End user computing at Lincoln University: an observational study of former students

Abstract

Increasingly end users in organisations are having to become more responsible for their own computing. Many of their applications are developed using standard business packages, especially spreadsheets and database managers, rather than being produced as customised software in a traditional 3GL. Typically,in a university curriculum, application software is only addressed in first year, introductory computing papers. In 1990, a 200 level paper "Problem Solving on Microcomputers" was introduced at Lincoln University. This was followed two years later with a 300 level paper, "Advanced End User Computing". To help with assessing the usefulness of these papers and to gain input on how the curriculum should evolve, a survey of former students was undertaken in 1996. This report contains the results of that survey.