CURRICULAR ADEQUACY FOR EMPLOYMENT POTENTIAL OF GRADUATED STUDENTS AT MIDDLE TENNESSEE UNIVERSITIES

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CURRICULAR ADEQUACY FOR EMPLOYMENT POTENTIAL OF GRADUATED
STUDENTS AT MIDDLE TENNESSEE UNIVERSITIES
By
Kimetrice Cox
Dissertation
Submitted to the Faculty of
Trevecca Nazarene University
School of Graduate and Continuing Studies
in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for
the Degree of
Doctor of Education
in
Leadership and Professional Practice
December 2020

CURRICULAR ADEQUACY FOR EMPLOYMENT POTENTIAL OF GRADUATED
STUDENTS AT MIDDLE TENNESSEE UNIVERSITIES
by
Kimetrice Cox
Dissertation

i
© 2020
Kimetrice Cox
All Rights Reserved

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First, I would like to give a special thank you to my adviser, Dr. Brad Windley,
for his knowledge, support, patience, and guidance in advising me through this process.
I am grateful for your continued support and critical review through this process. I would
like to acknowledge Dr. Deborah Sandlin, my reader, for her patience, knowledge, and
critical review throughout each step of my dissertation process. Your support has helped
prepare me for the finalization of this project.
I wish to thank my family for their continued encouragement and support.
Through the challenges, your love and support cheering me on has continued to inspire
me. To my parents, Kimberly Cox and Timothy Cox, for being the driving force in my
continued education. I had to sacrifice many days and nights apart, but your
understanding and love kept me motivated to see the bigger picture.
A special thank you to my savior Jesus Christ whom this would not have been
possible. Thank you God, for the struggle. Thank you for guiding and training me to get
to my destiny! Your love has never failed me in any way. Lastly, thank you to everyone
that has prayed, and is still praying, for me. You have no idea how much it means to me,
your continuous support has been much appreciated.

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DEDICATION
I dedicate this work to the upcoming generations. Your continued hugs and
encouragement through the countless hours of work kept me motivated to continue.
Knowing I could be an example of hard work and dedication to you all is what pushed
me to finish this project. I hope this process has shown you that you can achieve your
dreams. Stay focused, stay determined, stay confident, and most importantly, set yourself
apart.

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ABSTRACT
by
Kimetrice Cox, Ed.D.
Trevecca Nazarene University
December 2020
Major Area: Leadership and Professional Practice Number of Words: 119
This study examined the ramifications of the skill gap and the ways in which it can be
mitigated. It touches upon numerous facets of employability, such as the skills needed
and the strength or weakness of a university’s curriculum. The stark differences between
how employers perceive recent graduates and the ways in which graduates perceive their
own employability options is explored. While the implications of this study are
applicable to various fields, the Information Technology (IT) industry is focused upon.
After illustrating the challenges posed due to the skill gap, steps designed to counteract
its negative impact are discussed. The study concludes a dynamic curriculum focusing on
the expectations of employers must be achieved to bridge the skill gap.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter Page
I. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................1
Statement of the Problem .........................................................................................4
Rationale ..................................................................................................................5
Research Questions ................................................................................................10
Description of Terms .............................................................................................10
Contribution of the Study.......................................................................................11
Process to Accomplish ...........................................................................................12
II. REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE .......................................................................20
Introduction ............................................................................................................20
Historical Perspective ............................................................................................21
Students’ perception of employability options and the adequacy of their college
curriculum ..............................................................................................................27
Students’ perception of employability options and the adequacy of their college
curriculum based on degree received .....................................................................34
Skills industry leaders feel important to possess by IT hires with a degree ..........41
Conclusion .............................................................................................................46
III. METHODOLOGY ................................................................................................48
Introduction ............................................................................................................48
Research Design.....................................................................................................49

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Participants .............................................................................................................50
Data Collection .....................................................................................................52
Analytical Methods ................................................................................................54
IV. FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS ......................................................................57
Introduction ............................................................................................................57
Findings..................................................................................................................66
Summary of the Findings .......................................................................................66
Limitations .............................................................................................................67
Implications and Recommendations ......................................................................68
REFERENCES ......................................................................................................71
APPENDICES
A. Permission for instrument usage .......................................................................83
A. Instrument (SPIES) / (DAS) Section 1 .............................................................88
A. Instrument (SPIES) / (DAS) Section 2 .............................................................93
B. Instrument (EPOTIOES) ...................................................................................96
C. Informed Consent ..............................................................................................99
D. MOU (Trevecca) .............................................................................................103
E. IRB Approval ..................................................................................................106
F. Dissertation Proposal Defense Form ...............................................................108
G. Dissertation Style Consultancy Checklist .......................................................110
H. Dissertation Suggestions and Potential Pitfalls ...............................................112

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LIST OF TABLES
Table Page
1. Table 1: Group A Descriptive Analysis of Participants by Gender, Ethnicity, Age,
Current Roles, Degrees Earned, and Year of Graduation ......................................59
2. Table 2: Group B Descriptive Analysis of Participants by Gender, Ethnicity,
Leadership Position, Certifications Earned, and Years of Experience ..................61
3. Table 3 Pearson r Correlation Means (M), and Standard Deviation (SD) of
Graduated Students’ Employability Options and Adequacy College Curriculum
…………………………………………………………………………………....63
4. Table 4: Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) Summary for Perceptions of
Employability Options and Adequacy of College Curriculum Based on Degree
Received…….……………………………………………………………………64
5. Table 5: Chi-Square Analysis of Participants’ Perception of the Adequacy of
Degree Earned and Skills Earned ..........................................................................64
6. Table 6: Pearson r Correlation, Means (M), and Standard Deviation (SD) of
between skills earned for technology-based job placement among employers.
T=Table………………………………………………………………………......66

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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
As industry leaders across the country prepare to bring aboard upcoming
Information Technology (IT) professionals, many recognize graduates are woefully
unprepared for the workforce (Lowden, Hall, Elliot, & Lewin, 1988). Fifty percent of
hiring managers reportdly not believe college graduates are prepared for the workforce
(Bersin, 2012). In contrast, nearly 90% of college graduates feel equipped to succeed in
the workforce. A review of the sentiments of companies regarding recent college
graduates was thoroughly described. Sixty percent of companies criticized the graduates’
critical thinking skills, while 56% of companies had negative perceptions of the
graduates’ attention to detail; 44% of companies were critical of college graduates’
writing ability, whereas 39% disapproved of their public speaking abilities (Lowden et al.
1988).
It has been argued there is a skills crisis or gap in the educational world, rather
than a job crisis. Research substantiated this claim by drawing upon the perceptions of
employers and, pointed out 45% of American employers cite the lack of skills as the
central reason entry-level vacancies exist. Evidence showed this perception is not held by
American employers exclusively. Only 42% of employers globally assert new graduates
are prepared for the workforce. However, 72% of global educational institutions believe
their students are prepared for the workplace. The difference between these perceptions
needs to be

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further examined. Educational institutions have failed to prepare their students for
the 21st-century workforce adequately, and it should be rectified (Bersin, 2012). Ninety-
two percent of professionals within the workplace prefer new employees who have two
years of experience passed their academic training. Employers report spending 50% of
their time training graduates entering their workforce to acquire the skills required to be
successful in their employment. The two most important skills literacy and numeracy,
help students gain the fundamental skills necessary to solve problems. Although the
necessary job training emphasizes the need for human skills over technical skills, most
training programs do not reflect such priority (Wilkie, 2019). Moore, on the other hand,
expressed the importance of seeking employers who are not fully qualified for the job,
but rather have excellent written communication skills, which are the top of the industry
professional's wishes. Businesses are spending billions each year on remedial training.
Employees spend most hours sending emails, analyzing reports, and interacting with
clients. It is vital to have oral and written communication skills because it will allow
businesses to grow instead of hindering relationships and will protect outsiders'
perceptions of employees, which could damage a company's brand (Moore,2016).
The academic skill gap exists within many employment fields and continue to increase as
a problem in the workforce. Frequently the term skills gap is employed to identify the
disparity between the skills needed to succeed in the professional world and the skills
with which young professionals leave college. For most workplace settings teaching
abstract theory is not beneficial to success in the workforce. Technological fields are
particularly affected by the skills gap. Many computer science, IT, and engineering jobs
remain unfilled given the lack of preparedness by college graduates. Multiple solutions

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were outlined for this issue. One being employers to become less dependent on those who
have college degrees. Companies such as Amazon and Google have begun to eliminate
the need for their employees to possess college degrees. Prioritizing job experience over
college degrees is becoming more popular. Some businesses are even creating their own
schools to educate a future workforce. French billionaire Xavier Niel invested one
hundred million dollars to build a coding school in Fremont, California. Its purpose is to
teach students using an alternative learning style. Companies have begun exploring other
avenues such as directly connecting employers with administrators, to ensure a well-
equipped workforce (Vembu, 2019).
In addition to companies discovering ways to navigate the skills gap, there are
also techniques college graduates can employ. Much of the skills gap is contingent upon
students not taking jobs related to their skill set. College graduates are searching for jobs
in fields different from their curricular training areas. It is imperative for students to learn
a variety of skills. Internships, networking, and joining clubs are also important ways
college students can be better prepared for the workforce. Career pathways have become
a swirl rather than a straight line. Simply gaining a college degree has created a
foundation for entering the workforce and holds value. Data from the company Emsi
exemplifies labor market analytics firm appreciates career tracks for graduates with a
widely varying level of applicability to the job market. Emsi’s database chose graduates
from six specific degree different backgrounds; 20% as engineers, followed by 13%
having software developer experience. Seventeen percent of Esmis selected applicants
had a language and philosophy background, and 10% earned journalism and writing
experience. All were used to fulfill their job skill needs (Fein, 2019).

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Self-confidence was also accentuated as an important characteristic to bring to a job
(Vembu, 2019). Many college graduates tend to lack confidence regarding networking.
College graduates struggle with making their employers aware of their abilities. The trait
of confidence is valuable for college graduates in the workforce. It can be heightened
through networking, according to the author (Wilkerson, 2019). It has been recognized
for almost 35 years 40% of Higher Education (HE) graduate employees do not work
within their college curricular training environment. It has been looked upon as a benefit
by many and a reflection of the breadth and depth of the acceptance which some believe a
broad-based Liberal Arts Education allows for the most freedom to employees and
employers in their pool of potential hires. It is important for students and graduates to
posses soft skills crucial to their career success . First teamwork promotes an atmosphere
of trust, motivation, and builds positive relations. Second, critical thinking skills help
understand the connection between shared ideas. Third, problem solving skills prove
students and employees can take on responsibility for their learning and act to solve the
problem. Technical skills help get you through the door, while people skills open the
doors. It has been proven leaders accomplish more goals by using the 3 important skills
explained (Dowding, 2019).
Statement of the Problem
The purpose of this study was to investigate the adequacy of classroom
curriculum currently in place at Middle Tennessee universities. This study also attempted
to determine the provision of curriculum meeting the expectations of industry employers.
Finally, this study attempted to assess alumni students and employers’ satisfaction, as
well as employers’ needs for employment based on the curriculum provided.

