Measuring AIS course outcomes: The relationship between knowledge/skills and interest/enjoyment.

Information technology (IT) has become increasingly important to accounting professionals. Education in relevant IT-related topics, however, appears to have lagged workplace demands. Most undergraduate accounting programs require an Accounting Information Systems (AIS) course to fulfill the major program requirements. Because this course is often the only one to address AIS topics, students may tend to view IT as being less important to their career paths. Such attitudes may reduce the quality of course outcomes. A survey of 103 undergraduate AIS students was conducted to assess attitudes along two dimensions: knowledge and skills and interest and enjoyment. Results showed that, for a number of factors, interest and enjoyment was positively associated with knowledge and skills. The level of the two dimensions, however, varied, and students displayed greater interest in traditional accounting than in technology-related courses. Most importantly, attitude towards IT affected success.