Integrating cultural issues into the computer and information technology curriculum

Industry leaders and educators in Computer and Information Technology (CIT) have expressed a need for graduates to have a background in professional, societal, and ethical concerns as well as a strong technical capability (Huff and Martin, 1995). Some educators have gone so far as to include cultural awareness: "The cultural dimensions of information technology can no longer be ignored, with the expansion of the global economy, global markets and global communication enabled by information technology" (Hasan and Ditsa, 1998, p. 5). The rationale for supporting and enhancing instruction in cultural issues for CIT workers comes from the growing globalization of the world in communication, the increase of trans-national organizational mergers and partnerships, the merging of various populations within national boundaries, the increasing traffic of individuals to different countries around the world, and the severe shortage of information technology personnel throughout the world. This paper provides material to support the inclusion of cultural issues within the CIT curriculum. The topics identified, which include diversity and multiculturalism, organizational cultures, professional cultures, socio-economic issues, and gender issues, form a foundation body of knowledge that, once learned, can improve and enhance the work of the information technology professional. Exercises are provided that can be incorporated into existing CIT courses across a wide variety of programs, nations, and cultures. As the internationalization of education continues, more exercises and examples will surely arise from the CIT community.