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Integrating cultural issues into the computer and information technology curriculum

Published: 01 June 2001 Publication History

Abstract

Industry leaders and educators in Computer and Information Technology (CIT) have expressed a need for graduates to have a background in professional, societal, and ethical concerns as well as a strong technical capability (Huff and Martin, 1995). Some educators have gone so far as to include cultural awareness: "The cultural dimensions of information technology can no longer be ignored, with the expansion of the global economy, global markets and global communication enabled by information technology" (Hasan and Ditsa, 1998, p. 5). The rationale for supporting and enhancing instruction in cultural issues for CIT workers comes from the growing globalization of the world in communication, the increase of trans-national organizational mergers and partnerships, the merging of various populations within national boundaries, the increasing traffic of individuals to different countries around the world, and the severe shortage of information technology personnel throughout the world. This paper provides material to support the inclusion of cultural issues within the CIT curriculum. The topics identified, which include diversity and multiculturalism, organizational cultures, professional cultures, socio-economic issues, and gender issues, form a foundation body of knowledge that, once learned, can improve and enhance the work of the information technology professional. Exercises are provided that can be incorporated into existing CIT courses across a wide variety of programs, nations, and cultures. As the internationalization of education continues, more exercises and examples will surely arise from the CIT community.

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  1. Integrating cultural issues into the computer and information technology curriculum

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      cover image ACM SIGCSE Bulletin
      ACM SIGCSE Bulletin  Volume 33, Issue 2
      June 2001
      148 pages
      ISSN:0097-8418
      DOI:10.1145/571922
      Issue’s Table of Contents

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      Association for Computing Machinery

      New York, NY, United States

      Publication History

      Published: 01 June 2001
      Published in SIGCSE Volume 33, Issue 2

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      • (2023)Culturally Responsive Artificial Intelligence – Problems, Challenges and SolutionsIntercultural Relations10.12797/RM.02.2023.14.077:2(14)(106-119)Online publication date: 28-Dec-2023
      • (2017)Cross-cultural (Mis)Communication in IS Offshoring: Understanding Through Conversation AnalysisOutsourcing and Offshoring Business Services10.1007/978-3-319-52651-5_11(367-412)Online publication date: 3-Jun-2017
      • (2011)Enhancing the social issues components in our computing curriculumACM Inroads10.1145/1929887.19299072:1(64-82)Online publication date: 25-Feb-2011
      • (2010)Teaching global issues in ITJournal of Computing Sciences in Colleges10.5555/1858449.185846226:1(67-74)Online publication date: 1-Oct-2010
      • (2007)Mandatory fieldsProceedings of the ninth Australasian conference on Computing education - Volume 6610.5555/1273672.1273688(133-139)Online publication date: 30-Jan-2007
      • (2004)Taking it out of contextProceedings of the 2004 ACM conference on Computer supported cooperative work10.1145/1031607.1031712(604-613)Online publication date: 6-Nov-2004

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