Information Technology 1
Running head: INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Information Technology Courses in northern Illinois High Schools:
An Evaluation of
In High School Information Technology Programs.
Brett A. Thompson
A masters project presented in
partial fulfillment
of the
requirements for the Master of Arts Degree
in
Educational Leadership EDL 529
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Table of Contents
I INTRODUCTION
..
...
4
Introduction
. 4
Background
. 8
Problem Statement
.. 10
Research Questions
.
.
.
. 11
II REVIEW OF LITERATURE
.
.
14
Introduction
.
14
Information Technology
Certifications and Their Demand
.
..
15
Overview of Information
Technology Programs
..
.
17
Arguments Opposing Proprietary IT Certifications for High
School Students
.
.... 18
Arguments in Favor of Proprietary IT Certifications for High
School Students
.. 24
Conclusion
.
.
.. 25
III METHODOLOGY
.
.
27
Rationale of the Design
..
27
Site Selection/Subjects
..
. 27
Instruments
..
... 28
Procedures for Data Collection
..
31
Procedure for Data Analysis
..
31
IV
RESULTS
.
.
.
33
Introduction
..
..
... 33
Research
Question One
..
..
. 33
Research
Question Two
..
..
36
Research
Question Three
..
..
. 43
Research
Question Four
..
..
46
Conclusion
..
..
48
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V
DISCUSSION
49
Introduction
.
.. 49
Analysis of Research Question
One
.
. 49
Analysis of Research Question
Two
.
. 52
Analysis of Research Question
Three, Part I
.
54
Analysis of Research Question
Three, Part II
..
.. 60
Analysis of Research Question
Four
..
61
Conclusion
..
65
Limitations and Suggestions for
Future Research
..
66
Recommendations for
Administrators
.
67
REFERENCES
.
. 70
APPENDIX
A Cover Letter
..
74
APPENDIX B Survey
..
.
. 75
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CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
Introduction
The
purpose of this study was to determine the perceptions of northern
Ciscos intent is
commendable, but many educators and industry leaders question the
appropriateness of the
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The purpose or mission of career and technical education is to provide students with an opportunity to learn academic and technical skills, explore different career options, and discover ways to balance life and work roles. Were about lifelong
learning, and
we recognize that there cannot be dead ends at any level of education (NEA
Today, 2002, p. 11).
Todays high school students need contemporary computer education that teaches students sound fundamentals across a broad cluster of computing concepts. In reality, most high school students in IT courses are being taught proprietary skills that are based upon one manufacturers curriculum and proprietary equipment.
High schools have focused, and should continue to focus, on rigorous curriculum based upon a balanced blend of conceptual and lab-based experiences to educate students on essential and rudimentary computer skills. These essential and rudimentary computer skills develop students into life-long learners in which their formal high school computer training can be drawn from and utilized in any IT career, not merely pigeon-holing students into a proprietary computer network training course alone. This study proves through qualitative and quantitative data that high school students need vendor-neutral training on computer cluster fundamentals before studying higher-level proprietary Cisco curriculum.
The need for properly educated and trained personnel in IT is profound. According to a report by Carolyn Veneri (1998) for the U.S. Department of Labor and Bureau of Labor Statistics, Database administrators, computer support specialists, and
Information Technology 6
all other computer scientists, computer engineers, and system analysts are projected to be the fastest growing occupations between 1996 and 2006, and job openings should be
plentiful (p.6 ). Thus, there seems to be little debate over the need for professional certifications in the IT field. In fact, computer professionals are taking in more training and testing than ever before. Gabelhouse (2000), in an article for Certification Magazine titled Salary Survey, writes about a study conducted by International Data Corporation (IDC). IDC research found that the IT training and testing industries reached $2.5 billion in 1999 and is expected to reach $4.1 billion by 2003, a 15 percent growth rate (as cited in Certification Magazine, 2000, p.30). Research shows certifications have proven to be critical components of successful IT employees.
Training, testing, and certification vary in type and amount depending on what certification one is pursuing. Evans and Henry (2000), authors of Computer Certification Updates for Technical Educators, explain certifications in general as: One way for those who are in a technical field to enter and/or advance in the job market is to be able to show employers that they have appropriate credentials. Certification is one type of credentialing that is gaining popularity, not only with employees but also with employers (p.10). The other type of credentialing Evans and Henry are referring to is experience. The most desired employees have a complimentary blend of certification and experience.
According
to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), between 1996 and 2006, the
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and 244,000 to replace retirees, change of professions and other reasons (Department of Commerce, 1996, p.1). The benefits of certification appear to benefit both the employer and the employee. For the employee, Studies have shown that certification enhances job satisfaction, increases productivity, and provides the incentive for better performance
(Evans & Henry, 2000, p.10). For the employer, Certification can demonstrate to prospective employers through documentation that an individual has the knowledge, skills, discipline, and determination to succeed. It can be used to screen prospective
employees. Studies show that companies with certified employees have improved productivity and less unscheduled down time than those organizations with no certified employees (Evans & Henry, 2000, p.10). Certification is an important part of the IT industry and has led to different paths in earning an IT certification.
The need to educate and train thousands of new people has become a leading concern for high school IT departments as well as IT businesses. As a result, two certification paths have resulted. The first path is education. Educating students involves teaching core background knowledge, applicable technical skills, transferable employment and life-long learning strategies, and test taking tactics. The education paths can start in high school and lead to post-secondary opportunities at tech schools, community colleges, and universities. The second path is training. Training students involves teaching only current applicable technical skills to get a certification. Current applicable technical skills quickly expire after a few years forcing the student to retrain
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and be subjected to employment uncertainty due to outdated skills. The training path can be justified when it is coupled with education. But many times training is used as a
shortcut or bandage for quick, but often, short-lived employment. The training path is through stand-alone proprietary curriculum and third party trainers that offer certification boot camps for the sole purpose of earning an IT certification.
Background
In an attempt to reduce the gap between open job opportunities and bodies to fill those positions, computer technology companies have discovered a great untapped
resource, high school students. For example, in their Academy Overview (1998b) material, Cisco includes a report titled Certificate Program Aims to Fill Shortage of Qualified Network Administrators. The website begins with Cisco Systems, Inc., the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet, has partnered with Education to provide a training program designed to address the current national shortage of information technology workers (Cisco Systems, 1998b, p.1). The overview goes on to mention, In the program, graduates gain the skills necessary to fill some of the estimated 346,000 high-technology jobs that are currently available in businesses throughout the United States (Cisco Systems, 1998b, p.1). The author, who is CompTIAs A+ and Network+ certified and certified to teach Cisco curriculum, believes the Cisco curriculum is valuable material that can aid one in achieving success with the Cisco certification exams. However, the notion of Cisco filling some of the estimated 346,000 high-technology jobs with inexperienced high school students is a bit daunting.
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Certifications are evidence to an employer stating ones skills and abilities. However, they are valuable only with an accommodating blend of experience. For
example, one can compare a certification to a drivers license. Sixteen year olds get their drivers license, but it is a stretch to say they are experienced professional drivers ready for the most challenging road conditions. Prometric, an IT leader in training and certification, recently released their annual study of IT certification called 2002 Global IT Training and Certification Study: Shifting Values in the Journey to Certification. In the research, one anonymous IT Manager writes:
Today, you have literally kids majoring in computer science Ive got a kid there right now whos on the co-op program for school and hes just here until December. Hes still in school and his resume said in the summer he worked for Burger King. I mean hes never been in an IT shop, so how much can that certification really mean? It means absolutely nothing in this case other than he read the books and he was able to spit back what he read (2002, p. 26).
