When Academic Technology Fails: Effects of Students’ Attributions for Computing Difficulties on Emotions and Achievement

As education experiences are increasingly mediated by technology, the present research explored how causal attributions for academic computing difficulties impacted emotions and achievement in two studies conducted with post-secondary students in North America and Germany. Study 1 (N = 1063) found ability attributions for computer problems to be emotionally maladaptive (more guilt, helplessness, anger, shame, regret, anxiety, and boredom), with strategy attributions being more emotionally adaptive (more hope, pride, and enjoyment). Study 2 (N = 788) further showed ability attributions for computer problems to predict poorer academic achievement (grade percentage) over and above effects of attributions for poor academic performance. Across studies, the effects of effort attributions for computer problems were mixed in corresponding to more negative computing-related emotions despite academic achievement benefits. Implications for future research on students’ academic computing attributions are discussed with respect to domain-specificity, intervention, and technical support considerations.

Critical IT Project Management Competencies

Academic computing curricula generally focus on teaching the specific technological skills expected of new graduates in their disciplines. Yet when it comes to hiring these graduates, behavioral skills (also called soft skills) such as communication and personal integrity are almost always rated as being more important than the technological skills. This mixed-method research project adds to the understanding of skill expectations required for new hires by providing information from a global sample of project management professionals. Both the quantitative and qualitative results are in accord with the vast majority of the extant literature in that behavioral skills were seen as more critical than technical skills. Implications and recommendations for educators, curriculum developers, and prospective graduates are discussed.