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Even though education may make recent college graduates feel prepared to enter
the workforce, only half of the hiring managers agree with them; managers feel recent
graduates lack rare absent of crucial skills. Graduate students must be aware of the
realities which will be faced after graduation. “Attaining a HE should ensure adequate
knowledge and skills for students' potential employers" (Berr, 2016, p. 6).
Rationale
Universities face the challenge of designing, organizing, and implementing
curricula which prepares students to meet the 21st century job industry needs (Aluko,
2014). Administrators have emphasized the importance of insuring structure in the
curriculum. When gauging the overall curriculum quality, it is important to consider the
discrepancy between the presence of curricular opportunities and willingness of students
to take advantage of their opportunities at hand. There were three curricular components
revealed which have successfully restructured institutional programs. The first
component was a common academic curriculum where course offerings were narrow and
academic content was strong. The second component was an expectation of high levels of
academic pressure centered on students to meet academic standards and devote efforts to
academic endeavors. The last component was authentic instruction under which students
had more engagement, discipline, and critical thought in other instructional approaches,
while the focus should be on preparing students for the skills needed to attain a job after
graduation (Roellke, 1996). The Educational systems in France, Britain, the Netherlands,
and the United States are all quite different when it comes to HE achievements. Northern
European students had begun receiving secondary education at the 6th-7th grade level, and
they were bifurcated into skills-based training or higher education prepared based. Ten

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percent of Northern European teenagers were more likely to learn more and graduate
from secondary schools than their American counterparts. Not all students got to
experience going to college; Their focus was more on targeted employment-ready
training both in secondary and higher education (Bishop, 2010).
Perceptions of self-employability among college graduates
College graduates’ perceptions of self-employability are contingent upon certain
factors. In 2008 individual factors such as self-confidence, engagement with studies, and
job-seeking proclivity positively correlated with self-employability. College graduates
also perceived their employability as rather divorced from their studies. Personal
ambition was also not seen by students as a particularly strong factor in gaining
employment. The most important factor in the eyes of graduates was the brand of the
university each attended. Demographic factors were given little weight among college
graduates when assessing employability. Neither gender nor cultural background had an
impact on how graduates perceived their employability. Internship attainment was also
given little impact in perceptions of self-employability, a fact deemed as counterintuitive
(Jewell, Hardie, & Rothwell, 2009).
Perceptions of self-employability were also examined among college graduates.
The study was comprised of students from the engineering and agricultural colleges at
California Polytechnic State University. Self-perceived employability was heavily
contingent upon perceived college reputation. Other factors deemed significant were
work experience as well as self-management (Jewell, Hardie, & Rothwell, 2009). In
contract to Roellke (1996), Jewell et al. (2008) found internship experience was highly
significant in terms of self-employability. Jewell et al (2009) found internship

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experiences to be the most significant factor. Gender, unlike the Roellke (1996) study
was found to be more significant. Traditional academic descriptors such as grade point
average (GPA) and class standing were not strongly correlated to self-employability
among college students. Male students were 60% more confident than their female
counterparts in their employability. Employability was partially higher since males were
driven to surpass their competition. In contrast, females were found to value leadership
roles more and were less driven to distinguish themselves from others (MacDougall,
Sexton, & Qenani, 2014).
Employer perceptions of employability among college students
There is a disparity between the percentage of college students who believe they
are well-equipped for the workforce and employers’ opinions on students’ preparedness.
Many employers expressed dissatisfaction with college graduates. Employer
dissatisfaction emanates from the belief college students are not as well-equipped for the
workforce (Sarkar, Overton, Thompson, & Rayner, 2017). Employers in the labor market
highly prioritize both higher education as well as practical skills. Employers also were
shown to accentuate adaptability to the workplace, critical thinking abilities, innovation,
and teamwork. Other attributes included strong communication skills, decision-making
skills, IT skills, problem-solving prowess, and numeracy abilities (Aluko, 2014).
The concept of employability has been discussed for years. Yet, there has been an
increase of interest in the concept given the growing interest in graduate employability.
There is a marked difference in what is prioritized by the job market and what is being
prioritized by the education system. Despite the type of company, soft skills such as
communication and teamwork were more valued than hard skills or technical skills. Hard

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skills or technical skills include things such as the specific degree qualified for the job or
IT skills. Only a minority of employers were recently discovered to hire college graduates
for to their technical skills. Instead, college degrees were often cited as the minimum
candidates needed. A college degree was not considered among the most important
attribute for most employers (Lowden et al., 1988). Graduates who have earned a Cisco
certification are more favored than others who earned only a degree . If a job is highly
technical, a certification may be more valuable. Job positions with management and
business components lean on applicants who have gained their college degrees. Two
reasons have been identified regarding college degrees having less impact on the hiring
manager's decision. One issue was degrees do not prove most up to date skills. The
second issue was certification expresses one’s expertise. A degree acts as an
accomplishment (Skinger, 2013).
Evolving the Academic Curriculum
Restructuring of the academic curriculum could prove beneficial for students.
Students are often not knowledgeable enough regarding the labor market. Enrollment
patterns with career and technical programs were recently found to be unaligned with
labor market returns which students receive from these programs. Implementing a
curriculum which accentuates the labor market and prepares students to be
knowledgeable about labor market concerns was speculated to be beneficial. For
instance, students who study Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM)
related fields are more likely to experience boosts in their labor market outcomes, in
comparison to their peers who study in fields such as the humanities or social sciences.
Labor market outcome analyses can greatly aid students’ decisions to choose a field of

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study and can help students better understand the long-term implications of choosing a
field such as health care. Supplying students with information about the labor market is
hugely beneficial. Students should be encouraged to choose a field of study as soon as
one enrolls, increasing the student’s odds of completing college. The creation of clearly
defined pathways to graduating in fields with a strong likelihood of success after college
is vital. Colleges could implement an academic curriculum which augments students’
understanding of the labor market. Labor market expectations were recently deemed
essential. Knowledge of the market along with initiatives set in place to help students
graduate with degrees in STEM fields could be vital (Crisp & Powell, 2019).
Bridging the Gap Between Employability and Education
There is an evident mismatch between the job market and the education system.
Less than 50% of employers believe college graduates have the skills required to gain
entry-level jobs. Employers recently communicated a willingness to pay their new
workers 22% higher salaries if each were adequately prepared. On the other hand, 72% of
educational institutions reported in 2009 their students were prepared for the workforce.
Professionals must help bridge the gap between educational institutions and the job
market. It is essential to bridge the gap between employability and education (Bersin,
2012).
Bridging the educational skill gap can be done by enacting two vital measures and
strategies. Studies have highly suggested administrators directly connect with industry
professionals. Administrators and professors must also constantly restructure their
curriculum in order to have increased success with its college graduates’ employability.
Outdated curriculum could fail the need to keep students up to date (Vembu, 2019).

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Companies have sought to mitigate this gap by training their force and building
their arsenal, which lessens the need for companies to have to employ college students.
Companies such as Google are no longer solely dependent on those with college degrees.
Mitigating the gap between employers and educational institutions can be accomplished
by both education and skills. Educational institutions as well as employers have begun
finding ways to bridge the gap between the necessary skills needed for employability.
The mitigation includes restructuring the curriculum, educating students about the labor
markets associated with their fields of study, creating training forces for those without a
college degree, and other techniques. Research exists regarding the challenges faced due
to the gap between education and employability; however, research also exists regarding
ways employers and educational institutions have sought to mitigate the gap (Vembu,
2019). The following research questions guided this research study:
Research Questions
1. Was there a correlation between graduated students’ employability options and
the adequacy of their college curriculum?
2. Were there differences in perceptions of employability options and adequacy of
college curriculum based on degree received?
3. Was there a correlation between skills earned for technology-based job
placement among employers?
Description of Terms
The following terms are defined as they are used in this study:
Employability Skills. Competencies are considered essential for a worker to
possess in order for him/her to be successful in a job (Carnevale, 2013).

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Multicollinearity. Enerally occurs when there are high correlations between two
or more predictor variables. In other words, one predictor variable can be used to predict
the other (Stemmer, 1992)
Quantitative Data. Information or data is based on quantities obtained using a
quantifiable measurement process (Creswell, 2013).
Qualitative Data. Information records qualities that are descriptive, subjective or
difficult to measure (Tomu, 2013).
Descriptitive Statistics. Used to describe the basic features of the data in a study.
They provide simple summaries about the sample and the measures (Jaafar, Rasheid &
Zakaria, 2018).
Causal-comparative design. A research design that seeks to find relationships
between independent and dependent variables after an action or event has already
occurred. (McKenzie & Reinheimer, 2011, p. 26).
Correlation. A relationship or connection between two or more things (Akoglu,
2018).
Matriculation. Admission to a group (Siddhartha, 2008).
Contribution of the Study
The results of this study have the potential to change the way administrators and
teachers integrate and implement their curriculum in the classroom setting. Fouzieh,
Sabzian, and Gilakani (2009) explained how computer technology strengthens career and
technical education. “Computer technology allows teachers to prepare students with new
kinds of knowledge and skills which are in demand in high-growth emerging industries”
(p. 72). Additional research helped identify the skills and strategies students would like to

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add to their professional toolbox. As students gain potential solutions and are exposed to
new ideas, they also identify skills management and instructional training needed to make
the changes employers want to see (Lewin, 1944).
The results of this research study could inform professional development
employers, administrators, and educators about the need for curriculum development for
employment and its translation into the classroom. Instructors and employers might also
use the results of this research study to provide support to educators as administrators
work toward ensuring graduates have the proper technology literacy adequate for
employment. Finally, the results of this research study could increase the study site
university’s Technology of Business enrollment rates, based upon student employability.
Process to Accomplish
The purpose of this study was to investigate the adequacy of classroom
curriculum currently in place at Middle Tennessee universities. This study also attempted
to determine the provision of curriculum meeting the expectations of industry employers.
Finally, this study attempted to assess alumni students’ satisfaction, employers’
satisfaction, and employers’ needs for employment based on the curriculum provided.
Research Design
The researcher applied a correlational design with an element of causal-
comparative design to examine the problem studied in this research project. The research
was designed to engage a group of graduates from the years 2017- 2019 from a Middle
Tennessee Carnegie Level IV university school of business & technology program. The
second group of participants included technology industry professionals in order to
determine curricular adequacy to meet the needs of graduates and employers. The Middle

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Tennessee organization was founded in 1999, and was designed to promote mostly
women in technology, it awards more than fifty thousand dollars in tuition money to
women interested in the field.
A correlational research design was the most appropriate for the research.
Correlational research is more than simply collecting both quantitative and qualitative
data; a correlational study has an increase or decrease in one variable which corresponds
to an increase or decrease in the other variable. (Siddhartha, 2008). "Causal-comparative
designs are appropriate for studies involving preexisting data and when the independent
variable cannot be manipulated" (McKenzie & Reinheimer, 2011, p. 26). The study
employed mixed-methods data collection in order to reduce bias and improve
triangulation with the collection of both quantitative and qualitative data. Mixed-method
studies draw from the strengths of qualitative and quantitative methods adding to the
richness and rigor of the research. Combining quantitative and qualitative methods offers
a more thorough understanding of a problem than either one alone (Creswell et al., 2004).
Participants
The participants for this study consisted of two groups, (Group A) IT graduates
from the academic study site and (Group B), local IT professionals and IT graduates.
Group A participants included recent graduates (2017-2019) of the School of Business
and Technology at a university in middle Tennessee. The School of Business &
Technology program was composed of combined academic areas with 24 different major
degree earning areas, nine minor study areas, and four associates, The research study
focused on the following degrees: Information Technology, Graphic Design, Web
Design and Development, Specialized Computing, Software Engineering, Computer

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Science, Information Systems, and UX Design. The population size of technology
students chosen to participate in Group A was N=123. The program's population was
made up of 47.9% males and 51.1% females. The largest ethnicity group of the
university was the African American/Black/African population of 54.2%. The second-
largest ethnic group at the school was the Caucasian/Scottish/White population at 29.2%.
A smaller population consisted of 6.3% Asian/Vietnamese/Indian. The sample size turned
out to be N= 48.
Group B participants were recruited from a local women’s technology
organization were most professionals were males. This organization is a community
committed program promoting women in technology through scholarships, education,
community outreach, and networking. The population size of technology professionals
from (Group B) was N= 33. The program was made up of IT professionals and graduated
students from the Middle Tennessee region. The organization was made up of 36.4%
females and 63.6% males. The local technology organization was in an urban area of
Middle Tennessee and consisted primarily of 24.2% Caucasians/White females and
63.6% of African American/Black women. A smaller population consisted of 6.1% Other
African British/Arab American, 3.0% of Hispanic, and 3.0% of European descent. Most
participants held leadership positions as Director 27.3%, Manager 18.2%, Analyst 18.2%,
or Engineer 12.1%. Next, most participants earned degrees in Information
Technology/Management 33.3%, Computer Science 27.1%, and Information
Systems/Security 6.7%. In addition to degrees earned, 69.7% of participants earned some
type of certification related to their field.

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These IT professionals would potentially hire graduates or had experience in a
current leadership role in Technology. Each student member of the organization had
previously been enrolled at a Tennessee University with a background in IT, Information
Science, or Computer Science. The organization's employers were randomly asked to
participate. The sample size of professionals from (Group B) was N=33. The director of
the organization was responsible for recruiting participants through their program’s
weekly newsletter. Each professional within the program was invited and had the
opportunity to opt-in by clicking the web link attached in the newsletter.
Instruments
The instruments utilized in this study were the Self-Perceived Individual
Employability Scale (SPIES) Rothwell (2005), Degree Adequacy scale (DAS) Ozcan
(2013), and Employers Perception of the importance of employability skills Scale
(EPOTIOES) Shamsuri (2013). Permissions for use of each instrument were placed in
Appendix A. All instruments employed in this study were administered through Survey
Monkey and had minor modifications in order to best fit this study.
Rothwell (2005) developed the SPIES, which aided in answering Research
Question 1: Was there a correlation between graduated students’ employability
options and the adequacy of their college curriculum? The (SPIES) can be found in
Appendix B. The (SPIES and DAS) were combined and split into two separate sections
of the survey. Section 1 included questions (1-13) with subscales. The opening of the
survey captured demographics and identifying information relating to each student’s
gender, age, ethnicity, job position, degree received, and year of graduation. The students

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who chose to participate responded to items using a 5-point Likert scale format from 1
strongly disagree to 5 strongly agree capturing quantitative data.
Ozcan (2013) developed the (DAS), which can be found in Appendix B. The
DAS was employed to address Research Question 2: Were there differences in
perceptions of employability options and adequacy of college curriculum based on
degree received? The researcher attempted to reach out to the author who provided the
DAS. After multiple tries, the researcher was not able to contact the original author.
Section 2 of the combined 20-item Likert scale questions consisted of question numbers
14-20. Section 2 included one open ended question which captured qualitative data.
The EPOTIOES was designed by Shamsuri (2013). The EPOTIOES scale can be
found in Appendix B. To address Research Question 3: Was there a correlation
between skills earned for technology-based job placement among employers?
Chosen IT professionals were to respond to seven open-ended questions. The opening of
the survey captured demographics relating to each employers’ gender, ethnicity, job
position, certification, and years of leadership experience in the IT field. Results collected
from this scale produced qualitative data. Research Question 3 assessed if there was a
correlation between skills earned for technology-based job placement among employers.
These skills were composed of six themes, which included: (Theme 1) Various Types of
Skill Sets Needed for University IT Students, (Theme 2) Types of Projects or Project-
Based Learning Activities Needed for University Curriculum, (Theme 3) Most Impactful
Skills on Success of IT Organization/Company, (Theme 4) Skills Necessary for Degreed
Students, (Theme 5) Future Expectations for Newly Degreed Employees, and (Theme 6)
Necessary Steps to Meet Expectations of Industry Employers.

