ERIC Number: EJ1252340
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2018-Nov
Pages: 29
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-1946-6226
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Comparing Computing Professionals' Perceptions of Importance of Skills and Knowledge on the Job and Coverage in Undergraduate Experiences
Exter, Marisa; Caskurlu, Secil; Fernandez, Todd
ACM Transactions on Computing Education, v18 n4 Article 21 Nov 2018
This article discusses the findings of a survey of nearly 300 computing professionals who are involved in the design and/or development of software across a variety of industries. We report on the surveyed professionals' perceptions of the importance of a range of topics and skills, and the degree to which 55 recent graduates felt that each topic or skill was emphasized in their undergraduate experience. Our findings highlight the value of breadth and flexibility in technical skills, and the universal importance of critical thinking, problem solving, on-the-job learning, and the ability to work well in cross-disciplinary teams. These findings align roughly with recommendations by the ACM/IEEE task force on computing curricula. However, the recent graduates we surveyed report inconsistent coverage of these most important areas within their degree experiences. We discuss implications for education and for future research.
Descriptors: Professional Personnel, Employee Attitudes, Knowledge Level, Skill Analysis, National Surveys, Computer Science Education, Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, On the Job Training, Interdisciplinary Approach, Professionalism, Career Readiness, College Graduates
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
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Language: English
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