Employers’ Perceptions of Technology Competency: A Multi-Disciplinary Approach
Track
Research Project / Academic/Professional Development
Abstract
As technology is pervasive in all walks of life, students’ technology competency becomes essential in all disciplines in higher education. To fully prepare college graduates to function competently and productively in their career, it is important to examine employers’ views of technology competency. Obtaining employers’ perspectives not only engages employers in building skills of their potential employees, but also fills in a gap between academic program outcomes and workplace expectations. Using the qualitative approach by interviewing employers across a range of fields, this presentation provides preliminary information regarding the major functions and dimensions of technology competency across and within the disciplines. The preliminary results also offer suggestions for post-secondary educational programs to produce graduates with technology competency from employers' perspectives. As the study contributes to the collaboration of the faculty researchers from different backgrounds (Civil Engineering, Nursing, International Trade, and Education) through the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL)—Faculty Learning Communities (FLCs), experiences and collaboration strategies will be shared with attendees. In the end, attendees will be able to have in-depth understandings of technology competency defined by employers and describe the value of collaboration and the faculty learning community in nurturing the SoTL research culture.
Session Format
Presentation Session
Location
Room 210
Recommended Citation
Rushing, Alison Dr.; Song, Xiaomei Dr.; Maghiar, Marcel Dr.; Brown, Christopher Dr.; and Gee, Rose Mary Dr., "Employers’ Perceptions of Technology Competency: A Multi-Disciplinary Approach" (2016). SoTL Commons Conference. 82.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/sotlcommons/SoTL/2016/82
Employers’ Perceptions of Technology Competency: A Multi-Disciplinary Approach
Room 210
As technology is pervasive in all walks of life, students’ technology competency becomes essential in all disciplines in higher education. To fully prepare college graduates to function competently and productively in their career, it is important to examine employers’ views of technology competency. Obtaining employers’ perspectives not only engages employers in building skills of their potential employees, but also fills in a gap between academic program outcomes and workplace expectations. Using the qualitative approach by interviewing employers across a range of fields, this presentation provides preliminary information regarding the major functions and dimensions of technology competency across and within the disciplines. The preliminary results also offer suggestions for post-secondary educational programs to produce graduates with technology competency from employers' perspectives. As the study contributes to the collaboration of the faculty researchers from different backgrounds (Civil Engineering, Nursing, International Trade, and Education) through the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL)—Faculty Learning Communities (FLCs), experiences and collaboration strategies will be shared with attendees. In the end, attendees will be able to have in-depth understandings of technology competency defined by employers and describe the value of collaboration and the faculty learning community in nurturing the SoTL research culture.
