Issues in Informing Science and Information Technology Information Quality: The Relationship to Recruitment in Pre-Tertiary IT Education

Iivari and Ervasti’s (1994) Construct for User Information Satisfaction is used within a case study to examine information quality and the satisfaction of the students, teachers and guidance officers with curriculum and career guidance information. It was found that there are curriculum quality differences and dissimilar levels of IT resources available between schools. Independent school students had access to additional IT subjects and information, which enabled them to make a more informed decision about studying IT in higher classes or tertiary institutions. Independent school students were also better equipped to enter elective IT subjects in Years 11 and 12, having gained the foundations of the knowledge in earlier years. Finally, there was general dissatisfaction amongst the students with the educational experience and problems with the ability of teachers and guidance officers being able to remain current about new technologies and the changes in job descriptions in the IT industry.