WHY ARE STUDENTS RUNNING AWAY FROM THE COMPUTING MAJOR? AN EXPLORATORY STUDY.

The current reality of IT skills shortages in general and the lack of students in computing in particular has been a subject of interest in the United States in the last decade. We need to better understand the educational environment, especially at the middle school and the high school level, in order to generate interest about technology related preferences, habits, and interests. The purpose of this paper is to study the perceptions of incoming college students regarding the information technology/computing major. This study used a cross-sectional survey methodology for data collection. Findings included confusion about the definition of information technology, negative connotations of the IT field, and lack of awareness among college students concerning technology. Proactive strategies are required to encourage the participation of students in computing related courses and careers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]