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Data Collection
The SPIES and DAS were used as one instrument distributed electronically
through Survey Monkey to graduate students in Middle Tennessee Universities. The
combined instrument, (SPIES and DAS), was used to collect data from graduates who
were enrolled in a School of Business and Technology program and others, who were a
part of an all-women technology organization. This tool was used to assess students with
different degrees regarding the adequacy of their college curricula and comfort level
within their current organization. Questions 1-13 (Section 1) focused on the degree to
which students believed their employability options were within their current job. The
five subscales captured students’ confidence, comfortability, beliefs, morals, and values.
By capturing the many subscales, it allowed the researcher to examine student’s level of
assurance of having prospects who support them and the opportunities outside of their
organization. Higher scores signaled a lower degree of contentment level collectively to
reflect employability within and outside the person’s current organization, based on his or
her personal and occupational attributes. Questions 14-20 (Section 2),was designed to
help measure student’s curriculum adequacy based on the degree received by students.
The EPOTIOES was designed to answer seven open-ended questions pertaining
to employability skills employers perceive as most important to be possessed by
technology students, as well as their potential employees. Employability skills were a
combination of hard and soft skills. Employers were to methodically reflect on their level
of satisfaction on the level of employability skills possessed by university students
(Mohd, 2013). Data from both scales were collected in the months of December 2019 -
August of 2020. A study site appointee from the alumni department was provided in

18
August of 2019 and was responsible for gathering graduates’ contact information to hand
over to the researcher to protect against bias.
The researcher had a second method of distributing surveys through a web link
sent via E-mail, also included was an Informed Consent form to be signed and returned,
indicating their willingness to participate, or option to decline. The informed consent
form can be found in Appendix C. Before beginning the survey in survey monkey, it also
explained to the participants the next step, which was by clicking begin, participants
would consent to the study.
The researcher sent out a written Memorandum of understanding (MOU) for
permission to conduct the research study with permission to use contacts within each
organization, and access had been granted. The Middle Tennessee university entered an
MOU in September of 2019 as shown in Appendix D. The Women’s technology
organization entered an MOU on October 2019 also presented in Appendix D. The MOU
established expectations and responsibilities between the researcher, the organization, the
participants, and provided a brief description of the proposed project and its objectives.
The researcher collected all data electronically during months December 2019 -
August of 2020. Students and employers were assisted in completing the electronic
survey through Survey Monkey. Survey Monkey is a secure website which uses the latest
data encryption technology to securely collect and store data. Five months were allowed
for the collection of this data. All data obtained were stored on a password protected
computer with access only granted by the researcher. Any identifying information was
kept confidential. No names or identifiers were available to the researcher.

19
Data Analysis
The SPIES was analyzed using a software by IBM SPSS Statistics Version 25 in
order to determine any correlations. In order to address Research Question 1: Was there
a correlation between graduated students’ employability and the adequacy of their
college curriculum, a Pearson r Correlation test was run to find a correlation between
graduated students’ employability options and comfort level to see if they were related.
The DAS was investigated using a calculation of the casual comparative research
design. To address Research Question 2: Were there differences in perceptions of
employability options and adequacy of college curriculum based on degree received,
SPSS function, Analysis of Covariance test was used to determine a statistically
significant difference between participants’ perceptions of employability options and
adequacy of college curriculum based on their degrees earned controlling for gender. A
Chi-square test was also conducted to identify if there was a statistically significant
difference between participants’ perception of the adequacy of their degree earned based
on skills earned.
The EPOTIOES was utilized by the researcher and analyzed using a Pearson r
Correlation. This test identified whether there was a statistically significant correlation
between skills earned for technology-based job placement among employers. In order to
address Research Question 3: Was there a correlation between skills earned for
technology-based job placement among employers, a set of six themes were analyzed
separately, and the researcher interpreted the perceived value data using the results on a
Pearson Correlation to exam the categories ranked highest in skills professionals saw
necessary to add in Middle Tennessee University's curriculum.

20
CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE
Introduction
Gaining a college degree is important and common, but changing rapidly in our
society and within academia; obtaining a college degree also provides greater opportunity
for employment (Loveless, 2019). The purpose of this study was to investigate the
adequacy of classroom curriculum currently in place at Middle Tennessee universities.
This study also attempted to determine the provision of curriculum meeting the
expectations of industry employers. Finally, this study attempted to assess alumni
students and employers’ satisfaction, as well as employers’ needs for employment based
on the curriculum provided.
An exhaustive review of the literature was conducted to gain a historical and
present perspective of the expectancy of knowledge, skills, and abilities industry leaders
feel valuable to their organization. Data were compiled to investigate the linkages
between classroom curriculum and employability after one has graduated. Students’
perceptions of their contentment level within their organization were discussed.
Secondly, perceptions of student’s employability options and adequacy of college
curriculum based on degree received were described. Working effectively with others and
communicating effectively were the skills students believed were most central to
employability from students and experts regarding the importance of obtaining a college
education (Jackson, 2013).

21
Skills valued by industry leaders were also addressed. Finally, alternative points of view
were given from students who believed attaining a degree from a university was of
relatively little importance.
The following research questions guided this research study:
1. Was there a correlation between graduated students’ employability options and
the adequacy of their college curriculum?
2. Were there differences in perceptions of employability options and adequacy of
college curriculum based on degree received?
3. Was there a correlation between skills earned for technology-based job
placement among employers?
Historical Perspective
During the late 20th century researchers and employers have expressed concerns
about the work ethic, work skills, social skills, and general ability of graduates entering
the field as entry level professionals. The American workforce was undereducated of
minimum work environment skills. As a result, corporations employed an increased
number of unskilled workers to get different jobs done (Carnevale,1996; Kanter,1983).
The US job market has expanded more now than ever before. Businesses, such as health
care and technology, have struggled with finding employers with the necessary skills. A
recent survey from the National Federation of Independent Businesses found 35% of
business owners were unable to fill job openings, and 89% of employers reported having
very few or unqualified applicants for their position (Gunn, 2019).
The rapid changes in technology have created a greater demand for college-
educated professionals. The percentage of American workers in professional and

22
technological operations rose from 18% of the working population in 1990 to 56% in
1988 (Atkinson & Jackson,1992). The academic community raised concerns criticizing
the discipline and questioned the legitimacy in the college curriculum; however, a steady
increase in universities’ enrollment of students occurred (Gordon & Howell Pierson,
1959). University faculty members decided whether computer courses were as important
to the English language and public speaking when it came to skills necessary for the job
market. The faculty of the University of Virginia made the recommendation to the
leadership of the department to focus more on both subjects as it will strengthen
employment options (UVA Arts & Sciences Digital Communications, 2019).
Students are often reminded they are required to have more than a degree to be
employable. Employability has numerous facets, such as working well with others and
the ability to learn rapidly. Academic skills gained in college may be the critical element
to a successful career, but soft skills of work ethics, collaboration, and self-direction are
equally as important and need to be included in the college curriculum (Aamodt &
Havnes, 2008; EU, 2006; Quintini, 2008). The United Kingdom (UK) faces a
considerable challenge attracting and retaining graduate talent. Only 32% of college
students work in areas pertaining to their college degrees. One major hurdle to student’s
retention was to posses the necessary skills employers needed from prospective staff
members. Having a college degree is simply not enough to become employable. In
addition, an overly generalized approach to teaching employability is also not optimal.
Universities must start supporting their graduates by not focusing on generic related
employability skills, but looking at the regional economy (Looms, 2018).

23
These are challenging times for universities and their careers services. Graduates
are found to lack employability skills, according to Educational Leadership experts.
Universities have compelling arguments as to why it is vital to gain hands-on job market
skills in order to succeed in the workforce. The four-year university model cannot keep
up with the changing demands of high-tech jobs. Instead of spending thousands of dollars
on general studies to learn theory and outdated techniques, universities must invest in
more of a boot camp educational model. Boot camp model style programs are generally
shorter than university degree programs and focus on a narrow range of highly
specialized skills in specific areas. Using UCLA’s curriculum, students spend ten weeks
on computer science courses to receive their degrees. Professors typically use five hours
lecturing and 2 useful hours for a student to do homework and study, which adds up to
1400 hours for 4 years. Therefore, more outside class time is expected. The need to
incorporate more of a boot camp style program may have been unthinkable to previous
generations. One main reason the boot camp style curricula would not exists is because a
twelve-week length program could average seventeen thousand dollars or more (Mill,
2017).
Researchers have investigated skills which IT professionals feel students with
degrees should possess. Other studies specifically addressed the subject of employability
skills (Brown,1992). American workers are most afraid of artificial intelligence taking
over the job market. The World Economic reported an estimate in 2022 showing
automation will replace 75 million jobs which will help leverage an average of 133
million more jobs to open. As a result of the changes, the number of jobs held in a
lifetime will eventually double, according to researchers (Smith, Tsin, and Rogers, 2019).

24
Exploration of the expertise of employers, educators, and scholars was engaged in
order to identify relevant workplace skills. The importance of these skills was outlined
and was explained why each should be encompassed into the technology curriculum. The
first skills is, data analysis. The future of IT is data; most importantly, knowing how to
analyze it to produce actionable insights. The second most important skill to be
incorporated in the curriculum was knowledge transfer, which is vital to the business so
employees can distribute their thoughts and ideas, such as job aids and working tools
(Carr, 2020).
The skills most common in the major studies on employability skills included
communication skills, problem-solving, typing, and research skills. A preponderance of
studies explored how employers perceived their college graduates on these listed
dimensions. The American Intercontinental University included these sets of skills as
well as others to successfully quantify employability. It is imperative to define
employability skills as a concept to study the role of the skills in attaining a job after
college (American Intercontinental University, 2019)
Whether employability can be taught within a classroom has been met with
skepticism by Cranmer. It can be difficult to quantify employability as a concept which
can be measured and transferred. The expert conducted the study with a university
academic staff and career staff to define employability. The study examined how
academics perceived employability. Administrators were also included in the study of
employability skills transfer. This was considered important since the majority of
research examined employers’ perceptions of employability rather than academics
perception of employability. The study concluded work experience and involvement of

25
employers in degree courses did have a positive correlation with employability. There
was little difference between the skills of recent graduates and the skills of employees
with a one-year experience after graduation. Finally, it was concluded employers should
pay a stronger role in designing course curriculum to bolster the employability of student
(Cranmer, 2006).
The correlation between employability of college graduates and employment has
been studied frequently between 2010-2011. The correlation between academic
performance and employability has been less frequently studied. A total of 6,876
graduate students from business and management survey responses were analyzed to
investigate a possible link between academic performance and employability. Four
employability skills were significantly linked to graduate students publishing in academic
journals. The four employability skills were computer literacy, foreign language ability,
application of theory to work, and stability and pressure resistance. Employability of
graduate students was not only correlated to employability after college, but correlates
with academic publication of graduate students (Pan & Lee, 2011).
Professionals’ definition of employability should be broader. Educators are
expected to equip their students with the ability to become economically successful.
Employability has a strong economic connotation. IT jobs require much more
specialization than others. Many college graduates only work in fields tangential to what
one studied in college; this is far less of a problem for the United Kingdom than in the
United States. One of the contributions of this work showed employability cannot be
interpreted the same due to various contexts in different countries. The unique argument
was also made which stated, graduates construct the labor market differently. These

