Top Trends at IT Schools
by Robyn Tellefsen
What should you look for in IT schools? Start with these five criteria, based on 2006 IT education trend predictions by the National Workforce Center for Emerging Technologies (www.nwcet.org).
Educational podcasting
Podcasting delivers audio content on demand. The beauty of this emerging technology is that it allows you to save content digitally and replay it at your convenience, even when you're not online.
When you're researching IT schools, look for those that offer podcasts so you can listen to lectures, notes, and interviews wherever you go. Several well-known schools offer podcast series, including Duke University and Stanford University.
Hybrid IT education
Though many with IT degrees choose to work in IT companies, there is a growing need for these professionals in other disciplines. For instance, those with IT training are needed in the health care, government, insurance, and banking industries, to name a few.
Rather than viewing technology as an end in itself, you may need to focus more on the applications of IT and develop cross-disciplinary knowledge. When you consider how you might use your IT training in another industry, you will become more marketable, opening up your career to new and exciting options in a variety of fields.
Business intelligence coursework
Simply put, business intelligence (BI) implies having a comprehensive knowledge of all the factors that affect your business. BI tools allow you to see relevant relationships in large amounts of business data, which improves decision-making and efficiency.
Seek out IT schools that offer BI coursework, such as Bellevue Community College (Bellevue, WA), which offers a business intelligence certificate and associate degree program. In IT courses such as these, you'll learn advanced techniques for managing and analyzing data and gain understanding of how data management technology can be applied to solve business problems.
Gaming applications
Gaming encompasses game design, development, programming, testing, and production, as well as animation, digital art, advanced computer science, modeling, and simulation.
Since a game-like style of interactivity is penetrating a variety of unrelated industries, gaming skills and knowledge are increasingly in demand for IT professionals. Look for IT courses that use gaming as an educational tool to teach subjects such as physics, math, chemistry, and biology.
Market-driven programs
To be successful upon graduation, search for IT schools with programs that are responsive to your local job market. IT degrees should earn you a well-paying job, right?
Your school should be involved in strategic partnerships with local businesses that in turn shape its education offerings. Studying at IT schools that are aware of current and future industry needs translates into better career prospects for you.
Educational podcasting
Podcasting delivers audio content on demand. The beauty of this emerging technology is that it allows you to save content digitally and replay it at your convenience, even when you're not online.
When you're researching IT schools, look for those that offer podcasts so you can listen to lectures, notes, and interviews wherever you go. Several well-known schools offer podcast series, including Duke University and Stanford University.
Hybrid IT education
Though many with IT degrees choose to work in IT companies, there is a growing need for these professionals in other disciplines. For instance, those with IT training are needed in the health care, government, insurance, and banking industries, to name a few.
Rather than viewing technology as an end in itself, you may need to focus more on the applications of IT and develop cross-disciplinary knowledge. When you consider how you might use your IT training in another industry, you will become more marketable, opening up your career to new and exciting options in a variety of fields.
Business intelligence coursework
Simply put, business intelligence (BI) implies having a comprehensive knowledge of all the factors that affect your business. BI tools allow you to see relevant relationships in large amounts of business data, which improves decision-making and efficiency.
Seek out IT schools that offer BI coursework, such as Bellevue Community College (Bellevue, WA), which offers a business intelligence certificate and associate degree program. In IT courses such as these, you'll learn advanced techniques for managing and analyzing data and gain understanding of how data management technology can be applied to solve business problems.
Gaming applications
Gaming encompasses game design, development, programming, testing, and production, as well as animation, digital art, advanced computer science, modeling, and simulation.
Since a game-like style of interactivity is penetrating a variety of unrelated industries, gaming skills and knowledge are increasingly in demand for IT professionals. Look for IT courses that use gaming as an educational tool to teach subjects such as physics, math, chemistry, and biology.
Market-driven programs
To be successful upon graduation, search for IT schools with programs that are responsive to your local job market. IT degrees should earn you a well-paying job, right?
Your school should be involved in strategic partnerships with local businesses that in turn shape its education offerings. Studying at IT schools that are aware of current and future industry needs translates into better career prospects for you.
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