Update and Exploration of Update and Exploration of IT Fluency InitiativesIT Fluency Initiatives

Overview and discussion led by Overview and discussion led by Information Technology DivisionInformation Technology Division

Outline for today’s TLTROutline for today’s TLTR

Overview of ITD’s work and findingsOverview of ITD’s work and findings

Potential big picture goalPotential big picture goal

Discussion: students’ skills, our Discussion: students’ skills, our expectations, potential outcomesexpectations, potential outcomes

Why we started looking at Why we started looking at “BIT“BIT** Competency” Competency”

Reports of student frustration and even failureReports of student frustration and even failure Expectations to have skills as soon as they came to Expectations to have skills as soon as they came to

campuscampus

Apparent skill level of some students asking for Apparent skill level of some students asking for assistance from IT Help Desk or ResNet staffassistance from IT Help Desk or ResNet staff Limited avenues to gain the skillsLimited avenues to gain the skills

CBT titles were availableCBT titles were available Made CD of basic OS and productivity appsMade CD of basic OS and productivity apps

* Basic Information Technology* Basic Information Technology

Initial StepsInitial Steps

Researched training colleges were providing in Researched training colleges were providing in introductory coursesintroductory coursesInitiated low-cost assessments Initiated low-cost assessments (more on that in a bit)(more on that in a bit)

Drafted Compact Plan on BIT CompetencyDrafted Compact Plan on BIT CompetencyCollaborated with UGA on FIPSE grant proposalCollaborated with UGA on FIPSE grant proposalLooked at other campuses’ best practicesLooked at other campuses’ best practicesOngoing collaboration with FYC to assess student Ongoing collaboration with FYC to assess student skill levels and provide trainingskill levels and provide training Mentoring with FYC studentsMentoring with FYC students Fall 2001 assigned trainer for MDS sections using UGA Fall 2001 assigned trainer for MDS sections using UGA

Leazar labLeazar lab

Initial Steps Initial Steps (continued)(continued)

Improved New Student Orientation processImproved New Student Orientation process Beefed up CD (but lost CBT titles in 2001)Beefed up CD (but lost CBT titles in 2001) Improved documentationImproved documentation Revamped (repeatedly) format and instruction to Revamped (repeatedly) format and instruction to

focus on resources and responsibilitiesfocus on resources and responsibilities

Offered training for FYC and Eng 111 studentsOffered training for FYC and Eng 111 students Two weeks of training opportunities & lab assistance Two weeks of training opportunities & lab assistance

during beginning of the Fall 2002 semesterduring beginning of the Fall 2002 semester

Research…to dateResearch…to date

Focus Groups Focus Groups Spring 2001, Fall 2002Spring 2001, Fall 2002

Analysis of UPA freshmen, sophomore Analysis of UPA freshmen, sophomore and senior survey dataand senior survey data

FYC mini self-assessment survey, FYC mini self-assessment survey, summer 2002summer 2002

New Student Orientation evaluationsNew Student Orientation evaluations

Assessment Findings…to dateAssessment Findings…to date

Focus GroupsFocus Groups Used FYC students and Orientation CounselorsUsed FYC students and Orientation Counselors Saw wide variation in level of technical proficiencySaw wide variation in level of technical proficiency Students had at least one class that required online Students had at least one class that required online

homework/quizzes (WebAssign, etc.)homework/quizzes (WebAssign, etc.) Syllabus was available online in majority of classesSyllabus was available online in majority of classes Many use email to communicate with instructors…Many use email to communicate with instructors…

many fewer use IM communicationmany fewer use IM communication Campus provides a potentially confusing, but strong Campus provides a potentially confusing, but strong

computing environment for studentscomputing environment for students Results were used to revamp print publication, refine Results were used to revamp print publication, refine

key messages provided at orientation, and offer key messages provided at orientation, and offer training opportunities early in fall semestertraining opportunities early in fall semester

Assessment Findings…to dateAssessment Findings…to date

UPA surveysUPA surveys Freshmen rank development of computer skills Freshmen rank development of computer skills firstfirst

among 13 general education goals, but among 13 general education goals, but fifthfifth out of 13 out of 13 in current development.in current development.

Percentage of new students rating themselves as Percentage of new students rating themselves as having “low” or “very low” computer skill levels is having “low” or “very low” computer skill levels is declining, but was still at 9.5 percent in Summer 2001.declining, but was still at 9.5 percent in Summer 2001.