Certifications are a valued commodity by both employers and employees. However, many employers value work experience just as equally, if not more, than certifications.
The author was
unable to find any material on the number of high school students in
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northern
Problem Statements
The increasing need for certified computer professionals has created a new paradigm unknown to teachers, community colleges and universities only five years ago.
What has been created is an educational and training enterprise that is transnational and competency-based, confers certifications not degrees, and exists beyond governments
notice or control. And is much bigger than we imagine (Adelman, 2000, p. 1). Because of the large demand, the need for quickly certified technicians has created some information technology curriculum that is overwhelmingly overloaded with vendor specific content that has a questionable effect on high school students success.
On the other hand, industry neutral certification courses, like CompTIAs, do contain curriculum that is responded to well and successfully achieved by high school students. In other words, some computer technology companies have created largely proprietary curricula whose purpose may be free access to thousands of high school students around the world. Sosbe (2001), editor of Certification Magazine, says it this way: Consider this gap in todays training puzzle: To fly a certain plane, a pilot must be certified in that planes operations. But before the pilot can be certified, she must be licensed to fly in the first place. In IT, we have the certifications, but not the licensure (p. 4). Proprietary curriculums are like the certification; vendor-neutral curriculum is like the license. The proprietary curriculum trains students on higher-level product details as a replacement for educating students on IT fundamentals.
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Schools are traditionally places of new trends. However, not all educators agree with the evolvement of proprietary IT curriculum in high schools. In his research, The New Networkers: The Path to Hot Jobs Begins in High School, Bushweller (2001)
quotes Ivan Charner, the Director of the National Institute for Work and Learning. Charner says Responding to the specific and narrow needs of employersthats not
what education should be about (p. 16). Charner goes on to say We need well educated kids who have the job skills and abilities to move in and out of different fields (p. 17).
Many teachers, including the author, agree that students should not be taught vendor specific skills to meet the immediate needs of today at the expense of the life long learning needs of the student. In other words, training a student to perform particular tasks and processes should never be mistaken for a well-rounded, foundational, and developmental education. Education promotes self-directed and life-long learning, complex thinkers, and collaborative workers. Training creates skill patches for short term needs.
Research Questions
Only in recent years have computer technologies become critical to the successful productivity of business, education, and government. Along with new computer technologies come the many developing companies that seek computer savvy employees to support their products. As a result, a plethora of computer vendors have developed skill-based exams, called certifications, to recognize individuals with the skills necessary to support PCs in general and/or particular vendor products. In fact, according
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to Evans and Henry (2000), There are over 200 technical certifications available. Certifications, called a valuable new currency in the job market (National
Alliance of Business, 2000, p. 3) are typically sought after by currently employed adults looking for focused, flexible, interdisciplinary, and highly relevant educational
opportunities (Kerka, 2000, p.1). However, with industry not being able to meet demand with currently employed or career-changing adults, some proprietary vendors, such as Cisco, Microsoft, Sun Microsystems and Adobe have worked their curricula and certifications into the high school curriculum. As a secondary technology education teacher, the author has had the opportunity to teach the CompTIA A+ curriculum and the Cisco Curriculum. The authors experiences with these curricula reflect that entry-level curriculum, for example CompTIAs A+, are content and age appropriate, while higher level vendor proprietary curriculum, for example Ciscos curriculum, is more appropriate for post-secondary institutions and third party trainers. Throughout this research, the author supports this hypothesis by collecting empirical data for the support of appropriate high school IT curricula.
The following questions were of particular interest
to the author and drove this study.
First, what is the success rate of high school students in northern
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curriculum for high school students? Fourth, do instructors believe there are other IT courses with different perceived strengths and weaknesses that may or may not be more
effective for high school
students? As a result of the collected
data, this research documents the passing rates of high school students taking
the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) exam,
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CHAPTER 2
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
Introduction
Computers have significantly changed our lives. They make us more productive and entertain us beyond the scope of anyones imagination. In a sense, computers have made our lives easier; they can balance the checkbook, move whole paragraphs within a document, manipulate large databases, and even allow us to connect to one another from across the world. However, along with these favorable changes comes the demand for qualified persons to design, build and maintain these systems, from the stand-alone machine to the most complex computer systems.
The change has been rapid. For instance, only twenty-five years ago it may have seemed a bit out of place to see a computer in a classroom or at a public library. Further, the business world depended on slide rules and calculators to crunch numbers and typewriters to print documents. In todays rapidly changing world of technology it seems employers want competent employees to design, build and maintain complex systems that were unheard of only recently. How does an employer ensure the employees are competent in computer related tasks? The answer is in professional certifications. Certificates are a valuable new currency in the job market (National Alliance of Business, 2000, p. 3). Most agree certifications prove to an employer that an employee possesses the necessary skills. But, the age at which students begin studying for these
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certifications is a debatable issue; an issue on which industry and education have yet to agree.
Information Technology Certifications and Their Demand
Information
Technology certifications are fulfilling requirements that traditional avenues
of higher education have yet to do. The
need for IT certified personnel is two-fold.
First, the American economy maintains a growing demand for IT workers in
a wide range of IT occupational categories.
Second, it is alleged that the formal system of education in the
According to
Clifford Adelman (2000), there are other facts pertaining to IT certification
in the
Information Technology 16
demographic characteristics and success rates of those certified. Certificates are becoming more popular for employers and employees. According to Bruce Keene
(2000), President and CEO of
Kepner-Tregoe, Inc., employees are having difficulty keeping up with the
quickly changing labor markets and supply chains.
At the same time, workers are eager to secure good jobs and advance. But for them, too, time is money, and they dont want to waste time on either education or training that does not generate knowledge and skills that are directly marketable. More and more, certificates are playing a key role in informing learners about the value of particular courses or programs in the job marketplace. For employers, workers and educators/trainers, certificates speed up the market by clarifying supply and demand signals (p. 4).
Further, the Prometric study writes
Particularly in a slumping IT economy, the most important benefits of
certification for candidates are personal in nature. Preparing for and achieving certification can
result in a confidence boost as well as perceptions of credibility and
competence among colleagues and clients (2002, p. 2). IT employees and employers place value on
certifications; currently it is the only way to verify employees IT skills.
Information Technology 17
Overview of Information Technology Programs
Novell, a computer networking company, began the IT certification trend about twelve years ago. Ten years ago Novell owned approximately 80 percent of the worlds
local area networking market. Seeing a need to establish an acceptable level of competency for people who worked on its products, Novell trained and certified experts who oversee systems around the globe (Dean, 2001, p. 24). Novell experienced
tremendous success with their system of certifications. Soon, other IT companies began offering certifications as well. The certification trend was born, but really did not flourish until the technology boom of the late 1990s. From here, school administrators and teachers began seeing a market created that high school students could help fill, and be successful. Today, the popularity of high school IT courses has soared.
Students in IT
courses have generally two choices:
proprietary curriculum, with the two most popular being Cisco and
Microsoft; or a vendor-neutral curriculum generally aligned toward the Computer
Technology Industry Association, also known as CompTIA. For the purpose of this research project the
author will focus on analysis of the
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states. Today the Academies are in all 50 states and more than 145 countries. Collectively, there are over 260,000 students in more than 9,800 Academies.
