An action learning approach for the development of technology skills

Information technology provides a unique challenge to universities to maintain the relevance of their offerings as the rate of technical change far out paces curricular reforms. What is needed for students of information technology are opportunities that provide real world, hands-on experiences for developing necessary skills and understandings in a relatively “safe” environments. This article is a case study of the experiences of students in a course that required them to complete action learning technology projects for social services clients. Results suggest a generalizable model for improving relevance within the universities of the 21st century.