Managing the Downturn in IT: Challenges for the Educational Community

This paper presents a critical look at the downturn in Information Technology (IT) and its impact on the educational community. We trace some of the alleged causes for the downturn in IT and the means by which these issues could have been attempted better - in hindsight. We stress that the consequences of the downturn in IT is likely to be major for all Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries and that they must therefore be managed properly. Besides detailing the challenges facing the IT educational community, the paper also details some steps - some arguably controversial - on how to change the ways and means that govern IT, because of its singular importance to almost all current and future educational activities and R&D activities in any field.