Arguments Opposing Proprietary IT Certifications for High School Students
There seems to be little debate over the need and demand for IT curriculum in todays high schools. The current debate of teaching IT certification coursework comes down to two questions. First, should the course teach students material solely to pass the
exam to become certified; an intellectual, material-centered approach? This debate is similar to teachers who dispute teaching to standardized tests. Or, second, should the
course teach students through hands-on activities the basic principles and fundamentals of the curriculum; a building block, process-centered approach? The author has discovered several sources that support both sides of the debate.
First, the argument opposed to teaching high school students proprietary curriculum is best supported by the report Building a Foundation for Tomorrow: Tech Prep Information Technology Skills Standards-Based Curriculum (1999). This report recommends students evolve through a three-tier system. The first tier suggests building the foundational skills (SCANS), knowledge, abilities, and personal qualities required of all workers to be successful in todays workplace. The second tier suggests teaching technical skills, knowledge and abilities, teaching skills common to all jobs within a career cluster across all industries. The third tier suggests teaching industry-specific technical skills, knowledge and abilities unique to individual industries or organizations. This model clearly suggests that proprietary curricula are classified as third tier and
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should not be taught in high school until the student has successfully completed tiers one and two. Further, in the authors experience as a teacher, high school students do not reach tier three. The highest tier a high school student will reach is tier two. Thus, tier three material becomes applicable at the collegiate or industry level.
Bettina Lankard Brown (1999), in her work Good Work Ensures Employment Success: Myths and Realities, also supports teaching foundational, transferable skills
before learning the technical skills of vendor specific curricula. Brown writes, With increased attention to skill standards and worker certifications, people tend to consider their qualifications solely in relationship to the occupational skills they have acquired. This publication addresses the myth that skill competencies alone ensure employment
and discusses the value of continuous learning, emotional intelligence, networking, flexibility, and commitment to business objectives as other keys to workplace success (p. 4). Brown suggests students must learn transferable and employable skills before seeking employer specific skills like proprietary IT certifications.
The arguments that oppose proprietary certifications in IT classes go beyond IT issues to face the pedagogy of education as a whole. Current political ideology suggests No child left behind, guaranteeing student performance and preparedness through standardized testing. In his article titled Degrees in Thinkology, John Desmond speaks of the current unmerited philosophy of modern education. Desmond writes To many, this is the purpose of education knowledge for money. Our school administrators and politicians respond to this attitude and are now turning our public schools into test preparation centers instead of places of genuine learning. Desmond goes on to say It
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trivializes knowledge and eliminates the concepts of understanding and perspective. By associating knowledge only with material gain, we create a society where we only study
to pass test (Desmond, 2002, 7). Although Desmond is not specifically speaking of IT curriculum, he is addressing the educational pedagogy of teaching to pass a test, otherwise known as training, which is what proprietary curriculums teach. Instead, Desmond continues to believe schools should teach fundamental skills, thought process, self-directed learning, and developing students into life-long learners. Vendor-neutral curriculum teaches fundamental and foundational skills that are applicable across the computer science cluster.
Industry leaders also value the importance of vendor-neutral certifications. CompTIA, the Computer Technology Industry Association, is the largest global trade association supporting the IT industry. Currently, CompTIA has 9,600 corporate members and 10,500 individual professional members. John Venator, President and CEO of CompTIA, had this to say regarding professional certifications:
Reputable educational and training organizations emphasize that students learn broad concepts first, before jumping into specifics. They want their students to become fully grounded so that when the technology climate changes, and it always does, they will have the insights and the knowledge to adapt successfully to a new environment. Vendor-neutral certifications are developed and maintained from this need to set standards at the foundation level. A second group that definitely wants to see well-grounded people is comprised of employers. Employers know that IT professionals who are well versed in the
Information Technology 21
basics respond quite effectively to additional training and are more flexible in handling a variety of situations (Certification Magazine, 2003, p. 18).
Venators suggestion of students learning basic, foundational skills is in alignment with the report Building a Foundation for Tomorrow: Tech Prep Information Technology Skills Standards-Based Curriculum (1999). Venators recommendation is equivalent to the second of three tiers suggesting students should learn technical skills, knowledge and abilities, and teaching skills common to all jobs within a career cluster. Venator believes proprietary curriculum, which focuses on product details and skills unique to a particular job, is too advanced for the beginning student and is better suited for one who already has basic foundational knowledge reinforced with personal experiences.
In August of 2001, the author submitted a letter to the editor of Certification Magazine, Mr. Steve Sosbe. The letter was published in the October 2001 issue of Certification Magazine. The following are excerpts of emails the author received from
readers who support vendor-neutral curriculum in high school IT coursework. The editor of Certification Magazine, Steve Sosbe, responded with Id advocate pre-certification training at the high school level, and certification training at the community college level. Further, Sosbe writes A certification program is only successful when it is populated by talented professionals. Marketing certifications to unprepared people of any age is, I believe, unfair, as it provides false hopes to the person and threatens the credibility of the credential (Sosbe, personal communication, July 23, 2001). Sosbe suggests that teaching proprietary IT curriculums in high school not only provides false
Information Technology 22
hope for the students but also affects the entire IT industry as it threatens the credibility of the credential. Another response to the letter to the editor came from Mr. Paul
Mackay, the Executive Director of
the Metropolitan Vocational Technical Cooperative in
In researching the
concept we found industry experts who warned us away from Cisco. In fact we used the CertCities website as a
research vehicle interviewing twenty five of their contributing writers asking
them what are the appropriate IT certifications for high school students. The majority opinion was that A+, Net+,
I-Net+, and Server+ were the best places to start with those certifications
being a good foundation for proprietary certifications. It is interesting to note that the National
Academy Foundation and the Center for Occupational Research and Development in
their collaboration in developing an IT academy for high school students stayed
away from proprietary certifications (Mackay, personal communication,
Lastly, Charles Brooks of Marcraft, an industry leader in IT training and certification, also believes high school students should be introduced to IT certification through vendor-neutral curriculum. Brooks writes:
The high school IT development program can be served much better by implementing vendor-neutral, introductory IT certification courses in a logical progression that leads to job skills and success. The fact that these certifications deal with the fundamentals of the industry and that they lend themselves to levels that can be achieved by typical high school students is our major reason for
Information Technology 23
supporting them at
the high school level (Brooks, personal communication,
Both Mackay and Brooks research infers many well-respected IT professionals believe vendor-neutral certifications are best suited for high school students while proprietary certifications are best suited for post-secondary students.
The literature review turned up many references in favor of teaching non-proprietary, or vendor-neutral, IT curriculum to entry-level high school students. The most popular vendor-neutral curriculum is CompTIAs. In fact, the CompTIA website says, CompTIA vendor-neutral certification programs are known throughout the technology community as one of the best ways to break into the information technology field and build a solid career. The site goes on to mention, Top technology companies like Cisco, Hewlett Packard, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, and Novell use CompTIA certifications as electives or equivalents to their own certification tracks (CompTIA, 2003a).
CompTIAs most popular certification, the A+ Certification, with nearly 500,000 certified people worldwide, is the certification many educators turn to for vendor-neutral, foundational training. CompTIA describes the A+ as Those holding the A+ certification have a broad base of knowledge and competency in core hardware and operating system technologies including installation, configuration, diagnosing, preventative maintenance and basic networking (CompTIA, 2003b). The intent of the CompTIAs A+ certification is to form a stable knowledge base in which all other proprietary
Information Technology 24
certifications can build upon. The certification is broad in nature to ensure a complete understanding of the computer cluster as a whole, making the employee more
versatile and better able to cope with change in the workplace.