26
constructions play a part in labor market returns along with various other factors (Tomu,
2013).
Some factors pertaining to employability were more important than others. A
mixed-methods study was conducted to determine which factors were most important.
Thirty employers were interviewed to gain their perspectives. Seventeen total factors
affecting the employability of college graduates were identified, with four being the most
important. The first factor was analytical and self-understanding skills. Students struggled
to take on decisions without the help of any guidance. Students also lacked an evaluation
of their strengths, weakness, and future learning objectives. The second factor was,
general management and work culture. As statistics comprised the dimensions related to
multitasking, computer knowledge, and prioritizing, meeting deadlines were proved to be
the least manageable by students. The third important factor was leadership and problem-
solving. These statistics comprised the dimensions of leadership skills, team building, and
analyzing critical thinking skills. Organization and managing events were both proved
least achievable by students. Lastly, communication skills were evaluated. Data from the
study revealed students struggled with interpersonal communication or public
communication (Baldwin, Finch, Hamilton, and Zehner, 2013).
The gap between employability skills of postsecondary students and expectations
held by employers of college graduates has been researched. A study conducted in 2018
examined the gap to enhance the employability skills of MBA students. The study
entailed understanding the ways employers felt about college graduates' employability
options. The study also included understanding how college graduates perceived their
employability. Finally, the researcher studied the characteristics of management

27
postgraduate students expected by employers upon entry. The sample size included 1500
students. The researchers concluded there was a significant difference in how
management students assessed their employability skills and how the industry perceived
these employability skills. Students in management programs considered themselves
more employable than those in the industry valued recent college graduates from
management programs. Understanding the extent of this discrepancy led to the
conclusion which explained management programs should utilize the advice from
employers (Bansal, 2018).
The concept and importance of employability are still contested. The notion of
employability does not wholly explain why many young people face zero problems
finding work. Professionals advocate for discourses on employability to be more sensitive
to the social environments which youth face. Crisp and Powell argue for greater
economic and social analysis to determine why unemployment is a phenomenon. Their
analysis does not accentuate employability skills. Rather, some argue there needs to be
more focus on changing power relations and its role in the unemployment of youth (Crisp
& Powell, 2019).
Students’ perception of employability options and the adequacy of their college
curriculum
Student perceptions of graduate employability were studied and shown to be
improved by project-based learning. How students felt about learning and applying
knowledge and skills through an engaging experience were examined. Using knowledge
and skills is a mechanism designed to bolster employability skills throughout the
curriculum. A project-based learning approach was implemented across three levels of

28
undergraduate sports psychology. Students perceived this approach and whether it was
beneficial or not in terms of strengthening their motivation to become employable. The
project-based learning approach has been thought to enhance critical-thinking skills as
well as practical skills. Critical-thinking skills and practical skills can be utilized in a
plethora of contexts. Project-based learning as well as attaining greater employability
skills necessitates communication in group environments, teamwork, and time
management. Researchers assessed the students’ perception of project-based learning
before the study was conducted; given their assertion measuring its effectiveness
regarding employability is futile without understanding how students initially felt about
it. A total of 25 students had positive perceptions of project-based learning regarding
whether it could enhance employability skills. A total of 12 students had negative
perceptions of project-based learning’s ability to enhance employability skills. Seven of
the participants were ruled as unsure in the study. The study concluded students who
liked project-based employability were much more satisfied with their ability to improve
problem-solving, communication, and time management skills. Nevertheless, the authors
found evidence which proved students who disliked project-based employability still
found it useful, to varying extents (Smith, Duncan, and Cook, 2013).
Online higher education curricula compared to face to face courses were
examined with a focus on employability from both theoretical and practical dimensions.
The theoretical dimension was defined as the ability of the students to transmit their
knowledge and skills to the workforce. The practical dimension was defined as the extent
to which students were able to practice knowledge to become employed. Online
university served as the study site for the examination to assure understanding of the

29
online participant’s perceptions of employability. Teachers and students agreed higher
education curricula should include the ability to make students’ knowledge marketable.
Both groups believed four of the most important facets of higher education should
emphasize problem-solving, decision-making, willingness to learn, and planning in
curricula. A significant difference between the two groups existed in the perception of the
importance held by professors in making students more employable (Silva, Lourtie, &
Aires, 2013).
The extent to which students thought employability skill provision was important
in business undergraduate programs was examined. Students were assessed on the
importance of employability skills, the relative importance of specific skills, and how
competent each person considered themselves in the specified skills. Employing a
relatively large sample size of 1,019 students, showed international students were largely
more self-aware regarding self-employability when compared to non-international
students. Business undergraduates also placed a high emphasis on employability skill
development in their curriculum. Working effectively with others and communicating
effectively were the skills students believed were most central to employability (Jackson,
2013).
Research regarding employability can be enhanced amongst graduate students
through curricula, emphasizing work-integrated learning, studies examined the link
between employability and work-integrated learning. Research was conducted to show
work-integrated learning is beneficial for increasing employability. The authors launched
a comprehensive examination of work-integrated learning. In addition to utilizing a vast
array of research which support the benefits of work-integrated learning, the authors

30
acknowledged certain challenges arising when it came to providing work-integrated
learning with empirical data. More longitudinal studies need to be done to examine work-
integrated learning’s influence on employability. Research suggested the curriculum
needed to be redesigned, specifically with the focus on employability (Rowe &
Zegwaard, 2017).
A study employing an intervention to investigate undergraduate students’ skills
needs reported a noticeable change in students’ perceptions of employability options. The
intervention consisted of a rigorous, all-day workshop and included third and fourth-year
college students, who had been invited to attend. The workshop addressed concerns
students had regarding employability including leadership, problem-solving, and
teamwork. The study also included commercial awareness of skills needs. Definitions
included understanding the desires of an organization’s shareholders, the climate within
the organization operation, and the economics of businesses. The study showed 64% of
the students participating perceived the workshop intervention helped them develop key
skills of employability. The study concluded the intervention has helped increase the
skills concepts of teamwork and commercial awareness among the participants. The
authors concluded the skills emphasized in their workshop intervention could be
transmitted in classrooms, and educational institutions could make an invaluable impact
by choosing to focus on employability in classroom settings (Sarkar, et al.,2017).
An additional study was conducted to access employability among engineering
students. The study from research showed engineering industries are often disappointed
with the employability capability of college graduates. The study concluded
incorporation of greater representation of industry in the curriculum could have a positive

31
effect on boosting employability among students. The investigators employed a teaching
method into a second-year module of the electrical and engineering programs. The study
measured how students perceived this module regarding employability. Students were
shown to be most positively affected regarding employability components such as
communication skills, decision-making, and responsibility. The module was successful in
helping augment students’ perceptions about the gaining of employability skills. It also
helped enforced teamwork and other skills deemed paramount for employability by those
in the engineering industry (Paramasivam, Tan, & Muthusamy, 2017).
Additional research addressed undergraduate perceptions of the Massive Open
Online Course (MOOC) implemented in Malaysia and the extent to which most believed
it promoted employability amongst its students. Students believed MOOC helped to
transmit two important facets of employability. These two facets were information
gaining skills and system and technology skills. The students reported MOOC helped
increase employability skills. This was largely due to the belief which aided in
information gaining, and system and technology skills. The researchers reiterated more
work should be done on examining the link between MOOC and employability. Their
study was able to successfully show the vital significance of the students’ perceptions of
MOOC’s as important to employability (Mee & Sui, 2018).
Students’ perceptions of higher education in terms of employability was also
studied. Researchers utilized a diverse sample group with thirty-eight students. Twenty-
six of the students studied the general education curriculum and twelve came from
specialist degree subjects. Students of general education curricula experienced less
emphasis regarding employability. The authors studied a pool of students from the

32
general education curriculum as most of their participants due to the lack of emphasis on
employability in their curriculum. However, each group was deemed valuable, given their
perceptions of employability were compared to one another. The findings of the study
showed students in both general and specialized curricula were confident the
degree certificate and the reputation of their university would make them desirable to
employers. Students also believed higher education would lead to a greater source of
income. The research found few senior students perceived themselves to be less
employable than before their collegiate education. The majority of students reported a
perception of being more employable due to their skills obtained through college
education. However, students also perceived market forces and factors would also affect
their employability. Regarding curriculum, students felt more time should be spent by
career services in regard to helping students locate opportunities after graduation. In
addition, students often perceived their professor’s availability in the career services
department and wished academics would address this gap to a greater extent. The study
concluded employability differed regarding majors as those studying in specialist fields
such as Business and Engineering were generally more confident about their
employability when compared to students in generalist fields such as English,
Archaeology, and History. Thus, the curricula being focused upon by students were
positively correlated with students’ self-perceptions regarding employability (Donald,
Baruch, & Ashleigh, 2018).
A survey study with responses of 6,876 graduate students in business and
management were analyzed (Pan and Lee, 2011). The authors concluded four
employability skills were significantly linked to graduate students publishing in academic

33
journals. The study also revealed graduate students attained employment which was not
merely linked to employability skills taught in college. Employment was also strongly
correlated to academic publications of graduate students (Baldwin, Finch, Hamilton, and
Zehner, 2013). The author also discussed some of the skills affecting employability after
college. The research concluded soft skills such as critical thinking were more predictive
of employability than academic performance.
Literature was explored for possible limitations which arose when attempting to
define employability. The notion of employability has been critiqued for not adequately
explaining why youth struggle to find work. The authors argued employability is a flawed
or incomplete metric since employability does not incorporate more economic and social
analysis (Crisp & Powell, 2019). The notion of employability has also been criticized for
being difficult to quantify (Cranmer, 2006). Crisp and Powell argued the definition of
employability should be broader. The authors pointed out some jobs are more specialized
than others, and many college students may only work in fields directly germane to what
they studied in college (Tomu, 2013).
The difference between how well-prepared college employers felt students were
and how well-prepared students felt were also explored. Bansa1 2018 concluded there
was a significant difference in how management students assessed their employability
skills and how the industry perceived these employability skills. Students in management
programs rated themselves as considerably more employable than those in the industry
rated recent college graduates from management programs. It is imperative to be
cognizant of the gap to focus upon ways of ensuring college students become more

34
employable to employable. The gap should serve as motivation for college professors to
work on ways to augment the employability of students (Bansal, 2018).
Students’ perception of employability options and the adequacy of their college
curriculum based on degree received
There was a preponderance of literature regarding student perceptions of
employability options related to the adequacy of college curricula. However, the linkage
between student perceptions of employability and the type of degree earned has also been
explored. The influence a degree type has on notions of employability among students
was evidenced by a plethora of studies (Jackson 2013). A research studied undergraduate
perceptions of the importance of employability skill provision in undergraduate business
programs. The study employed a sample pool of 1019 students. Participants were asked
to rate how important they perceived employability skill provisions on a scale from one
to seven. The mean rating score was calculated at 5.96. The research indicated
undergraduates in business programs generally believed employability skill provision in
their programs was helpful. Female business majors were found to be especially staunch
in their belief of the importance of employability skills. The mean score of females in
business programs was found to be 6.10, while the mean score for males averaged to
5.79. The latter score is still favorable, yet there was no finding of significance between
the two scores. Students in business programs believed employability skill provisions in
undergraduate business programs were helpful (Jackson , 2013).
Research additionally discussed perceptions of employability among students
majoring in Information Systems (IS). A qualitative study sought to examine the extent to
which students believed efforts to boost employability were helpful. The researchers

35
positioned themselves within the existing literature by arguing there were relatively few
empirical studies touching on employability and final year computing on capstone
subjects. After defining employability as skills necessary to succeed within an
organization, the researchers discussed how various facets of employability relate to IS.
Facets of employability such as leadership and collaboration skills, communication skills,
and critical thinking skills are each related to IS. IS students need leadership and
collaboration skills given IS graduates often work in cross-functional teams when
problem-solving. The study’s authors concluded mentioned communication skills are
needed for interviewing shareholders and writing reports. Critical thinking was found to
be imperative for IS students because the field necessitates analysis and innovation
(Chan et al., 2011).
Chan et al. (2011) articulated why employability skills are vital for IS students.
The researchers delve into how students perceived the IS capstone. Chan et al. (2011)
wanted to see whether students believed the IS capstone enhanced their employability
skills. The method for attaining this information was conducting interviews. Students
reported the capstone helped them feel better at communication skills. Many also
reported feeling confident about their ability to work well with others because of their IS
capstone. IS majors believed the IS capstone was extremely beneficial to them. The
research concluded evidence supported a capstone project which helped to developed or
enhance student employability (Chan et al., 2011).
Research was conducted to explore whether discipline influenced undergraduates
perceived employability initiatives differently. One of the goals of the study was to
examine how perceptions of employability initiatives may have changed over time.

