Global Diffusion of Information Technology Education: a Comparison with Developing Economies

Information technology (IT) course support plays an important role in modern classrooms. Developing nations have rather more at stake in the diffusion of IT support in the classrooms of higher education than do advanced nations, as this technology diffusion process is often the economic level upon which national competitive advantage will reside. This study compares perceptions of students in an American university information systems program with Jordanian students enrolled in similar programs, and determines that the expectations developed from over a decade of research on the nature of technology diffusion and educational support in the developing world do not necessarily support predictions about key differences between American and Jordanian IT students. Though this research is an initial exploratory foray into the nature of emerging economies and their use of IT support in technology education, important implications for future research are uncovered as part of the process.