Arguments in Favor of Proprietary IT
Certifications for High School Students
Arguments in favor of professional certification curriculum in high schools include the following. In the March 2000 issue of the National Alliance of Business, Phyllis Eisen, the director of the National Association of Manufacturers Center for Workforce Success, writes A certification in the hand of an employee, whether of not they have a college degree, is money in the bank (p. 4). Further support is from a report the Wisconsin State Department of Public Instruction, Madison, wrote titled Program Standards for Business: What Wisconsin Students Should Know and Be Able To Do in Business. The report says, A comprehensive business program must have an occupational preparation component. Either through work-based learning experiences or school-based instruction, students should be offered the opportunity to obtain industry-standard certifications. Moreover, the report lists Possible school-based offerings could include: CCNA, CNA, MCP, MOUS, A+ (Wisconsin State Department, 2000, p. 4). Anne Lewis, author of College Degree Stock Tumbles, comments on the recent Educational Testing Services (ETS) research showing for the first time young people are not getting any more education than their parents. Lewis says, Greater use should be made of community colleges and certificate programs, and high schools should improve
Information Technology 25
their programs so that all students will be employable (Techdirections, February, 2003, p.5). Merit is given in consideration of training students for job skills and professional
certifications. These are thoughts that suggest high school students are fully capable of passing professional certification exams in preparation for employment.
Income potential is another argument for proprietary certification curriculum in high schools. An adult with only a high school diploma earns on average $18,571 (The Mint, 2003). On the other hand, according to a national salary survey conducted by Certification Magazine, the average salary earned by one who has a CCNA certificate is $47,946. The study also says that although one may posses a CCNA certificate, they may also have other IT certificates that influence ones salary (Gabelhouse, 2002, p.33). The comparison of an untrained high school graduate to that of a high school graduate with a CCNA certification demonstrates a nearly $30,000 difference in annual pay. However, there could also be unidentifiable variables; for instance, the Gabelhouse study does not mention what other degrees/certifications CCNA certified employees might have, which may include baccalaureate degrees and/or multiple computer certifications that would affect ones salary.
Conclusion
The documents cited in the literature review all provide background information on professional certifications. None of the research the author has found to date has addressed the title of this proposed research. However, research by the author has found supporting data for what certifications are, how they are driving employment standards
Information Technology 26
for the IT field, and support for and against teaching proprietary curricula to high school students. Through the research completed for this project, the author provides empirical
data supporting the hypothesis that high school students are not well prepared enough to take on the challenges of proprietary curricula. The research also documents low passing rates for proprietary certification exams. As a result, the research provides validation for
the recommendation that high school students should take vendor-neutral courses focusing on foundational IT skills and transferable skills. This supports the conclusion that proprietary courses are best suited for post-secondary students who already have foundational knowledge and experiences to build upon and a career niche that requires the comprehension and application of proprietary knowledge.
Information
Technology 27
CHAPTER 3
METHODOLOGY
Rationale of the Design
The
survey administration was a cross-sectional survey of teachers in northern
Site Selection/Subjects
The
survey consisted of a non-random purposive selection of fifty-three teachers in
northern
The author conducted a non-random purposive selection to ensure data was collected from a variety of teacher demographics to maintain validity of data. Validity is the most important idea to consider when preparing or selecting an instrument for use. More than anything else, researchers want the information they obtain through the use of an instrument to serve their purpose (Fraenkel & Wallen, 2000, p. 169). The teachers
Information Technology 28
selected to be surveyed were
teachers currently teaching the
Instruments
The
author of this research collected quantitative and qualitative data. The data collected is also classified as
categorical data. Categorical data was
collected to gain broad insight into the opinions and perspectives of current
Survey research
contains a unit of analysis. The unit of
analysis for the survey was teachers who are involved directly with the
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Second, the instructors answered a
series of questions regarding specific statements about the
The sites of the different Cisco Academies were selected through the Academy Locator utility on the cisco.netacad.net website. The Academy Locator utility allows anyone to make contact via postal mail to any of the Cisco Academies through a simple database search.
The following tables align the questions on the survey to the four guiding research questions.
Research Question #1: What is the success rate of high school
students in northern
Survey Questions:
How many years has the
How many years have you
taught the
Collectively, how many
students have you had in your
What is your attrition rate of students in
the
or years? (Please circle the grading cycle used to base your decision)
Collectively, how many of your students, that you know of, have taken the CCNA exam?
Of those students who have taken the CCNA exam, how many have passed?
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|
Research
Question #2: What are Survey
Questions (Likert scale): Please
rate the following statements pertaining to the 1
= strongly disagree, 2 = disagree, 3 = undecided, 4 = agree, 5 = strongly
agree Semesters
One and Two of the 1 2
3 4 5 Semesters
Three and Four of the 1 2
3 4 5 My
students encounter difficulties with the 1 2
3 4 5 There
is plenty of time to cover and learn the 1 2
3 4 5 Students in the 1 2
3 4 5 Students
get burned out easily with the Cisco Curriculum. 1 2
3 4 5 The
self-paced learning method causes students to get easily bored with the
highly technical nature of the curriculum. 1 2
3 4 5 The
1 2
3 4 5 I
feel the curriculum is well developed and suitable for the average high
school student. 1 2
3 4 5 I
feel the curriculum thoroughly prepares the students to successfully pass the
CCNA. 1 2
3 4 5 |
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Research Question #3: Do Cisco Academy teachers perceive the Cisco curriculum to be the most effective IT curriculum for high school students?
Survey Questions (open-ended):
In your opinion, what are the strengths and
weaknesses of the
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
In your opinion, what are the strengths and weaknesses of vendor-neutral IT curriculum such as CompTIAs A+ and Network +
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Research Question #4: Are there other IT courses with different perceived strengths and weaknesses that may or may not be more effective for high school students?
Survey Questions (open-ended):
In your opinion, with all
the above questions in mind, do you believe the
Procedure for Data Collection
The data collection method consisted of mailed surveys to teachers. The teachers were surveyed for results reflecting their students achievements and the teachers perceptions. Fraenkel and Wallen (2000) mention the disadvantage of mailed surveys is they have a lower response rate. The author believes the research is of particular interest to many of the teachers who were surveyed; thus, a higher than normal response rate (30%) was achieved.
Procedure for Data Analysis
The author of the research quantified the data into easily understandable, applicable knowledge through charts, percents, means, and common theme statements.
Information Technology 32
Through the analysis of data, the
author extracted inferences between high school students needs and the
often-mismatched challenges of proprietary certification exams. The research provides the evidence to
administrators and teachers that high school students should be studying
foundational, fundamental IT curriculum before enduring the curriculum
challenges of proprietary certification exams like the
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CHAPTER 4
RESULTS
Introduction
This research project was driven by four
questions written to determine the perceptions of northern
Research
Question One
The first six survey questions were open-ended questions designed to answer the first research question: What is the success rate of high school students in northern
Information Technology 34
The second survey question is How many years have you
taught the
The third survey
question is, Collectively, how many students have you had in your
The fourth survey
question is, What is the attrition rate of students in the
Information Technology 35
responses had unquantifiable data and the lack of a common grading cycle, making responses to the question difficult at best to quantify.