Summary findings of Senior survey results states “[A]Summary findings of Senior survey results states “[A]ccess to ccess to Internet Internet and and access to up-to-date facilities…access to up-to-date facilities…ranked high among ranked high among all academic services included in this section. Technology all academic services included in this section. Technology services items regarding assistance/training in the use of services items regarding assistance/training in the use of technology, in contrast, ranked among the lowest of all service technology, in contrast, ranked among the lowest of all service area items."area items."

Assessment Findings…to dateAssessment Findings…to date

FYC-NSO skills self-assessment FYC-NSO skills self-assessment They know how to use email, browse web, They know how to use email, browse web,

use basic OS featuresuse basic OS features

They’re less certain about creating web They’re less certain about creating web pages, maintaining up-to-date anti-virus pages, maintaining up-to-date anti-virus software, using presentation softwaresoftware, using presentation software

Speculation: many students have not Speculation: many students have not maintained their own computer prior to collegemaintained their own computer prior to college

Broader than basic IT skillsBroader than basic IT skills

Fluency in Information Technology (Fluency in Information Technology (FITnessFITness) NRC study) NRC study Intellectual Capabilities Intellectual Capabilities (e.g. engaging in sustained (e.g. engaging in sustained

reasoning, testing a solution, collaboration, communicating to reasoning, testing a solution, collaboration, communicating to other audiences, expecting the unexpected, thinking about IT other audiences, expecting the unexpected, thinking about IT abstractly)abstractly)

IT Concepts IT Concepts (e.g. understanding of computers, information (e.g. understanding of computers, information organization, modeling and abstraction, algorithmic thinking, organization, modeling and abstraction, algorithmic thinking, limitations of IT)limitations of IT)

IT Skills IT Skills (e.g. setting up computer, using basic productivity (e.g. setting up computer, using basic productivity software, communicating with others, using Internet to find info software, communicating with others, using Internet to find info and resources)and resources)

Broader than ITBroader than IT

Information LiteracyInformation Literacy

Appropriate and ethical uses of Appropriate and ethical uses of information and technology, intellectual information and technology, intellectual propertyproperty

Learning patterns/approaches, pedagogyLearning patterns/approaches, pedagogy

LITRELITRE Team — work group on Team — work group on Student Information FluencyStudent Information Fluency

A possible A possible “Vision worth working toward”“Vision worth working toward”

Technology skills/knowledge assessment Technology skills/knowledge assessment and intervention prior to or early in first and intervention prior to or early in first semester based upon faculty expectations semester based upon faculty expectations

Information Literacy assessment and Information Literacy assessment and passage by end of first yearpassage by end of first year

Underlying concepts and intellectual Underlying concepts and intellectual capabilities continue to be developed capabilities continue to be developed based on goals for specific area of studybased on goals for specific area of study

Working toward the first legWorking toward the first leg

Determine faculty expectations and need for Determine faculty expectations and need for help to provide skill and knowledge developmenthelp to provide skill and knowledge developmentEvaluate hands-on assessment tools, preferably Evaluate hands-on assessment tools, preferably that can be deployed prior to NSOthat can be deployed prior to NSODevelop/purchase training modulesDevelop/purchase training modulesCreate just-in-time support services in Create just-in-time support services in multimedia enabled labsmultimedia enabled labsSupport learning environment so technology Support learning environment so technology resources are highly availableresources are highly available Connectivity--on site and remotelyConnectivity--on site and remotely Appropriate hardware/software toolsAppropriate hardware/software tools Group/Collaborative storageGroup/Collaborative storage

Potential Partnerships?Potential Partnerships?

IT FluencyStudents—ITDFaculty—LTS

Learning Approaches

FCTL

Information Literacy

NCSU Libraries

IP, Ethics, Appropriate Use

SCC

Colleges

Discussion TimeDiscussion Time

What technology is being used in courses What technology is being used in courses in the first year?in the first year?

What expectations of students exist What expectations of students exist when they arrive?when they arrive?

Are students technologically prepared Are students technologically prepared for our environment?for our environment?

How much class time is being used How much class time is being used to teach basic IT skills?to teach basic IT skills?

Where is discussion being held concerning the Where is discussion being held concerning the appropriate and ethical use of the technology?appropriate and ethical use of the technology?

Responses to broad vision?Responses to broad vision?