Combating the IS Enrollment Crisis: The Role of Effective Teachers in Introductory IS Courses

Assigning effective teachers to introductory IS courses represents one intervention strategy that has been broadly advocated to help reverse the sharp decline in students majoring in Information Systems (IS). Using a survey of 305 students enrolled in a multiple-section introductory IS course, this study empirically confirms that students who are taught by effective teachers are more likely to be attracted to the IS discipline. Moreover, based on a robust theoretical foundation grounded in Social Cognitive Theory, the findings reveal the underlying mechanisms through which teaching effectiveness influences students' aspirations to pursue an IS degree. Specifically, teaching effectiveness bolsters students' confidence in their ability to successfully perform as IS majors (i.e., self-efficacy), raises students' expectations that valued rewards will be received by majoring in IS (i.e., outcome expectations), and helps students develop enduring interest in the IS field. In addition to teaching effectiveness, students with high self-efficacy and robust outcome expectations become more interested in IS. In turn, interest serves as the primary channel through which goals to choose the IS major develop. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.