Students Technology Literacy: Assumptions, Expectations

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Students Technology Literacy Assumptions,
Expectations the Truth

• Michelle TothFeinberg Library
• SUNY Plattsburgh

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First, the hype
( Where we get some of our Assumptions
Expectations )
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• They are visually and digitally literate
• Gregory, Gwen M. Developing a Strategy for the
  Next Generation. Information Today 25.1(Jan
  2008) 46.

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• this new generation of Net-savvy individuals
• Gregory, Gwen M. In the Net. American
  demographics. 20.8(Aug 1998) 56.

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• N-Geners have no awe of new technology
• Gregory, Gwen M. In the Net. American
  demographics. 20.8(Aug 1998) 56.

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• a generation whose brains are literally wired
  with different software
• d'Ancona, Matthew The mighty should quake before
  the Wiki man. The Spectator. London Nov 24,
  2007.

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• the first generation to grow up immersed in
  digital technologies
• Tapscott, Don. Future Web the N-Generation.
  Index on Censorship. London 36.4(2007) 51.

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• they are tech savvy, with every gadget
  imaginable almost becoming an extension of their
  bodies
• Safer, Morley. The "Millennials" Are Coming. 60
  Minutes ( Nov. 11, 2007) http//www.cbsnews.com/st
  ories/2007/11/08/60minutes/main3475200.shtml

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• they are not intimidated in the least by
  technological innovation
• Upcraft, M. Lee. Forward. Connecting to the Net
  Generation What higher education professionals
  need to know about todays students. NASPA 2007.

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Do these statements accurately describe the
students in your classes?
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The Anti-Hype

• A Sociologist Says Students Arent So Web-Wise
  After All. Chronicle of Higher Education. April
  29, 2008. Catherine Rampell interviewing Eszter
  Hargittai.
• Are College Students Techno Idiots? Inside
  Higher Ed. November 5, 2007. By Paul Thacker.

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Some of the ResearchPerhaps a more practical
picture
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Studies on Net Gen Tech Use

• Pew Internet American Life Project
• EDUCAUSE Center for Applied Research (ECAR)
• Books
• Growing up digital The rise of the net
  generation. Don Tapscott. (1998)
• Connecting to the Net.Generation. Reynol Junco
  Jeanna Mastrodicasa. (2007)

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Studies on Net Gen Tech Use

• What is the Net Generation? The Challenge for
  Future Medical Education. Medical Teacher.
  (2007). By John Sandars Catriona Morrison.
• Predicting software self efficacy among business
  students A preliminary assessment. Journal of
  Information Systems Education. (2003) By Douglas
  Havelka.

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Strengths of These Studies

• Start with a hype-free basis
• Research based data
• Interviews, surveys, focus groups

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Weaknesses With These Studies

• A focus on entertainment and social aspects
  (social networking, blogging, chatting)
• Based on relatively small samples Pew 935
  teens, PSU ECAR 258, Total ECAR 26,022, Growing
  up Digital 300.
• Problems with Averages Percentages

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Some Other Considerations
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Different Types of Students

• Race
• Gender
• Socio-economic level
• International students
• Returning adult students
• Disabilities

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Technology Students Use
Different Technologies
Academic Technology

• MySpace / FaceBook
• Chatting
• YouTube
• Music
• Videos
• Games

• Word Processing
• Presentations
• Spreadsheets
• Charts
• CMS
• Communicating with Professors

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So Who are Your Students?
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Surveying Your Students

• What do you want/need to know?
• Familiarity with technologies used for class
• Able to submit work as required
• Access to required technology

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Surveying Your Students

• What Not to Ask
• Are you familiar with Software X?
• Have you used Software X?
• How Not to Ask
• Raising of hands, or any other publicly
  identifiable method

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Surveying Your Students

• What to Ask
• Be as specific as possible
• Examples Do you have experience creating
  charts in Excel?Have you used the chart wizard
  in Excel to create charts?

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Surveying Your Students

• How to Ask
• Anonymous or Private Survey
• Paper
• CMS
• Web Form
• E-mail

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Surveying Your Students
Important Be up-front and clear with your
students about why you are collecting the info,
how it will be used, and how answering honestly
will help the course run more smoothly for all.
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Sample From My Survey

• Please fill out the survey honestly. If you are
  not sure if you have done a particular computer
  task leave the item un-checked. You are not being
  graded on these responses, it is just a way to
  find out how much you already know and will help
  gage what items we may need to cover in the
  course.

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Sample From My Survey

• Microsoft Word (or other word processing
  software)Please check the items you have
  successfully used
• _ Selected and changed font and font size
• _ Cut, copied and pasted text
• _ Used the Undo and Redo commands
• _ Set character, line, and paragraph spacing
  options
• _ Used margin options (left, right, hanging
  indent not tabs)
• _ Inserted page numbers (not typing them in
  manually)
• _ Used print preview
• _ Inserted graphics into a document (WordArt,
  clip art, images)
• _ Insert a URL (as a working link)
• _ Insert a URL ( and removing the linking option)

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Why survey your students when we have all this
other data available?
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Comparing Studies Blogging
Percent Blogging
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Tech Use, including Blogging from my Students
Spring 2008 Sections of LIB105
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Tech Use, including Blogging from my Students
Spring 2008 Sections of LIB105
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After you have surveyed your students, what do
you do with the class staring back at you?
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Making Use of Your Data
Data on Word Processing
At what percent do you decide you need to provide
additional technology instruction?
A B
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Making Use of Your Data
Data on Excel Use
What level of instruction would meet student
needs for using this technology in the course?
A B
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Resources

• Learning/Tutoring Center
• Library
• Lab Assistants
• Computing Help Desk

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Instructor Support

• Step by step instructions
• Provide Tutorials
• Link to already existing
• Create your own
• Office hours for tech assistance

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Making it Part of the Course

• Teaching the technology in class
• Demonstrations
• In-Class activities

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Making it Part of the Course

• Peer Mentoring
• Group Work
• Assign learning the technology and have
  presentations to the class

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Assessment

• If you are including a technology instructional
  component, be sure to include it in your class
  assessment
• Additional questions
• Open ended
• I learned alot of tricks i didnt know about
  powerpoint, word, and excel.
• I enjoyed doing excel the best, I liked the
  graphs

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Questions?
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depts.washington.edu/next/
www.uberreview.com/2006/06/ear-phone.htm
http//wsuccess.typepad.com/webinarblog/2007/02/in
dex.html
http//blogs.guardian.co.uk/technology/archives/20
06/10/16/daily_mail_unveils_unbelievable_360degree
_head_mounted_display.html
http//www.bbc.co.uk/jersey/content/articles/2006/
02/06/do_you_blog_feature.shtml
http//www.lingualgamers.com/thesis/social_video_g
ames.html
http//crunchbang.org/archives/2007/10/23/a-networ
k-of-ubuntu-muppets/