36
Several graduates were asked to elaborate on their undergraduate learning experiences. It
was discovered those who majored in different subjects experienced different types of
employability training. Individuals who majored in the sciences were largely exposed to
career services. Engineering students received significant exposure to both business-
related initiatives as well as external speakers. Those in the social sciences were exposed
to business-related instruction as well as career services. There was a difference in
administrators tasked with making undergraduates more employable. Departmental staff
were the predominant pillars of support for humanities and social science students,
whereas external speakers played an important role in instilling employability among
engineering students. The field of study played a pivotal part in how students felt
employability-based initiatives were structured and instructed. Science and humanities
graduates largely felt employability support should be offered in undergraduate
programs. Other students felt employability support should be optional. This was in stark
contrast to engineering and social science graduates. Students in engineering and social
sciences tend to emphasize a more structured approach and perceived employability
initiatives as imperative. However, the study concluded undergraduate students from all
fields of study saw the benefits of employability initiatives (O’Leary, 2016).
An examination of perceptions of employability among chemical engineering
students as well as graduates was committed. The study attempted to determine the
perceptions held by students and graduates in the field of chemical engineering regarding
employability when the industry was in a phase of high demand. The study attempted to
determine the perceptions held by students and graduates in the field of chemical
engineering regarding employability when the industry was in a phase of high demand.

37
Students and graduates tended to positively perceive the field’s teaching of employable
skills. Yet, graduates tended to be much more qualified in their praise. Alumni were
inclined to be more critical of the extent to which skills transferability and management
were included in the curriculum. There was a gendered dimension to how chemical
engineering students perceived curricular inclusion of employability. Female students and
graduates asserted business skills were being undertaught. Students also tended to value
initiative and business skills; whereas, their male counterparts most valued technical
knowledge and communicating professionally. The study utilized student and graduate
responses to generate a deliverable which created training sessions focused on the
instruction of transferable skills perceived to be most important to chemical engineering
students and graduates (Fletcher, Haw & Sharif, 2017).
Industry professionals studied employability among a sample of final-year
students preparing to compete in the labor market. The studies’ objective was to explore
the factors influencing perceptions held by students regarding their self-employability.
Five factors were identified regarding students’ perceptions of their employability. The
first factor identified by the study was socio-economic status. Individuals coming from
more impoverished backgrounds tended to have lower expectations when it came to
becoming employable. The second factor identifying influencing perception of
employability was a substandard education system. The third factor was issues with
curriculum, and the fourth was the choice of institution at which the students pursued
their higher education. Lastly, the social connections a student had played in a role was in
how employable they viewed themselves. The research highlighted these five dimensions
(Chinyamurindi, Harry & Mjoli, 2018).

38
In addition to the field of study, whether an institution was private or public also
affected perceptions of self-employability among graduates. Researchers collected data
from five public universities and five private universities. Eight matching departments
were chosen and students in each department filled out a questionnaire. The sample size
was large with 2,411 students participating. A self-perceived employability instrument
with twenty-three items was used for the study. Perceptions of self-employability tended
to be high for graduating students in general. However, there was an important
distinction. The students at private universities felt more employable than their
counterparts who attended public universities. The study concluded private universities
placed greater emphasis on making certain their students were employable. A notable
caveat concluded within the study’s findings revealed a students’ field of study played a
part in the differences in perception of self-employability between public and private
students. In the Department of Management and Statistics, private students had higher
levels of self-employability. The opposite was true when it came to Computer Science.
No difference was found between students attending private and public universities in the
fields of Physics, Mathematics, Economics, and English. Students who attended private
universities generally had higher perceptions of self-employability. Another difference
concluded by the study was graduates from two-year programs reported higher self-
employability perceptions than those graduating from four-year programs. Finally,
research concluded the reasons for this difference, and assumed it could be because those
graduating from two-year programs had earlier exposure to the workforce. Overall, the
findings from the study showed programs and field of study; however, the findings did
not attribute the differences as being greatly consequential. Yet, they were significant

39
enough to invite further study. In addition to whether an institution was public or private,
university reputation was found to play a role in student perceptions of self-employability
(Hussain & Saber, 2019).
Another study found universities with lower reputations were thought to be less
able to transmit employable skills to students. Muller and Pitan argued the perception of
being unable to teach employability was a problem. Yet, Muller and Pitan also argue this
should motivate universities with lower perceptions to accentuate employability. An
adapted questionnaire filled by 402 respondents reveals both direct and indirect effects of
universities on undergraduate perceived employability are noteworthy (Saher, 2019).
Additional examination of student perceptions of employability was conducted
employing participants from a variety of academic fields. Those from a variety of fields
were asked to participate. Employing a sample size of over 400 students, the study
measures perceptions of employability from students studying multiple academic areas:
business, marketing, and human resource management. The study did not conclude
whether there was a difference in measures of employability among these different fields.
The research concluded a nonalignment between how students perceived employability
and how their employers and other stakeholders perceived employability. Also, there
were different perceptions of employability based upon whether students were in their
first, second, or final year of study. Those in their final year were more likely to have
been involved with measures designed to bolster employability. The study concluded the
finding as a possible source for any discrepancy in students’ perceptions of employability
during different years of their studies. The researcher speculated this could be a reason

40
for the discrepancy in why students of different years perceive employability measures
differently (Tymon, 2013)
A positive relationship between skills employability and the career choice
vocational college students made was investigated. Their data analysis used was
descriptive and inferential analysis. The study revealed the selection of field did play a
role in how students perceived their employability skills. Vocational students who
intended to attain a job related to their field of study scored higher on employability
skills. Conclusions of the study revealed vocational students tended to be confident if
pursuing employment related to their field of study. The researchers described the
students as moderately confident, rather than extremely confident. The study also
concluded students were unsure of their employability skills and therefore often decline
to indicate employment to which they might apply (Jaafar, Rasheid & Zakaria, 2018).
An additional research study delved into how student perceptions of
employability are influenced by the field of study. The studies hypothesis proved final
year Accounting and Pharmacy students would be more positive about their employment
prospects when compared to final year students in Sociology. The sample size included
111 black and white students. Both male and female students were utilized for the study.
These participants were all final year students majoring in either Accounting, Pharmacy,
or Sociology. A questionnaire was used to conduct data for the study. A qualitative
approach was used for this study’s purposes. The findings of the study concluded the
hypothesis was correct. Final year students in Accounting and Pharmacy did report being
more confident about their employability than their counterparts studying Sociology. The

41
study findings supported a discernible link between students and the degree they choose
to pursue (Tomu, 2013).
Skills industry leaders feel important to possess by IT hires with a degree
There is a notable discrepancy between IT managers and faculty members in IT
regarding the types of skills valued in IT entry-level workers. Responses from IT
managers revealed they were most looking to hire people in either the help desk,
networking and wireless, or programming. Hiring managers placed more emphasis than
faculty on skills such as understanding hardware concepts, operating systems, leadership
skills, and being an entrepreneurial risk-taker. Also, IT managers heavily valued creative-
thinking, work experience, flexibility, and knowledge of primary business
functions. Faculty from the computer science and other departments of IT such as
business and management were more likely to accentuate the importance of internship
experience, co-op experience, awareness of IT technology trends, web development
programming languages, honesty, and knowledge of IT companies (Asaheim, Li &
Williams, 2009).
It is imperative to understand the importance of IT to discuss the skills demanded
by those in the IT industry. IT skills are desired for several reasons. IT functions as a tool
which allows employers to improve both quality as well as efficiency. Those respected
quality and efficiency skills include confidence, excellent technical skills, good numerical
skills and an understanding of statistics. The importance of IT must be understood. IT
plays a pivotal role in fast data collection. IT also allows for a quick evaluation of
information, access to myriad health information, greater access to information sources,
and better communication with health experts. IT also lessens the need for human

42
resource roles. IT increases employees’ job opportunities, their independence and
freedom, and minimizing human errors in processing information (Ajami & Arab-
Chadegani, 2014).
IT skills are not only valued by those in IT fields. Rather, IT skills are desired in
other fields, which require knowledge of IT. Chief financial officers and their
subordinates at some of New Zealand’s largest firms revealed the most valued IT skills.
The skills included at least intermediate proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, and
Office, with knowledge of Excel being particularly prized. Accounting graduates are also
expected to accounting package and spreadsheet competencies, the latter of which is why
knowledge of Microsoft Excel is lauded. Word processing packages, communication
software/outlook skills, and electronic commerce are also valued skills associated with IT
(Spraakman et al., 2015).
Despite a significant amount of IT hires, there are far less who are deemed
employable by industry practitioners. The Philippine government sought to mitigate this
by mandating industry partnerships be brought in to supplement the theory taught by
college curriculums. In addition to this measure, it was reported to be important to
examine whether the skills being taught in the university are the same skills being
prioritized by IT hires in the industry. Data was compiled from forty-four academics and
forty-four IT practitioners. The study concluded IT skills were the most prioritized. In
addition, industry workers were found to believe problem-solving capabilities were
important for IT hires to possess. Academics did not accentuate the importance of
problem-solving skills in IT students to the same extent (Bringula & Balcoba & Basa,
2016).

43
IT hires with a college degree are closely evaluated by industry leaders in the
field. Industry experts examine these hires to ascertain if the graduates possess skills
associated with employability. The employability skills include the following: technical
skills, higher-order thinking skills, personal skills, people skills/social skills, generic
skills, and self-perceived employability skills. Technical skills can best be understood as
reading skills, writing skills, basic numeracy skills, and technological skills. Higher-order
thinking skills relates to reasoning, problem-solving, and creative thinking. Personal
skills include attributes such as self-confidence and emotional literacy. People/Social
skills are defined as having interpersonal skills, possessing networking ability, and being
globally-minded. Examples of generic skills include leadership and oral communication
skills. Self-perceived employability skills are traditionally associated with resilience, job-
seeking skills, and knowledge of the labor market (Misra & Khurana, 2017).
IT internships, a type of work-related learning, can be highly informative in
learning employability skills. An analysis of internship postings in IT can illuminate
which skills are most important. These internships also allow one to compare the extent
to which the competencies extracted from these job postings align with the technical and
general competencies detailed in the Association for Computer Machinery (ACM).
Another advantage is they give the student experience practicing IT-related skills in a
work environment. There is also evidence new IT professionals perceived internships as
highly beneficial. An analysis of one hundred and sixty-six internship postings found
both technical and general skills are desired. Technical skills were reported to be more
emphasized than general skills. The technical competencies most frequently appearing on
postings were web systems and technologies. These competencies appeared on posts

44
approximately fifteen percent of the time. The general competencies emphasized
included problem-solving, accountability, self-management, creative thinking, and
flexibility. Problem-solving appeared in internship trends roughly eleven percent of the
time. Accountability appeared approximately eight percent of the time in the trend.
Creative thinking appeared about four percent of the time; whereas flexibility appeared
over two percent of the time in trends. Overall, internships were more likely to mention
technical competencies as opposed to general competencies. The findings of the study
had important implications, which revealed IT internships emphasize the various
technical skills valued by the industry. Participating in an internship would likely prove
advantageous for students as far as getting into the IT industry. Nevertheless, there are
various reasons why it is not feasible for every college student to secure an internship.
Socioeconomic boundaries, the types of internships applied to, and feedback from faculty
can dissuade students from securing an internship. Internship postings can also be flawed
in which the situations outlined are sometimes prone to being altered (Jones et al., 2017).
The discrepancy between the skills IT industry leaders’ value and the types of
skills taught in college curriculums is apparent. Examining industry leaders’ perceptions
of college students with master’s in Public Administration and comparing them with how
those who had a master’s in Business Administration felt shows a stark difference.
College graduates were more apt to perceive themselves as possessing the necessary
skills to succeed in the workforce. However, industry leaders believed the MPA
curriculum failed to equip graduates with the necessary skills needed for the industry.
Thus, there was a gap between the skills taught and emphasized by the curriculum and
those seen as valuable in the IT realm (Christian & Davis, 2016).

45
The gap between skills prized by IT employers and those taught in master programs
cannot be contested. An analysis of fifty-seven Public Administration and Master of
Public Policy programs shows MPA/MPP programs do teach technology skills needed in
IT fields. However, the way programs have been set up has proven inadequate for several
reasons. First, there is a great deal of inconsistency. Topics are not dispersed evenly.
Secondly, technology skills are far more emphasized in some MPA/MPP programs than
others. Despite this, these programs are far from monolithic, and some employability
skills are more accentuated than others in the classroom. While it is categorically false to
state MPA/MPP programs do not impart any of the necessary skills, inconsistencies help
perpetuate the skills gap (Manoharan & McQuiston, 2016).
Master of Public Administration courses must incorporate the lessons needed to
ensure graduates can secure positions and thrive in IT-related fields. The way a common
course is structured can vary widely due to the number of students available, disposal
resources, and the employers who are targeted. Yet, a common course geared towards
generalist concepts administrators deal with is likely to be helpful. MPA courses should
also be structured in a way in which students are employing self-learning techniques. In
addition, a course based on IT cannot be static. IT is always evolving. Thus, a curriculum
which is constantly being updated to reflect the changes in IT would be most beneficial
for students in MPA programs. Doing so ensures the concepts being taught are not dated.
The curriculum must be as dynamic and evolving as the field of IT to ensure graduates
thrive in IT-related fields (Rocheleau, 2018).