The heart of the
survey comes from survey question numbers five and six. Question five asked, Collectively, how many
students that you know of have taken the Cisco Certified Network Associate
(CCNA) exam? Only 13 of the 16 returned
surveys had a response to this question.
The mean to question five is 3.15, the median is one, and the mode is zero. The responses indicate few students, 41, have
taken the CCNA exam. That is, of the
1,788 students enrolled in Cisco Academies, only 41 went on to take the Cisco
Certified Network Associate (CCNA) exam.
Therefore, only 2.3% of students enrolled in a
Furthermore, question six asked, Of those students who have taken the CCNA exam, how many have passed? The responses indicate a fewer number of students, 18, have passed the CCNA exam. The responses ranged from one to five with the mean of two, the median of two, and a mode of one. Thus, of the 41 students who took the CCNA, 18 passed, a 44% passing percentage. However, the percentage of students who enroll in a Cisco Academy course, register to take the CCNA exam, and pass the CCNA exam is 1% (18 students passed the CCNA divided by 1,788 total students enrolled in a
Information Technology 36
exam. The data raised questions about the impact
and preparation level the
Research
Question Two
The second research question, What are the Cisco Academy teachers perceived reasons for high passing rates or low passing rates? was addressed by ten Likert based questions. Each question was responded to by the following Likert scale: 1 = strongly disagree, 2 = disagree, 3 = undecided, 4 = agree, 5 = strongly agree.
In response to
question 1, Semesters One and Two of the
Information Technology 37
Table 1
Responses to question 1, Semesters One
and Two of the
Valid Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
2 5 31.3 31.3 31.3
3 1 6.3 6.3 37.5
4 4 25.0 25.0 62.5
5 6 37.5 37.5 100.0
Total 16 100.0 100.0
Mean 3.7
1 = strongly disagree, 2 = disagree, 3 = undecided, 4 = agree, 5 = strongly agree
In response to question 2, Semesters Three and Four of the Cisco Academy curriculum are appropriate for beginning students, the most common response was agree (38.5 Valid %). Most other respondents marked disagreed or undecided (23.1 Valid % each). The mean response was 2.85, translating to the average response being nearest undecided. (See Table 2 below.)
Information
Technology 38
Table 2
Responses to question 2, Semesters Three and Four of the
Valid Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
1 2 12.5 15.4 15.4
2 3 18.8 23.1 38.5
3 3 18.8 23.1 61.5
4 5 31.3 38.5 100.0
Total 13 81.3 100.0
Missing Data 3 18.8
Total 16 100.0
Mean of responses 2.85
1 = strongly disagree, 2 = disagree, 3 = undecided, 4 = agree, 5 = strongly agree
In response to
question 3, My students encounter difficulties with the
Table 3
Responses to question 3, My students encounter
difficulties with the
Valid Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
1 6 37.5 37.5 37.5
2 2 12.5 12.5 50.0
3 4 25.0 25.0 75.0
4 4 25.0 25.0 100.0
Total 16 100.0 100.0
Mean 2.4
1 = strongly disagree, 2 = disagree, 3 = undecided, 4 = agree, 5 = strongly agree
Information Technology 39
In
response to question 4, There is plenty of time to cover and learn the
Table 4
Responses to question 4, There is plenty of time to
cover and learn the
Valid Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
1 2 12.5 14.3 14.3
2 1 6.3 7.1 21.4
3 4 25.0 28.6 50.0
4 3 18.8 21.4 71.4
5 4 25.0 28.6 100.0
Total 14 87.5 100.0
Missing Data 2 12.5
Total 16 100.0
Mean of responses 3.4
1 = strongly disagree, 2 = disagree, 3 = undecided, 4 = agree, 5 = strongly agree
In response to question 5, Students in the Cisco Academy do not have an appropriate background in computers and computer networks to gainfully develop and grow from the Cisco Academy, the most common response was agree (43.8%). Most other respondents marked disagree (37.5%). The mean was 2.94, meaning the average response was undecided. (See Table 5 below.)
Information Technology 40
Table 5
Responses to question 5, Students in the
Valid Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
1 1 6.3 6.3 6.3
2 6 37.5 37.5 43.8
3 2 12.5 12.5 56.3
4 7 43.8 43.8 100.0
Total 16 100.0 100.0
Mean 2.94
1 = strongly disagree, 2 = disagree, 3 = undecided, 4 = agree, 5 = strongly agree
In response to question 6, Students get burned out easily with the Cisco Curriculum, the most common response was undecided (37.5%). Most other respondents marked agree (25%). The mean is 3.44, meaning the average response was closest to undecided. (See Table 6 below.)
Table 6
Responses to question 6, Students get burned out easily with
the Cisco Curriculum.
Valid Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
2 3 18.8 18.8 18.8
3 6 37.5 37.5 56.3
4 4 25.0 25.0 81.3
5 3 18.8 18.8 100.0
Total 16 100.0 100.0
Mean 3.44
1 = strongly disagree, 2 = disagree, 3 = undecided, 4 = agree, 5 = strongly agree
Information Technology 41
In response to question 7, The self-paced learning method causes students to get easily bored with the highly technical nature of the curriculum, the most common response was strongly agree and disagree (33.3%). Most other respondents marked either undecided or agree (13.3 Valid % each). The mean response was 3.33, meaning the average response was undecided. (See Table 7 below.)
Table 7
Response to question 7, The self-paced learning method
causes students to get easily bored with the highly technical nature of the
curriculum.
Valid Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
1 1 6.3 6.7 6.7
2 5 31.3 33.3 40.0
3 2 12.5 13.3 53.3
4 2 12.5 13.3 66.7
5 5 31.3 33.3 100.0
Total 15 93.8 100.0
Missing Data 1 6.3
Total 16 100.0
Mean of respondents 3.33
1 = strongly disagree, 2 = disagree, 3 = undecided, 4 = agree, 5 = strongly agree
In response to
question 8, The Cisco Academy curriculum has some minor glitches but overall
my students and I feel the curriculum is fairly well developed and suitable for
the average high school student, the most common response was agree
(37.5%). Most other respondents marked
strongly agree (25%). The mean
response was 3.56, meaning the average response was nearest agree. (See Table 8 below.)
Information Technology 42
Table 8
Responses to question 8, The
Valid Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
1 1 6.3 6.3 6.3
2 3 18.8 18.8 25.0
3 2 12.5 12.5 37.5
4 6 37.5 37.5 75.0
5 4 25.0 25.0 100.0
Total 15 93.8 100.0
Mean 3.56
1 = strongly disagree, 2 = disagree, 3 = undecided, 4 = agree, 5 = strongly agree
In response to question 9, I feel the curriculum is well developed and suitable for the average high school student, the most common response was agree (50%). Most other respondents marked disagree (25%). The mean score is 3.5, meaning the average response was split evenly between undecided and agree. (See Table 9 below.)
Table
9
Responses to question 9, I feel the curriculum is well developed and
suitable for the average high school student.
Valid Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
2 4 25.0 25.0 25.0
3 2 12.5 12.5 37.5
4
8 50.0 50.0 87.5
5 2 12.5 12.5 100.0
Total 16 100.0 100.0
Mean 3.5
1 = strongly disagree, 2 = disagree, 3 = undecided, 4 = agree, 5 = strongly agree
Information Technology 43
In response to question 10, I feel the curriculum thoroughly prepares the students to successfully pass the CCNA, the most common response was agree (46.7 Valid %). Most other respondents marked disagree (20 Valid %). The mean of respondents is 3.4, meaning the average response was nearest undecided. (See Table 10 below.)
