Academic Computing Committee

Technical Literacy Working Group

Administrative Computing Committee

Computer Services

Curricular Design

Web Resources

IT Links

Union Home Page

Minutes of Meetings:
May 10, 2000, 2:30 pm, 110 Olin Building

Present: Foroughi, Hemmendinger, Johnson, Keller, Klein, McFadden, and David Gerhan, invited guest.

Join an online discussion of Technical Literacy at Union College.

Previous meeting minutes.

1. The tech-lit survey will be e-mailed out this week, to be returned by next Wednesday.

2. Diane has contacted Trinity University (Texas), and has distributed the description of a Tech Lit course/requirement there.

3. David Gerhan from Schaffer Library attended the meeting to discuss the role of the Library staff in teaching information literacy to Freshman Preceptorial students. Dave demonstrated the Schaffer Library and the FP websites, and described the exercises that FP students are asked to do. 

Tom McFadden offered a model of online research in which he contrasted the part of the web maintained and/or supported by the Library to the rest of the "wild web", which may or not be useful, but which has in general not been verified or recommended by Library staff.  Dave also illustrated the Library's page which guides students in judging the veracity of web sites.

Committee members all agreed that this is an excellent introduction to using the digital information resources of the library, but that it is only an introduction.  Students clearly need to use this information over and over in order to really learn it.  The committee recommends the following:

a. FP (or its successor in the event that FP changes in the near future) continue to include an introduction to digital information.

b. The lessons begin in FP should be reinforced in other Gen Ed courses.  The Committee will work with the AAC to establish Gen Ed and WAC courses which could/should reasonably be expected to require students to conduct online (and on-ground) research.  WAC-3 courses might be a logical starting point, also WAC-1, and Senior Writing/Research courses.

c. The Committee needs to draw up a list of all of the categories of technical literacy (including but not limited to library/information literacy).  David H. has provided us with a starting point:
ability to format documents, including text and tables, with a
    word-processor
ability to organize information in a spreadsheet
ability to organize information in a database
ability to use mathematical or statistical programs for problem-solving
ability to import tables and graphs from a spreadsheet into a
      word-processor
ability to import tables from database into a word-processor
ability to use appropriate tools to organize an electronic presentation
ability to find and use electronic reference material
ability to use Web search engines to find reliable information (including
      the ability to evaluate its quality)
other skills?

REFERENCES:

Trinity University information

TekXam

Universities Adopt Computer Literacy Requirements, New York Times article, September, 1999

University of Texas at Arlington's Competence in Computer Use requirement:
Graduating students should be proficient in the use of computers. Proficiency is understood as the ability to use word-processing, database/spreadsheet and representative software of one's major discipline. Each student should be able to tap the communications, analytical and information-retrieval potential of computers to solve research problems and be able to evaluate the results. Students should consult their departmental, school or college advisors to determine the mechanisms by which they can demonstrate proficiency. An examination or completion of a department- or college-designated course may be required.
(http://www-ais2.uta.edu/cat/DegProgReq.shtml)

Florida State University Computer Literacy Program. See in particular syllabi for CGS2060: Computer Literacy, CGS2100: MicroApps 4 Business; and the web-based versions of these courses (all linked directly to the home page).

Most of the Nation's College Freshmen Embrace the Internet As An Educational Tool, UCLA Study Finds, as reported by the American Council on Education.

Students and the Internet, Spring, 1999 Survey (John Lubans, Duke University)

Next meeting:
Wednesday, May17, 2000
2:30 pm, Olin 110

© 2000  Union College, Schenectady, New York
Page maintained by J. Douglass Klein, Associate Dean for Information Technology.
Last updated 05/24/2000