46
Conclusions
Employability or the possession of skills deemed to make an individual more
employable has been written about extensively. Skills commonly associated with
employability include communication skills, problem-solving skills, typing, and research
skills. A preponderance of studies has explored how employers perceive their college
graduates on these listed dimensions. Numerous studies explore how students perceive
their employability. Nevertheless, the concept of employability is contested. Some
scholars argue the definition of employability should be broader (Crisp & Powell, 2019).
The findings showed employers prioritize certain facets of employability over
others. Employers prized soft skills over academic performance when evaluating
employability. Numerous studies showed employers strongly believed colleges should
emphasize soft skills and problem-solving skills in their curriculum (Crisp & Powell,
2019).
Students generally had positive perceptions of project-based learning regarding
whether it could enhance employability skills. Business majors, in general, were found to
heavily accentuate the importance of employability. International students were generally
more self-aware regarding their employability than domestic students.
Research indicated the type of degree earned is correlated with how students
perceived their employability. Employability initiatives were also found to vary given the
department a student was in. University status was also found to be correlated with
perceptions of employability (Saher, 2019).
Regarding IT, there was a discrepancy in the types of skills IT managers and
those teaching IT fields in college valued. The former valued leadership, creative

47
thinking, and an entrepreneurial spirit. The latter group lauded the importance of
internship experience and knowledge of internship companies (Asaheim et al., 2009).
Many managers in the IT industry do not perceive many college graduates to be equipped
for IT positions. To rectify this, programs need to heavily integrate the skills valued by IT
employees (Bringula, Balcoba & Basa, 2016).

48
CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
Introduction
The purpose of this study was to investigate the adequacy of classroom
curriculum currently in place at Middle Tennessee universities. This study also attempted
to determine the provision of curriculum meeting the expectations of industry employers.
Finally, this study attempted to assess alumni students and employers’ satisfaction, as
well as employers’ needs for employment based on the curriculum provided.
Chapter II of this research project related an exhaustive examination of the
literature regarding employability, optimal skills for the job market, and the perception of
an existing gap between curricular adequacy of employability held by students,
employers, and university leadership. The literature indicated a significant gap in how
well-prepared students believed they were for the workplace versus how well-prepared
employers felt students are (Bringula et al., 2016). The ways educational institutions
inculcated employability skills were discussed in Chapter II as well as which
employability skills were most important for success in the workplace.
The following research questions were addressed:
1. Was there a correlation between graduated students’ employability options and
the adequacy of their college curriculum?
2. Were there differences in perceptions of employability options and adequacy of
college curriculum based on degree received?

49
3. Was there a correlation between skills earned for technology-based job
placement among employers?
Research Design
The researcher applied a correlational design with an element of causal-
comparative design to examine the problem studied in this research project. The
correlational design was used on Research Questions 1 and 3, which involved collecting
data to determine if instructors and administrators were providing students with the
necessary skills gained from their curricula which helped meet the expectation of their
industry employment needs and satisfied graduated students. A correlation coefficient is a
statistical measure which calculates the strength of the relationship between two
variables, a value measured between -1 and +1. When the correlation coefficient is close
to +1, there is a positive correlation between the two variables. If the value is close to -1,
there is a negative correlation between the two variables. When the value is close to zero,
there is no relationship between the two variables (Akoglu, 2018, p. 91).
The causal-comparative study design used in Research Question 1 and 2 searched
for noticeable statistical differences in perceptions of employability options and adequacy
of the college curriculum based on students’ specific degree received in the technology
department. According to Gay, Mills, and Airasian (2009), causal-comparative research
attempts to determine the cause, or reason, for existing differences in the behavior status
of groups of individuals. These groups are already established and are already different in
some variables. The researcher also stated, causal-comparative studies are sometimes
used to assist with identifying variables considered worthy of an experimental

50
investigation and are sometimes conducted solely to identify the probable outcome of an
experimental study (Gay et al., 2009).
The research method for this study employed a mixed-method data collection.
Creswell, Klassen, Plano Clark, and Smith (2011) proposed mixed-method studies draw
from strengths of qualitative and quantitative data to seek or view problems from
multiple perspectives and develop, compare, or validate a complete understanding from
those perspectives. Qualitative methods were intended to examine the experiences and
perceptions of what IT skills were considered most essential to become employable by IT
professionals. Quantitative methods examined facts, which can be thought of as a series
of what questions and a percentage of people prefer one thing over another. Those facts
resulted in the type of IT degree received or the degree in which one believed their
employment options were in their organization (Barnham, 2015). Consolidating both
types of data, qualitative and quantitative, can offer a completer and more holistic
understanding of the problem (Creswell, 2013). To answer the research questions more
thoroughly than either method alone, Gay and Mills (2011) suggested using both
methods. The study was nonexperimental in design, so it did not require a control group
or treatment group to answer the research questions.
Participants
The study took place in two study sites in the Southern region of the United
States. The first study site A was a private Level V university with a population of N=123
graduated students. Group A of participants were recruited from Study Site A and was
composed of combined academic areas with 24 different major degree earning areas and
nine minor study areas. The study focused on the following: Information Technology,

51
Graphic Design, Web Design and Development, Specialized Computing, Software
Engineering, Computer Science, Information Systems, and UX Design. Out of N=123
graduates, N= 48 participated. Of those groups of participants, 29.2% were
Caucasian/Scottish/White, 54.2% were African American/Black/African, 10.4% were
Asian/Vietnamese/Indian, and 6.3% were Hispanic. The participants’ ages ranged
between 21 and 25 years old. Over half of the participants held a position in the
technology profession.
The Study Site B was a corporate structure organization with students and
employees of N=50 members. This site included a total of N= 33 participants. The
participants, Group B, were industry professionals selected from a Technology
organization. Selected participants from Group B consisted of 12 women. Of the 12 who
participated, 24.2% were Caucasian/White, 63.6% were African American/Black, 6.1%
were Other African British/Arab American, 3.0% was Hispanic, and 3.0% were of
European descent.
Older men and women who participated had more experience than others. Twenty
four percent of women had 6 to 10 years of experience while 21.2% had 21 years or
more. Considering the volume of these two organizations, they provided a diverse range
of both genders as potential participants for the research.
Each site entered a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in September and
October of 2019 as shown in Appendix D. The MOU established expectations and
responsibilities for the researcher, the organization, the participants, and described the
proposed research project and objectives. The researcher then received IRB approval in

52
December 2019. The researcher asked permission to use contacts within each
organization, and access was granted.
The initial contact with potential participants occurred in December 2019. The
participants received an invitation electronically from the researcher. The email included
the Survey Monkey link. At the beginning of the survey participants had the option to
agree to proceed or decline participation as a form of consent. Survey Monkey
encompassed both instruments SPIES and DAS. Confidentiality was protected by
ensuring the researcher coded all instruments and measures for data. The researcher was
blind to names, subjects, and permission was granted to use each instrument in fall 2019.
The researcher collected all data from December 2019 – August 2020. The data was
recorded by the researcher in September 2020. The electronic data was encrypted and
stored in an excel file on the researcher’s computer and was password protected. Data
was eventually destroyed by unencrypting the file and trashing it from the computer hard
drive 3 years after the study was completed.
Data Collection
To collect data for this research study the following surveys and instruments were
used: SPIES, DAS, and EPOTIOES. Copies of these instruments as were presented to the
participants can be found in the Appendix of this document. The previous use of each
instrument showed validity and reliability. Components from each instrument were used
to answer each research question. The time frame for the collection of this research was
December 2019 through August 2020. Out of the survey participants, N= 81 volunteered
to participate in the research study.

53
The first Research Question asked: Was there a correlation between graduated
students’ employability options and the adequacy of their college curriculum? The
second Research Question was: Were there differences in perceptions of
employability and adequacy of college curriculum based on degree received? The
SPIES and DAS instruments were employed to help answer Research Questions 1 and 2.
The combined instrument (SPIES and DAS) collected data regarding graduates who
received a degree in technology. Specifically, questions 1-13 (Section 1) of the (SPIES
and DAS) focused on the degree to which students believed their employability options
were within their current job. There were five subscales employed to capture graduated
students’ confidence, comfortability, beliefs, morals, and values. The multiple subscales
allowed the researcher to examine the students’ level of assurance of having prospects
which support them and opportunities outside of their organization in a Likert scale
format. If a student received a high score of five it signified a lower degree of
contentment level individually to reflect employability options within and outside of their
current organization, based on their personal and occupational attributes. Questions 14-20
of (Section 2), were designed to measure the adequacy of student’s college curriculum
based on their technology degree received from the University students attended. The
calculation of the correlation coefficient was used to analyze data from the SPIES and
DAS.
The third Research Question stated: Was there a correlation between skills
earned for technology-based job placement among employers? This research question
required the use of one instrument known as the EPOTIOES. The EPOTIOES was
designed to access seven open-ended questions pertaining to employability skills industry

54
professionals perceive as most important to be possessed by technology students, as well
as their potential candidates. Employability skills were a combination of hard and soft
skills. Industry professionals were asked to methodically reflect on their level of
satisfaction on the level of employability skills possessed by university students. To
assess the results from employers six themes were created: Various Types of Skill Sets
Needed for University IT Students (Theme1), Types of Projects or Project-Based
Learning Activities Needed for University Curriculum (Theme 2), Most Impactful Skills
on Success of IT Organization/Company (Theme 3), Skills Necessary for Degreed
Students (Theme 4), Future Expectations for Newly Degreed Employees (Theme 5), and
Participant’s responses to questions provided quantitative and qualitative data (Theme 6).
All data was collected using Survey Monkey. Data from the SPIES, DAS, and
EPOTIOES instruments were collected in the year 2019 from December 2019 through
August 2020.
Analytical Methods
The researcher collected quantitative and qualitative data for this study using a
consolidated online survey administered through Survey Monkey. All collected data were
coded and analyzed using the software IBM SPSS Statistics Version 25. The data were
then organized and summarized using descriptive statistics. The data were analyzed with
a correlational method to measure the strength of the association between employability
options and the curriculum.
To analyze the data regarding Research Question 1, the researcher employed
Pearson r Correlation, also known as Correlation Coefficient, to measure the strength of
association between graduated students’ employability options and the adequacy of their

55
college curriculum. Pearson’s r test measures the degree of relationship or correlation
between two variables which are denoted by the letter r and quantified with a number
(Gay & Mills, 2011).
In order to analyze the data regarding Research Question 2, the researcher used
two different tests. The first test, a One-Way ANCOVA, measured the differences
between male and female participants’ perceptions of employability options and
adequacy of college curriculum based on their degrees earned controlling for gender. The
second test, a Chi-square test, assessed the difference between male and female
participants’ perception of the adequacy of their degree earned based on skills earned.
In order to analyze the data regarding Research Question 3, a Pearson r
Correlation test was conducted to identify if there was a correlation between skills earned
for technology-based job placement among employers. These skills were composed of six
themes. Theme 1 assessed various types of skill sets needed for university IT students.
Theme 2 assessed types of projects or project-based learning activities needed for a
University curriculum. Theme 2 measured the most impactful skills on the success of IT
companies. Theme 4 evaluated the skills necessary for degreed students. Theme 5
resulted in future expectations for newly degreed employees. Finally, Theme 6 assessed
those necessary steps to meet the expectations of industry employers.
For the qualitative aspect of the study, a content analysis was used to examine
obtained data from the three qualitative, open-ended questions. Research using qualitative
content analysis focused on communication characteristics with attention to the content
or contextual meaning of the text. The qualitative content analysis went beyond counting
words and examined the six themes to classify large amounts of text. The classifications

56
went into an efficient number of categories which represent similar meanings. The
researcher approached the text by making notes of essential and necessary skills
employers thought was important. As the process continued, labels for codes emerged
when reflective of more than one skillset. The labels often come directly from the text
and then become the initial coding scheme. After the codes were sorted, the emergent
categories were used to organize and group codes into meaningful clusters—the analysis
aided in revealing patterns and themes in the collected data. The research questions were
used to guide content analysis, grouping, and interpretation of the data. All collected data
were organized using tables and excel spreadsheets. The data were categorized into
concepts, themes, and patterns, providing more in-depth insight (Hsieh & Shannon,
2005).
After the quantitative Likert responses and the open-ended qualitative responses
were analyzed separately, the researcher interpreted the qualitative perceive value data
using the means and standard deviation for inductive analysis and descriptive statistics.
The process of categorizing and labeling qualitative data is an excellent way to indicate
meaning and patterns within data, and reduces data to manageable form for analysis (Gay
& Mills, 2011).