Table 10
Responses to question 10, I feel the curriculum thoroughly prepares the
students to successfully pass the CCNA.
Valid Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
1 1 6.3 6.7 6.7
2 3 18.8 20.0 26.7
3 2 12.5 13.3 40.0
4 7 43.8 46.7 86.7
5 2 12.5 13.3 100.0
Total 15 93.8 100.0
Missing Data 1 6.3
Total 16 100.0
Mean of respondents 3.4
1 = strongly disagree, 2 = disagree, 3 = undecided, 4 = agree, 5 = strongly agree
Research
Question Three
The third research question, Do Cisco Academy teachers perceive the Cisco curriculum to be the most effective IT curriculum for high school students?, was facilitated by two open-ended questions. The first question was written to gauge the perceived strengths and weaknesses of the Cisco curriculum. The second question was written to gauge the perceived strengths and weaknesses of vendor-neutral curriculum. Vendor-neutral curriculum is curriculum not based solely on one manufacturers products or services; rather, vendor-neutral curriculum is based upon broad industry standards
Information Technology 44
meant to be applicable across many different Information Technology platforms and manufacturers. In comparing the two, the author was able to accurately determine the Cisco teachers perceived opinions of the most effective IT curriculum for high school students.
The first
survey question, In your opinion, what are the strengths and weaknesses of the
The responding teachers also identified a variety of weaknesses within the Cisco curriculum, including the following: explanation of terminology, testing, need more labs in semester one, cant fit it in one semester, Cisco needs to sell the program to the students better in the first semester course, CCNA does not match the current curriculum, Semester One, lack of hands-on, too technical for first exposure to networking, a good basic hardware and configuration course would be a good prerequisite, weak labs, lack of support materials, need prerequisite classes in
Information Technology 45
computer software and
hardware and electronics, need additional training in server side of
networking, changes in curriculum too fast, too much, teachers are not
prepared enough for the changes, schools dont support the teachers enough,
needs more resources and easier labs, time frame knowledge needed to
start, material, language, many of the labs are weak on content,
quizzes not good enough, and too vendor specific, not enough general network
things that students want: wireless
network for a home, networking games, and Apple vs. PC network issues. The responses indicate the
The second
survey question, In your opinion, what are the strengths and weaknesses of
vendor-neutral IT curriculum such as CompTIAs A+ and Network+, had limited
responses. The strengths of
vendor-neutral curriculum listed were:
None compared to Cisco, vendor-neutral, provides basic knowledge
foundation, variety, knowledge, labs, good basic knowledge courses,
good lead-ins for Cisco, and more general knowledge that students can use in
a wider variety of jobs. The responses
indicate the
The weaknesses of vendor-neutral curriculum listed were too general to be industry useful, not up-to-date, does not give vendor specific knowledge, and
Information Technology 46
cohesiveness. The responses indicate the
The number of responses for the second survey question was fewer than the author anticipated. It is possible that few of the responding teachers have a working knowledge of vendor-neutral curriculum.
Research
Question Four
The last research
question, Are there other IT courses with different perceived strengths and
weaknesses that may or may not be more effective for high school students? was
addressed by one open-ended question.
The survey question for research question number four is In your
opinion, with all the above questions in mind, do you believe the
First, the
responses that are in favor of supporting the
Information Technology 47
We require A+ first and are now using IT Essentials 1 for that purpose. We encourage electronics before or in addition to Cisco. We have three years of electronics classes.
Tech Prep component provides
on-the-job experiences for our students.
Cisco is very vendor specific. We
try to find local companies to give students field experience. Our local community college provides dual
credit, so our Cisco high school students can earn both high school credit and
college credit for Cisco 1-4, and (Cisco) is high school appropriate. The responses indicate the many of the
In comparison, the
responses that are in favor of vendor-neutral curriculum at the high school
level are, I think we should be teaching CompTIAs A+ and Net+ at this level,
and A+ for two semesters and Net+ for
two semesters would be a much better program for high schools, I am currently
looking into changing. The responses indicate that two of the seven responding
Lastly, one response seemed to be neutral, in favor of certification in general at the high school level while not mentioning any particular certifications. The response, I believe certification type courses are great for high school students, but they are hard and should be weighted courses, validates that any certification course is difficult, especially proprietary courses. This respondent offers a unique suggestion for the IT certification courses in high schools. The respondent suggests IT courses should be weighted much
Information Technology 48
like Advanced Placement (AP) courses are so students can increase their grade point average and also gain college credit upon passing the exam. It seems this approach might attract more students to the IT courses, and eventually into IT careers.
Conclusion
The
collected data helps make clear inferences about the appropriateness of the
Information Technology 49
CHAPTER 5
DISCUSSION
Introduction
The
demand for technically savvy employees continues to grow as the business world
relies more and more on technology. As a
result, employers and employees value professional certifications to validate
knowledge and skills in the ever-changing Information Technology sector. Two separate paths for professional IT
certifications have surfaced over the past ten years, a vendor-neutral path and
a proprietary, or vendor-specific, path.
At this early stage, the pervading IT curriculum seems to be the
proprietary path for high school students.
The purpose of this research project is to determine the appropriateness
of one particular IT curriculum, Cisco Systems, by evaluating the literature
review and the perceptions of current
Analysis
of Research Question One
The
purpose of research question one, What is the success rate of high school students
in northern
Information Technology 50
passing rates of high school students taking the CCNA. The only data related to the passing rates of high school students taking the CCNA came from Ciscos Success
Stories. The article, titled High Number of CCNA Certifications Earned in the School District of Philadelphia, celebrates the Philadelphia Public Schools for being home to over 30 local Cisco Academies, having over 2400 students participate in the Cisco Academy program, but noted only two of those students have earned their CCNA certificate (Cisco, 2003b). According to this data, the success rate for students passing the CCNA exam in the Philadelphia Public Schools is 0.08%. Ciscos Success Story of the Philadelphia Public Schools was the only empirical data found that exemplified passing percentages of high school students taking the CCNA.
As a former Cisco
instructor, the author of this research had the opportunity to teach the
Information
Technology 51
Ciscos
website says the curriculum is intended to prepare students for the CCNA, yet
this research documents only 1% of students in a
their
instructors, go on to pass the CCNA exam. Further, it should be noted that, according
to the responding teachers, less than 3% of enrolled students in the
With only 1% of high
school students passing the CCNA exam, it makes one wonder what the initial
intent of the
Information Technology 52
thousands of high school students
daily? Thousands of corporations would
desire to have this kind of marketing presence in
percentage of students passing the CCNA is questionable at best. The success percentage implies Cisco has little interest in helping more students pass the CCNA exam, and increases the concern that, if the objective is to prepare students for professional certification, then alternative curriculums should be pursued.
Analysis
of Research Question Two
Research
question two, What are the
For example,
responding teachers had a mean response near agree to question 1, Semesters
One and Two of the
Information Technology 53
one and two of the
agree that the
The seven other
questions have a mean response of undecided.
In other words, the responding teachers are undecided if semesters three
and four are appropriate for high school students, and if there is plenty of
time to cover and learn the
The responses to research question two suggest Cisco teachers are not sure what impedes the success rate of students taking the CCNA, but that some issues or combination of issues are inhibiting.
