THE TERM INFORMATICS, ITS MEANING AND UNDERSTANDING BY FUTURE PROFESSIONALS

The paper first deals with the much discussed issue of defining the term informatics. Then it explores how the term information science is understood by the students of the Faculty of Informatics and Statistics, the University of Economics, Prague. It presents the process of examining the meaning associated with the term in their minds using a qualitative methodological procedure called mental mapping (creation of a mental map). Using an analysis of the content of the obtained mental maps it identifies the correspondences and differences in the understanding of the term. The results of the term information science mapping are then compared with the results of the term meaning mapping carried out among future managers and entrepreneurs (students of the Faculty of Business Administration, the University of Economics, Prague). The correspondences and differences between these groups of respondents are identified and the obtained results are commented upon and discussed. As a conclusion the paper provides implications for practical teaching and practical economic.