57
CHAPTER IV
FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS
Introduction
The purpose of this study was to investigate the adequacy of classroom curriculum
currently in place at Middle Tennessee universities. This study also attempted to
determine the provision of curriculum meeting the expectations of industry employers.
Finally, this study attempted to assess alumni students and employers’ satisfaction, as
well as employers’ needs for employment based on the curriculum provided.
This chapter revealed the survey analysis and results of the 81 participants. The
participants completed online surveys via SurveyMonkey.com. This chapter also
provides an understanding of the study’s findings, limitations, implications, and
recommendations. The guiding questions for this study were:
1. Was there a correlation between graduated students’ employability options and
the adequacy of their college curriculum?
2. Were there differences in perceptions of employability options and adequacy of
college curriculum based on degree received?
3. Was there a correlation between skills earned for technology-based job
placement among employers?
To address these research questions, the researcher collected primary data in two
study groups. This data assessed graduates' and industry professionals’ employability
options, optimal skills for the job market, and the perception of an existing gap between

58
adequacy of employability held by students, employers, and university leadership. Group
A composed of combined academic areas with 24 different major degree earning areas
and nine minor study areas. This study focused on Information Technology, Graphic
Design, Web Design and Development, Specialized Computing, Software Engineering,
Computer Science, Information Systems, and UX Design. Group B was a corporate
structure organization with industry professionals selected from a Technology
organization.
The researcher applied a correlational design with an element of causal-
comparative design to examine the problem studied in this research project. A total of
N=81 graduates and industry professionals participated in this study. The participants in
this study consisted of two groups. Group A included 48 IT graduates, and Group B
included 33 local IT professionals and IT graduates. This analysis for this study was
accomplished in two phases, a descriptive profile of demographic variables and
application of Pearson r Correlation, One-Way ANCOVA, and Chi-Square tests. Before
the application of the Pearson r Correlation, One-Way ANCOVA, and Chi-Square tests,
the data were tested for assumptions. All statistical findings was tested at the .05 level.
Findings
Demographic Analysis of Group A and Group B
Eighty-one (81) individuals participated in this study. Of the 81 participants,
54.3% were male, and 45.7% were female. Of these participants, 59.3% were in Group
A, and 40.7% were in Group B.
The descriptive analysis for Group A consisted of gender, age, ethnicity, current
roles, degrees earned, and year of graduation Table 1. Of these 48 Group A participants,

59
47.9% were male and 51.1% were female. Furthermore, 54.2% of the participants
identified as African American/Black/African 29.2% were Caucasian/Scottish/White,
10.4% were Asian/Vietnamese/Indian, and 6.3% were Hispanic. According to Table 1,
the mean age was 22.94, and a majority of participants 31.3% reported their current role
as an Analyst (i.e. Business, Security, QA, or Systems). A majority of participants also
reported earned either a Computer Science 27.1%, Information Systems or Security
16.7%, or Information Technology or Management 33.3%. Finally, a majority of
participants 33.3% graduated in 2017.
Table 1
Group A Descriptive Analysis of Participants by Gender, Ethnicity, Age, Current Roles,
Degrees Earned, and Year of Graduation (N=48)
Variable
N (%)
Gender
Male
23 (47.9%)
Female
25 (52.1%)
Ethnicity
Caucasian/Scottish/White
14 (29.2%)
African American/Black/African
26 (54.2%)
Asian/Vietnamese/Indian
5 (10.4%)
Hispanic
3 (6.3%)
Age
21 Years
8 (16.7%)
22 Years
9 (18.8%)
23 Years
16 (33.3%)
24 Years
9 (16.7%)
25 Years
7 (14.6%)
Mean Age (SD)
22.94 (1.278)
Current Role
Academia (Instructor/Professor/Dean)
3 (6.3%)
Administration
1 (2.1%)
Analyst (Business/Security/QA/Systems)
15 (31.3%)
Consultant
3 (6.3%)
Data Scientist
1 (2.1%)
Developer
2 (4.2%)
Engineer
3 (6.3%)
Graphic Designer
1 (2.1%)
Innovation Processes
2 (4.2%)

60
Table 1
Group A Descriptive Analysis of Participants by Gender, Ethnicity, Age, Current Roles,
Degrees Earned, and Year of Graduation (N=48)
Variable
N (%)
Operations Manager
2 (4.2%)
Other (Insurance Claims)
1 (2.1%)
Project Manager
8 (16.7%)
Specialist
2 (4.2%)
Technical Support
4 (8.3%)
Degrees Earned
Computer Science
13 (27.1%)
Graphic Design
2 (4.2%)
Information Systems/Security
9 (16.7%
Information Technology/Management
16 (33.3%
Software Engineering
2 (4.2%)
Specialized Computing
3 (6.3%)
UX Design
4 (8.3%)
Year of Graduation
2015 or Before
2 (8.3%)
2016
5 (10.4%)
2017
16 (33.3%)
2018
7 (14.6%)
2019
18 (37.5%)
The demographic profile for Group B consisted of gender, ethnicity, leadership
position, certifications earned, and years of experience (Table 2). Of these 33 Group B
participants, 63.6% were male and 36.4% were female. Twenty-One 63.6% of the
participants identified as African American/Black/African 24.2% were Caucasian, 6.1%
were Arab/African, 3.0% were Hispanic, and 3.0% were European. Most participants
holding leadership positions as Director 27.3%, Manager 18.2%, Analyst 18.2%, or
Engineer 12.1%. Next, most participants earned degrees in Information
Technology/Management 33.3, Computer Science 27.1%, and Information
Systems/Security 16.7%. In addition to degrees earned, 69.7% of participants earned
some type of certification related to their field. According to Table 2, the mean years of
experience among participant was 12.5.

61
Table 2
Group B Descriptive Analysis of Participants by Gender, Ethnicity, Leadership Position,
Certifications Earned, and Years of Experience (N=33)
Variable
N (%)
Gender
Male
21 (63.6%)
Female
12 (36.4%)
Ethnicity
Caucasian/White
8 (24.2%)
African American/Black
21 (63.6%)
Other (African British/Arab American)
2 (6.1%)
Hispanic
1 (3.0%)
European
1 (3.0%)
Leadership Position
Senior Developer
1 (3.0%)
Specialist
2 (6.1%)
Manager
6 (18.2%)
Principal
1 (3.0%)
Director
9 (27.3%)
Owner
1 (3.0%)
Chief
2 (6.1%)
Engineer
4 (12.1%)
Analyst
6 (18.2%)
Consultant
1 (3.0%)
Degrees Earned
Computer Science
13 (27.1%)
Graphic Design
2 (4.2%)
Information Systems/Security
9 (16.7%
Information Technology/Management
16 (33.3%
Software Engineering
2 (4.2%)
Specialized Computing
3 (6.3%)
UX Design
4 (8.3%)
Certifications Earned
87, A+, CCNA, CCDA, Promethean, C++, PCNSE,
MOS, CISSP, CIO, CSM, SLI2, Project Management,
Sec+, RHCDS, GCED, GCIA, GMON, GSEC, GCIH,
CySA+, Six Sigma Green Belt, TOGAF, Collibra, and
others
23 (69.7% )
Years of Experience
Up to 5 Years
11 (33.3%)
6 to 10 Years
8 (24.2%)
11 to 15 Years
3 (9.1%)
16 to 20 Years
4 (12.1%)
21 Years or More
7 (21.2)
Mean Years of Experience (SD)
12.5 (9.99)

62
To collect data for this research study, the following surveys and instruments were used:
Self-Perceived Individual Employability Scale (SPIES), Degree Adequacy Scale (DAS),
and Employers Perception of the Importance of Employability Skills questions
(EPOTIOES). To conduct the quantitative analysis, three claims were developed from the
research questions and results of the study. The qualitative analysis was performed by
asking open-ended questions on the survey and categorizing relevant themes.
Findings (Q1)
Q1: Was there a correlation between graduated students’ employability
options and the adequacy of their college curriculum?
Of the N=81 participants, N=48 50.0% were eligible for participation in this part of the
study as recent Information Technology Graduates (Group A). To respond to Q1
regarding the correlation between graduated students’ employability options and the
adequacy of their college curriculum, a Pearson r Correlation test was conducted.
Conducting this correlation analysis was important in detecting multicollinearity which
may occur when predictor variables are over-correlated
(r > 0.75). In this study, the correlation coefficients (r) were below 0.50 (Table 3).
Specifically, there was a moderate correlation between graduated students’ perceptions of
employability options and the adequacy of their college curriculum (r = .420). This
analysis was statistically significant because the p-value (0.003) was less than 0.01 and
0.05.

63
Table 3
Pearson r Correlation, Means (M), and Standard Deviation (SD) of
Graduated Students’ Employability Options and Adequacy College
Curriculum (N=33)
Variables
1
2
1. Graduated Students’ Employability Options
--
2. Adequacy College Curriculum
.420**
--
M
39.67
20.40
SD
7.51
5.35
*p < .05. **p < .01. ***p < .001
Findings (Q2)
Q2: Were there differences in perceptions of employability options and
adequacy of college curriculum based on degree received?
To respond to Q2 regarding the level differences in perceptions of employability
options and adequacy of college curriculum based on degree received, a One-Way
ANCOVA was conducted while controlling for gender. Table 4 reveals no main effects
of participants’ perceptions of employability options, F(14, 2) = 1.61, p = .45, ηp2 = .92,
or adequacy of college curriculum, F(16, 2) = 1.77, p = .420, ηp2 = .92, and no interaction
between participants’ perceptions of employability options and adequacy of college
curriculum , F(11,2) = 5.93, p = .135, ηp2 = .153. In summary, the predicted main effects
and interaction of participants’ perceptions of employability options and adequacy of the
college curriculum were not significantly different among males and females.

64
Table 4
Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) Summary for Perceptions of Employability Options
and Adequacy of College Curriculum Based on Degree Received (N=48)
Source
Sum of
Squares
df
Mean Square
F
Partial Eta
Squared
Perceptions of Employability
28.13
14
2.01
1.61
.92
Adequacy of College
Curriculum
35.47
16
2.22
1.77
.93
Perceptions of Employability
opt vs. Adequacy of College
Curriculum
81.53
11
7.41
5.93
.97
Error
2.50
2
1.25
Total
162.97
47
Note. R2 = .99, Adj. R2 = .64, * p < .05
A Chi-square test was conducted at the .05 significance level to identify if there
was a statistically significant difference between participants’ perception of the adequacy
of their degree earned based on skills earned (Table 5). The results of the Chi-square test
showed only one statistically significant outcome, the association between the adequacy
of degree earned and the skill of ‘network and wireless’ (χ2 = 7.442, df = 1, N = 48, p =
.006).
Table 5
Chi-Square Analysis of Participants’ Perception of the Adequacy of Degree Earned and
Skills Earned (N=48; df=47)
Characteristic
χ2
p
1. Coding/Web Designing
.689
.406
2. Network & Wireless
7.442**
.006
3. Project Management
0.999
.753
4. Troubleshooting
.739
.390
5. Software Testing
.022
.882
6. Cyber Security
.818
.366
7. Cloud Infrastructure
1.283
.257
8. Artificial Intelligence
1.283
.257
9. IT Management
.347
.555
10. Salesforce Integration
.940
.332
11. Automation
.273
.602
12. Robotic Process
.004
.952
13. MS Office
1.336
.243

65
14. Internet Research
.251
.616
15. Consulting
.818
.366
16. Organizational Skills
.099
.753
17. Research
1.255
.263
18. Writing
.349
.555
19. Planning
.426
.514
20. Knowledge Management
.763
.382
21. Customer Services
.426
.512
22. Project-Based Learning
.417
.518
23. Visual Learning
.035
.852
24. Auditory Learning
.028
.868
25. Transferable/Soft skills
37.072
.466
*p < .05. **p < .01. ***p < .001
Findings (Q3)
Q3: Was there a correlation between skills earned for technology-based
job placement among employers?
To respond to Q3 regarding the correlation between skills earned for technology-
based job placement among employers, A Pearson r Correlation test was conducted at the
.05 significance level to identify if there was a correlation between skills earned for
technology-based job placement among employers. These skills were composed of six
themes (Table 6) : T1 (M= 4.59, SD = 2.16) ,
T2 (M = 5.81, SD= 2.47) , T3 (M = 8.19, SD= 5.05) , T4 (M = 7.88, SD= 4.73),
T5 (M = 8.29, SD= 5.84 ) , T6 (M = 6.43, SD= 2.83). The results showed there was only
one statistically significant association between Theme 3 (Most Impactful Skills on
Success of IT Organization/Company) and Theme 1 (Various Types of Skill Sets Needed
for University IT Students)
, r (31) = .359, p < .001.