First, one undecided response by the responding teachers that is of concern is question five, Students in the Cisco Academy do not have an appropriate background in computers and computer networks to gainfully develop and grow from the Cisco
Information Technology 54
Academy. This statement continually reappears in online documents and in personal correspondence. Cisco has offered a solution, called IT Essentials I, to schools who
choose to implement the
program. Ciscos IT Essentials I program
is not a required prerequisite to the
Analysis
of Research Question Three, Part I
The purpose of research question 3, Do Cisco Academy teachers perceive the Cisco curriculum to be the most effective IT curriculum for high school students? was
Information Technology 55
designed to gage the perceptions
and impact of both the
The strengths and weaknesses will be analyzed and compared to those thoughts listed in the literature review.
First,
the
Information Technology 56
objectives of the student. Therefore, this response suggests the course is only effective for those students who plan to make a career out of computer networking, leaving the exploratory students frustrated and perhaps turned-off to computer networking as a
career. In other words, according to the publication Building a Foundation for Tomorrow: Tech Prep Information Technology Skills Standards-Based Curriculum (1999), if one connects a serious networker to a student who wants to learn industry-specific technical skills, knowledge and abilities unique to individual industries or organizations (p.12), then the student is a tier three learner and is best served in the post-secondary training institutions.
Respondents
identified several weaknesses of the
Information Technology 57
certifications are developed and maintained from this need to set standards at the foundation level (Certification Magazine, 2003, p. 18). Venator suggests vendor-neutral curriculum is designed at the foundational level allowing it to be supported by more curriculum writers, creating more resources and a much more stable and predictable learning environment; as opposed to a proprietary curriculum where only one company supports the material. Teachers, as well as students, no matter what the class, need stable curriculum, with adequate resources, teachers training, and administrative support. Without these, teacher and student uncertainty can lead to anxiety, which leads to unproductivity, missed learning opportunities, and possible burn-out with the curriculum and future career opportunities. This research confirms the thoughts of Bettina Brown, who writes, the myth that skill competencies alone ensure employment and that the value of continuous learning, emotional intelligence, networking, flexibility, and commitment to business objectives are other keys to workplace success (p. 4). Thus, if the teacher and students have changes in curriculum too fast, too much students may get frustrated and lose interest in continuous learning, see no value in flexibility, and may squander commitment to their objectives. Educators need to evaluate their IT curriculum to ensure they are not offering too much, too soon to students.
Another theme that arose during analysis of the returned surveys was lack of preparation or prerequisites for incoming students. Comments on returned surveys such as too technical for first exposure to networking, a good basic hardware and configuration course would be a good prerequisite, need prerequisite classes in
Information Technology 58
computer software and hardware and electronics, need additional training in server-side of networking, language, and knowledge needed to start all indicate several
responding teachers believe
students would be much better served if they had better prerequisites before
entering the
Information Technology 59
Lastly, a theme
that arose as a weakness from the returned surveys, and one in which the
collected data supports, is testing and CCNA does not match the current
curriculum. The returned responses and
the collected data suggest one possibility for the low success rate on the CCNA
exam is the curriculum does not fully prepare students for the exam. Research does not conclusively document the
curriculum as the culprit, the research only suggests the curriculum could be a
possible culprit. In fact, there could
be other factors for why only 1% of high school students enrolled in a
The high school IT development program can be served much better by implementing vendor-neutral, introductory IT certification courses in a logical progression that leads to job skills and success. The fact that these certifications deal with the fundamentals of the industry and that they lend themselves to levels that can be achieved by typical high school students is our major reason for
Information Technology 60
supporting them at
the high school level (Brooks, personal communication,
Brooks and other industry leaders, including many teachers, agree that proprietary curriculum is inappropriate and unjustified at the high school level. As noted earlier, these views are consistent with the authors and are focused on the appropriateness and the effects of proprietary curriculum on high school students; this study is not concerned about the effects of proprietary curriculum on post-secondary students where conditions and variables are different.
Analysis
of Research Question Three, Part II
The
second part of question three, Do Cisco Academy teachers perceive the Cisco
curriculum to be the most effective IT curriculum for high school students?,
focuses on teachers responses to vendor-neutral curriculum. The responses to the strengths and weaknesses
of the vendor-neutral curriculum were not as extensive as the responses to the
Cisco strengths and weaknesses questions.
Perhaps few of the
The strengths responses had one common theme, the benefit of students learning basic knowledge. For example, a sampling of the responses for the strengths of vendor-neutral curriculum includes provides basic knowledge foundation, good basic knowledge course, good lead-ins for Cisco, and more knowledge that students
Information Technology 61
can use in a wider variety of jobs. As previously mentioned, Charles Brooks was cited as saying, The high school IT development program can be served much better by implementing vendor-neutral, introductory IT certification courses in a logical progression that leads to job skills and success (Brooks, personal communication, January 21, 2003). One quarter of the returned surveys confirm what most of the literature review material cited, that vendor-neutral curriculum is best suited for high school IT programs because it teaches basic fundamental knowledge that covers a broad industry cluster.
Analysis
of Research Question Four
The purpose of
research question four, Are there other IT courses with different perceived
strengths and weaknesses that may or may not be more effective for high school
students? was to have the respondents choose which curriculum type was better
for high school IT students, the proprietary Cisco curriculum or vendor-neutral
curriculum like CompTIAs A+. The
open-ended question designed to answer research question 4 was, In your
opinion, with all the above questions in mind, do you believe the
Academy than vendor-neutral curriculum. These responses contrast the responses to question three referring to the strengths and weaknesses of both the Cisco curriculum and
Information Technology 62
vendor-neutral curriculum. In question three, responses were given in a manner to suggest doubt and shortcomings within the Cisco curriculum, thus confirming most of the
literature review. In question four, however, several respondents agreed that the Cisco curriculum was the most appropriate curriculum for high school students. Fascinatingly, of the sixteen responding surveys, only seven (44%) responded to this question. Perhaps the other nine (56%) respondents did not feel comfortable answering the question, or simply did not have an opinion on the matter.
Five respondents
think the
Information Technology 63
high schools but only if the student has the ability and time to read material that is consistent with a university level course. One can infer this response supports the
literature review materials that
suggest proprietary curriculum is not best suited for high school students
because the level of training and use of in-depth knowledge is such that the
average student needs to have extensive time and lab reinforcements to be
successful with the curriculum. Lastly,
one particular respondent believes the
Yes, Ciscos Academy curriculum is appropriate for high school. We require A+ first and are now using IT Essentials 1 for that purpose. We encourage electronics before or in addition to Cisco. We have three years of electronics classes. Tech Prep component provides on-the-job experiences for our students. Cisco is very vendor specific. We try to find local companies to give students field experience. Our local community college provides dual credit, so our Cisco high school students can earn both high school credit and college credit for Cisco 1-4.
This response demonstrates a
logical sequence of events for students.
First, students must have a solid background in electronics, computer
hardware and software fundamentals. Second,
it appears that students who are enrolled in the
Information Technology 64
real life experiences through the guidance of local businesses. This logical transition from course to course would seem to be the best model for justifying proprietary curriculum in high school IT programs.
