’s recommendations as a guide to design an IT curriculum that includes the IT knowledge core, general requirements beyond the IT knowledge core, and advanced courses. In addition, the recommendations are used to ensure quality standards of the curriculum. In the process, the model takes advantage of ACM/IEEE – IT Curriculum Model’s recommendations to design an undergraduate IT program that produces IT versatilists. Morello (2005) stated that IT professionals are no longer referred to as specialists or generalists. In today’s business world, these professionals are IT versatilists. They not only have technical abilities, but they also possess expertise in multiple domains within organizations. Versatility of IT professionals plays an important role in today’s organizations for achieving competitive tasks. The model consists of two phases. Phase I encompasses the design of the framework for the IT program. It includes four components: formulating program mission, considering program accreditation, establishing program career goals, and establishing program competencies. Phase II focuses on the design of specific courses in the curriculum and includes the designing the IT foundational courses and the designing the advanced IT courses. It supports the foundational work of Phase I. Phase II takes advantage of putting together a curriculum that produces IT versatilists. It includes the body of knowledge and the general requirements. It also includes advanced courses within and beyond the IT domain to provide strength to the curriculum. This paper begins with introductory remarks that include an explanation of IT versatilists and the purpose of the paper. A review of the literature about the IT curriculum is presented following a brief discussion of the ACM/IEEE - IT Curriculum Model 2008. Next, the model is presented. It describes the design of an undergraduate IT program based on the ACM/IEEE - IT Curriculum Model’s recommendations. The model uses the undergraduate IT program at Macon States’ School of Information Technology as an example. Conclusion and recommendations complete the paper.

Studi tentang Perbedaan Evaluasi Etis, Intensi Etis (Etical Intention) dan Orientasi Etis dilihat dari Gender dan Disiplin Ilmu: Potensi Rekruitment Staf Profesional pada Kantor Akuntan Publik

This study tests for gender and discipline-based differences in ethical evaluation, ethical intentions and ethical orientation among subjects from accountancy department, faculty of law and information technology undergraduates, both women and men. Examination conducted with Mancova. The results indicate the difference in ethical orientation between women and men only occurred at moral construct of utilitarianism. There are no differences in ethical intention and ethical evaluation between men and women. Thus, in general research findings support structural approach. The difference in ethical orientation also occurred among various subjects from different academic disciplines, especially in moral construct of justice, egoism and deontological. There are also differences in ethical evaluation and ethical intention among subjects from different science disciplines.

Managing IT professionals in a global environment

Organizations are facing a world which is becoming increasingly more global and where many are now forced to operate in a cross-cultural environment. For the Multinational company (MNC) this implies the development of corporate personnel policies which can be effected and effective in a multi-cultural environment. This is particularly relevant to Information Technology (IT) personnel who, by the very nature of their job, have to participate in the development of Information Systems (IS) that transcend cultural barriers.The effective deployment of IT staff has long been an issue of concern coupled with the scarcity of IT professionals in many countries. The global nature of IS, however, also implies the formation of multi-cultural project teams where management must take into account the different expectations and motivational patterns of IT staff worldwide. The problem has intensified with the growing utilization of outsourcing as a means of supplying cheaper trained IT staff.This article reports on a cross-cultural study which addresses some of these issues. The study examines the career expectations of IT undergraduates with the perceived reality of the IT profession through the eyes of graduates. Hong Kong based IT professionals are compared at both stages of the study against their United States counterparts. Not only is there a severe mismatch between the expectations and their realization but significant differences exist between the two cultures. These differences relate both to staff development needs and management approaches. This has a number of implications for IT personnel policies and for IT management worldwide.