66
Table 6
Pearson r Correlation, Means (M), and Standard Deviation (SD) of between skills
earned for technology-based job placement among employers. T=Table
Characteristic
1
2
3
4
5
6
1. Various Types of Skill Sets
Needed for University IT
Students
--
2. Types of Projects or Project-
Based Learning Activities
Needed for University
Curriculum
.177
--
3. Most Impactful Skills on
Success of IT
Organization/Company
.359*
-.028
--
4. Skills Necessary for
Degreed Students
.177
.329
.213
--
5. Future Expectations for
Newly Degreed Employees
.009
-.200
-.140
-.230
--
6. Necessary Steps to Meet
Expectations of Industry
Employers
.155
-.056
-.083
.266
.129
--
N
33
32
33
32
33
30
M
4.58
5.81
8.18
7.78
8.28
6.43
SD
2.151
2.468
5.046
4.730
5.843
2.825
*p < .05. **p < .01. ***p < .001
Summary of Findings
The findings of Research Question 1 suggested students believed their
employability options were a direct reflection of the curriculum received during their
academic matriculation. This can be attributed to the availability of entry-level roles
available to new graduates of IT programs. Further, graduates reported their
employability options were a direct reflection on the curriculum offered during their
academic matriculation. Research Question 2 findings showed gender was not a factor in
participants' perceptions of employability options and adequacy of the college
curriculum. However, participants reported their degree curriculum assisted in building

67
their networking and wireless skills, which have been deemed necessary for the field.
Unfortunately, this was not reflective of the types of degrees earned. Graduates also
reported not being appropriately prepared for employment after obtaining relevant
degrees and expressed the need to have some form of practical training or certification.
Findings for Research Question 3 showed employers believed graduated students would
be successful in the IT profession if they received diverse skills training during their
academic matriculation. The findings also indicated employers perceive graduates not
having all the necessary skills needed to be successful within their organization.
Specifically, employers believed graduated students should have transferable skills such
as communication, leadership, analytical skills, and adaptability for the growing field.
However, employers stated such skills are relatively easy to learn by obtaining
certifications and participating in supplemental training. Therefore, graduates must have
the willingness to learn new things, have a diverse skill set, and be adaptable to any work
environment.
Limitations
One limitation of this study implies research was conducted only utilizing graduates and
employers. This study also took place during one of the difficult economic times in US
History, COVID-19. Consequently, socioeconomic factors significantly impacted
participants’ responses. Therefore, the results were not generalizable. The researcher was
limited to 8 months in order to collect data. With an extended amount of time, this study
could have been replicated with future graduate cohorts of technology programs at other
institutions of higher learning to assess if results remain constant. Further, investigating
graduates and employers on employability skills might have biased results as they are

68
well aware of the benefits of the skills necessary to be successful in the IT workforce.
Finally, combining quantitative methodology with key informant interviews on what
employability skills were essential to the industry could not be assessed due to the
COVID-19 global health crisis.
Implications and Recommendations
Implications of the Study
Several implications have emerged from the results of this study. First, the results
of this study could be beneficial for academic professionals to improve an information
technology program curriculum. The study might be beneficial to those seeking to
support college and graduate students to gain the skills necessary for workforce entry. It
is hoped academic professionals will be able to use the results of this study to positively
influence their program, as well as to advise on curriculum implementation and future
evaluation. Although this study might prove quite useful, it should be noted the research
was produced in rather unprecedented times. It was carried out during a global health
pandemic, which had devastating economic consequences. It would be irresponsible to
negate the context from which this study is grounded in an attempt to aver its results may
prove exactly the same in a different era. Furthermore, future researchers must continue
to find ways to wed qualitative and quantitative data, which such a study requires in order
to prove most edifying. For those involved with educating students in IT-related fields,
there must be a stronger emphasis on equipping graduates not only with theoretical
knowledge, but with accentuating an applied approach. Given employers emphasize the
importance of college graduates having transferable skills, there needs to be a more
heuristic approach to imparting IT-related skills. Those studying the link between

69
employability options and perceptions of both graduates and employers should be aware
confirmation bias exists. Many students already believe the skills which they will learn
about in the classroom are those needed to succeed in the industry. Thus, many IT
student’s expectations are already set, regardless of the particular quality of their
curriculum (Looms, 2018).
Although gender was not found to have an impact upon expectations, it would be
interesting to note if race does. This study does not concern itself with the ways in which
race intersects with perceptions of employability. However, it would undoubtedly prove
fruitful to examine the ways in which racial considerations may play into perceptions of
employability. Future studies also needs to factor more into socioeconomic background
and the role to which class considerations may play into perceptions of employability.
Thus, while this study addresses important themes and questions, there are other themes
and questions which future researchers would do well to elaborate upon.
The implications of this study are manifold. Various facets of employability are
outlined in this study and both qualitative as well as quantitative data was utilized.
Differences in degree programs and employability were outlined. The gap between
employers’ expectations and students’ expectations were outlined. Most importantly, this
study may prove useful for public policy by impressing upon professors a need to teach
employable skills and to make certain students are better able to apply the knowledge
they are learning in the workforce. This study has practical implications and can prove
helpful for those in education.

70
Recommendations for Future Study
Although this study investigated the adequacy of classroom curriculum and
employability skills among graduates and employers, there are several ways forthcoming
studies could expand on what has been done thus far. First, a follow-up study could
explore the components of various IT program curriculum to determine if one component
made a significant impact over another. This could be achieved by evaluating participant
satisfaction of their degree programs and current roles.
Next, this study could be replicated using more graduate cohorts at the additional
institutions to compare results. It is also recommended future studies expand on
qualitative research methods to gain a deeper understanding of summer bridge program
participants’ experiences. For example, key informant interviews could be advantageous
to explore participants’ perceptions of their program's curriculum, skills learned, and job
placement experience.
Finally, the findings support a recommendation which suggests universities
should better equip graduates with employability skills needed for workforce entry. This
might be achieved by constantly engaging with businesses to understand the growth and
changes occurring in the field.

71
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Appendix A
Permission for instrument usage

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RQ1-Permission Approval – July 23,2019

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RQ2- Article Published

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RQ3- Permission Approval July 23, 2019

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Appendix B
Instruments
Self-Perceived Individual Employability Scale (SPIES)
/ Degree Adequacy Scale (DAS)
(Section 1)

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90

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Appendix B
Instruments
Self-Perceived Individual Employability Scale / Degree Adequacy Scale
(Section 2)

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Appendix B
Employers Perception of the Importance of Employability Skills (EPOTIOES)

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Appendix C
Informed Consent

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Title of Project: Curricular Adequacy for Employment Potential of Graduated Students at Middle TN Universities
Principal Investigator: Kim Cox
We invite you to take part in a research study, Curricular Adequacy for employment potential of graduated students
at a Middle TN Universities.
Taking part in this study is entirely voluntary. We urge you to ask any questions about this study you may have with
the researcher. If necessary, talk to your family and friends about the research study and take your time to make your
decision. If you decide to participate, you must sign this form to show you want to take part.
PURPOSE OF THE RESEARCH
The purpose of this study is to investigate whether the classroom curricula currently in place at Middle Tennessee
Universities ensures that instructors and administrators are providing students with the curricula and instruction
necessary to meet the expectations of the industry employers and also satisfies graduated students expectations and
needs for employment. PROCEDURES
After completing the informed consent form outlining the purpose of the study risks, benefits, and rights associated
with participating in the study, the participants will be given the survey. A link to the survey will come directly from
the researcher. The survey tool used to create the survey was (Survey Monkey).
TIME DURATON OF THE PROCEDURES AND STUDY
Participation will be beginning in December 2019 for selected participants and all direct and indirect participation
will conclude in December of 2020. The Survey given has one section and will take approximately 5 to 10 minutes
to complete. If you agree to take part in this study, your information may last in the data base for approximately 1
year. DISCOMFORTS AND RISKS
While participating in this study, you are not at risk of any physical side effects. There may be some psychological
discomfort associated answering and reflecting on some of the questioned posed to you.
POTENTIAL BENEFITS
Possible Benefits to the Participant
The possible benefit you may experience from the findings described in this research may include helping educators
to better prepare their curricula in a way that allows employers to seek the employability skills needed to hire
students. However, there is no guarantee that you will benefit from being in this research.
STATEMENT OF CONFIDENTIALITY
This is an anonymous study and records of this study will be kept strictly confidential. Survey Monkey will be used
to collect data. All data to be collected will contain no participant-identifying information. At the conclusion of the
study, the data will be maintained in a secure encrypted database and destroyed after the completion of the study
December 2020.
VOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION
Taking part in this research study is voluntary. If you choose to take part in this research, your major responsibilities
will include completing 1 survey. You do not have to participate in this research. If you choose to take part, you
have the right to stop at any time. If you decide not to participate or if you decide to stop taking part in the research
at a later date, there will be no penalty or loss of benefits to which you are otherwise entitled. Your investigator may
take you out of the research study without your permission.

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CONTACT INFORMATION FOR QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS
You have the right to ask any questions you may have about this research. If you have questions, complaints, or
concerns or believe you may have developed an injury related to this research, contact Kim Cox at
Kimetrice.n.cox@trevecca.edu. If you have questions regarding your rights as a research participant or you have
concerns or general questions about the research. For more information about participation in a research study and
about your institutional review board (IRB), a group of people who review the research to protect your rights, please
visit the (location/institution) IRB’s Web site ar. Included on this Web site, under the heading “Participant
Information,” you can access Federal regulations and information about the protection of human research
participants. If you do not have access to the Internet, copies of these Federal regulations are available by contacting
the institution.
Use of Research Data: The information from this research will be used only for scientific and educational purposes.
It may be presented at scientific meetings and/or published in professional journals or books, or used for any other
purposes, which Trevecca Nazarene University considers proper in the interest of education, knowledge, or research.
As noted earlier, data will be analyzed and presented in the aggregate such that all individual responses will be kept
confidential.
Approval of Research: This research project has been approved by the Institutional Review Board at Trevecca
Nazarene University.
Liability/Limitations: Trevecca Nazarene University, its agents, trustees, administrators, faculty, and staff are
released from all claims, damages, or suit, not limited to those based upon or related to any adverse effect upon
which may arise during or develop in the future as a result of participation in this research. Please understand that
this release of liability is binding upon you, your heirs, executors, administrators, personal representatives, and
anyone else who might make a claim through or under you.
Consent to Participate: By signing below, I consent to voluntarily participate in this study. I acknowledge that:
1. I have read and understand the above description of the study.
2. I understand that if I participate, I may withdraw at any time without penalty.
Should you have any questions/concerns about your rights as a research participant, please contact TNU’s
Institutional Review Board at IRB@trevecca.edu
Kimetrice Cox, Doctoral Candidate, Kncox@trevecca.edu
Participant’s printed name: _________________________________
Participant’s signature: _____________________________________

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Appendix D.
Memorandum of Understanding (Trevecca)

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Memorandum of Understanding (Trevecca Students)

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Appendix D
Memorandum of Understanding (Women in Technology of Tennessee WITT)

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Memorandum of Understanding (WITT Students + Industry Leaders)

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Appendix E.
IRB Approval

107

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Appendix F
Dissertation Proposal Defense Form

109

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Appendix G.
Dissertation Style Consultancy Checklist

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STYLIST CHECKLIST
CHAPTER 1
Settings
__x Done___ Set font to 12pt, Times New Roman
_____ Set paragraph to double space
__x_Done__ Remove extra space between each paragraph and each heading
__x_Done__ Set before and after space to 0
Margins _____ 2-inch top margin on the first page of each section requiring all caps
_x__Done _1-inch top margin after the first page
_____ 1.5-inch margin on left side of each page in entire document
_____ 1-inch margin on right side and bottom of each page.
Page Numbers
_____ Chapter 1 begins on page 1
_____ Page numbers are bottom center of the page
_____ Document is continuously pagination from 1 to N beginning with Chapter 1 through last page of last appendix
Research Questions
_____ Numbered using number icon rather than tab
_____ Term “specific research questions” has been removed for each question
_____ Stated in a list rather than in seriation in block formation
Chapter 1
__x__Done_ Terms written in ABC order
__x__Done _ Terms italicized with a period following the term (definitions are not italicized)
_____ Terms indented five spaces (one preset tab)
_____ All references to the future removed
_____ Contribution of the Study written in the past tense
_____ Process to Accomplish written in past tense
_____ Instruments cited are referenced in appendices
_____ Use “and” (not “&”) in text; use “&” in citations in parentheses
__x___ Use “et al.” for subsequent citations with 3 or more authors
_____ Multiple sources listed in parentheses should be in alphabetical order by first
author’s last name
_____ When referring to an appendix, don’t capitalize “See” (see Appendix A)
References __x_Done__ References in the text are listed on the reference list
__x_Done _ References on the reference list are cited in the text
__x___ Use the last names and first initials of the authors on the reference list
_____ Use an ampersand (&) rather than the word and in the reference list
__x___ Write the title in sentence case. (Ex.: Frames of mind: The theory of multiple intelligences).
__x___ Italicize the volume number in a journal article. Place the issue number in parentheses. The issue number is not italicized.
__x___ Italicize the name of books
_____ Add the DOI number if available.
__x_ Done __ Do not hyperlink web addresses (no blue font or underlines)
_____ Add the month to the year when citing a paper presented at a conference. For example: (2009, January).
_____ Follow proper citation of a chapter in a book. (7.02)
Appendices
_____ Referenced in the document in alpha order as they are cited
_____ Alpha order stays consistent through the entire document
_____ Title page, centered, for each appendix

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Appendix H.
Dissertation Suggestions and Potential Pitfalls