Only two of the seven respondents think the vendor-neutral curriculum is more appropriate for high school students than proprietary curriculum. I think we should be teaching CompTIAs A+ and Net+ at this level, and A+ for two semesters and Net+ for two semesters would be a much better program for high schools, I am currently looking into changing. These two responses agree with many of the Literature review citations and reflect the data collected from this research. If the objective of high school IT curriculum is to form a framework for a career in IT, teach foundational career cluster IT objectives, and to foster an interest and lifelong learning in IT, then teaching a curriculum based upon these objectives is appropriate. Earning a proprietary IT certification in high school is not realistic for most high school students because of many factors. In fact, this
research shows that only 1% of
students enrolled in a
High schools are going to help prepare the future IT workforce. Theres appropriate curriculum to get students started with the fundamentals first and the
proprietary details second. As a result of the collected data, the author concludes, as do many industry and educational leaders, that the appropriate high school IT curriculum is vendor-neutral curriculum.
Information
Technology 65
Conclusion
Sound educational
decisions are made based upon sound educational research. This research projects purpose was to
determine the appropriateness of the
sixteen of the fifty-three mailed
surveys. The surveys were mailed to
teachers in northern
Academy teachers are not as knowledgeable of vendor-neutral curriculum based upon the number of perceptions listed. Lastly, a majority of responding teachers believe the Cisco curriculum is appropriate for high school students, albeit, several responses had caveat agreements.
As a result of the data collected, the author can make several inferences about the appropriate IT curriculum for high school students. First, curriculum that prepares 1% of the students to pass the certification exam is not fully preparing its students for success. Second, because curriculum is written and supported by a well-known industry
Information Technology 66
leader does not automatically make the curriculum appropriate for learning at every level of the sense. Being an industry leader simply means Cisco makes good routers and hubs, not that they are experts at writing age appropriate curriculum. Third, the literature review uncovered a strong advocation for vendor-neutral curriculum at the high school
level. Fourth, citing the responses of the teachers to the open-ended questions, as seen in Chapter Four, the author uncovered a feeling of teacher frustration and uncertainty with the Cisco curriculum. With all of the above inferences considered, the author of the research suggests that the proprietary Cisco IT curriculum is not best suited for high school IT curriculum. Rather, vendor-neutral curriculum that focuses on industry standard technologies, teaches career cluster fundamentals, and encourages lifelong learning and achievement through educational opportunities is best suited for high school students studying IT curriculum.
Limitations and Suggestions for
Future Research
As a result of this research, many suggestions for future research were exposed. More research questions and collected data could help better refine the strengths and weaknesses of both proprietary and vendor-neutral curriculum. Future research might answer the following. First, is there a correlation between students who pass the CCNA
exam who have had a prerequisite course and students who pass the CCNA exam who have not had a prerequisite course? Second, what are the perceived reasons why 97.7% of students never go on to take the CCNA exam? Third, what is the correlation between those students who pass the CCNA exam and either their GPA or SAT/ACT score?
Information Technology 67
Fourth, what are the passing
percentages of high school students taking vendor-neutral exams? Lastly, what are the passing percentages of
all students enrolled in a
Information Technology curriculum is relatively new to high school teachers and administrators, it has only been in high schools predominately within the past five years.
Further research would be helpful in confirming or challenging the data collected within this research project to ensure the IT curriculum that students learn is age and material appropriate. The IT community will only continue to grow, and a large number of those employees will get their start in high school IT classrooms. The topic should not be taken lightly, as it could effect success rates and self-esteems, livelihoods, and the global IT economy.
Recommendations for Administrators
As
a result of this research the author makes the following recommendations. First, a vendor-neutral computer foundational
course such as CompTIAs A+ must be taught (made a prerequisite) before any
higher-level proprietary computer networking curriculum is taught. Minimally, a proficiency test should be
administered to students who enroll in a higher-level networking course,
proprietary or not, if they do not have the prerequisite course. Second, a vendor-neutral computer networking
course, such as CompTIAs Net+ curriculum, is much better suited for high
school students and should be taught instead of the
Information Technology 68
Schools who have a
local
foundational knowledge, laying the framework for career awareness and future growth. In other words, at the high school level, the course should not be marketed or offered as a CCNA prep course or as job skill training. The research shows only 1% of enrolled students will gain those two benefits. The CCNA approach and job skills training approach are best suited for the post-secondary educational institutions that have the resources and realistic expectations for their students. Second, when semesters one and
two of the Cisco curriculum are
taught they should be implemented with robust teacher-student and
student-student interactions. Third, the
curriculum should be complimented by an abundance of labs for reinforcement of
highly technical material. Fourth,
semesters three and four of the
Information Technology 69
the course was weighted, similar to the College Boards Advanced Placement (AP) courses and test. Classifying the course as weighted attracts students who traditionally perform well in challenging, collegiate level courses.
Information Technology 70
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Information
Technology 74
Appendix A
Cover Letter
Cisco Academy
for Brett Thompson at
TO:
FROM: Brett Thompson,
DATE:
RE: Survey on Information Technology Programs
Greetings,
and thank you in advance for taking the time to voluntarily respond to this
very important survey regarding your
Participation
in this survey is voluntary; it should only take about ten minutes to
complete. The survey will allow all of
us to take a deeper look at how we are teaching IT curriculum. The survey is not sponsored, nor has any
connection whatsoever to Cisco Systems.
The research will be based in northern
I want to keep your response anonymous. Do NOT write your name on the survey. By filling out the survey you are consenting to participate in the project. There are no negative consequences if you decide not to participate. If you do complete the survey, please return it in the envelope provided. If you would like a copy of the results of my research or have any questions, please contact me at (630) 420-6415 or my adviser, Dr. Dan Matthews, at (217) 206-7521.
The UIS Human Subjects Review Officer has approved this project.
Dr. Harry Berman can answer questions about your rights as a research subject. He can be reached at (217) 206-7411. Again, thank you for your time and interest in the matter.
Sincerely,
Brett Thompson
Information Technology 75
Appendix B
Cisco Academy
Graduate Research for Brett Thompson at
The following is a survey to
teachers in northern
- How many years has the
- How many years have you
taught the
- Collectively, how many
students have you had in your
- What is your attrition
rate of students in the
- Collectively, how many
students that you know of have taken the Cisco Certified Network Associate
(CCNA) exam?
- Of those students who
have taken the CCNA exam, how many have passed?
Please
rate the following statements pertaining to the
1 =
strongly disagree, 2 = disagree, 3 = undecided, 4 = agree, 5 = strongly agree
Semesters
One and Two of the
1 2
3 4 5
Comments
(Optional):
Semesters
Three and Four of the
1 2
3 4 5
Comments
(Optional):
Information Technology
76
My
students encounter difficulties with the
1 2
3 4 5
Comments
(Optional):
There
is plenty of time to cover and learn the
1 2
3 4 5
Comments
(Optional):
Students in the
1 2
3 4 5
Comments
(Optional):
Students
get burned out easily with the Cisco Curriculum.
1 2
3 4 5
Comments
(Optional):
The
self-paced learning method causes students to get easily bored with the highly
technical nature of the curriculum.
1 2
3 4 5
Comments
(Optional):
The
1 2
3 4 5
Comments
(Optional):
I
feel the curriculum is well developed and suitable for the average high school
student.
1 2
3 4 5
Comments
(Optional):
I
feel the curriculum thoroughly prepares the students to successfully pass the
CCNA.
1 2
3 4 5
Comments
(Optional):
Information Technology
77
In
your opinion, what are the strengths and weaknesses of the
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
In
your opinion, what are the strengths and weaknesses of vendor-neutral IT curriculum
such as CompTIAs A+ and Network+?
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
In
your opinion, with all the above questions in mind, do you believe the
Thank
you for your time and effort, your honest responses are greatly
appreciated.
Brett
Thompson