Information Technology Fluency at Simmons

1
Information Technology Fluency at Simmons

• Understanding Students' Learning Needs
• Surveys and Assessment
• January 25, 2005
• Bruce Tis Gail Matthews-DeNatale

2
History

• Longstanding Curriculum Technology Integration
  Plans to define the IT education needs for
  specific majors
• No organized effort to address the baseline IT
  education needs of all undergraduates
• Information Technology Task Force created Spring
  2004

3
Task Force Membership

• Don Basch
• Braddlee
• Eduardo Febles
• Cathy Hurst
• Rebecca Koeniger-Donohue
• Gail Matthews-DeNatale

• Gary Oakes
• Vivienne Piroli
• Esther Shilcrat
• Sue Stafford
• Len Soltzberg
• Bruce Tis (Chair)

4
Task Force Accomplishments

• investigated how other institutions are
  addressing technology education for all
  undergraduates
• investigated different models of technology
  education
• developed a rubric for technology education
• developed a baseline assessment survey based on
  the rubric
• administered the baseline assessment to 116
  freshmen and analyzed patterns in the assessment
  data,
• provided a number of technology education
  opportunities for students
• formulated a plan to achieve competency goals
  consistent with curriculum reforms currently
  underway

5
Technology Education Model

• Selected the Fluency in Information Technology
  (FIT) model that was developed from a study
  funded by NSF in the late 1990s
• Model based on defining skills, concepts, and
  intellectual capabilities
• Adapted the model to the liberal arts education
  mission by stressing intellectual capabilities
  first, then conceptual understanding and finally
  skills

6

• Developed a rubric based upon
• Personal
• technology and the individual
• Interpersonal
• technology for communication
• Professional
• technology in the workplace
• Societal
• technology in society

7
Intellectual Capabilities

• Use technology to evaluate and interpret text,
  numbers and images
• Think critically, solve problems, and test
  solutions (with and about technology)
• Evaluate, procure, install, and configure
  technology
• Recognize and accurately interpret the style,
  voice, and perspective of others in digital
  contexts

8

• Understand the role and function of information
  and technology in the workplace
• Use technology to solve problems in the workplace
• Use technology responsibly in the workplace
• Work collaboratively across geographic distances
• Think in terms of systems

9

• Evaluate and assess emerging technological
  developments (e.g., feasibility, social impact,
  ethical ramifications, legal implications, etc.)
• Understand and evaluate the opportunities,
  threats, limitations, and impact associated with
  emerging technologies
• When deemed appropriate, be prepared to serve as
  an advocate for change in relationship to
  technology (e.g., inclusion, legal and ethical
  reform)

10
FITness Implementation

• FITness goals for student learning are explicit
  and widely available, as described in the rubric
  Goals for Fluency in Information Technology at
  Simmons
• Existing opportunities for increasing FITness are
  documented and communicated to student
• Additional opportunities for increasing FITness
  are infused into current curriculum
• Co-curricular FITness learning are documented and
  communicated to students
• Faculty are supported in their efforts to
  integrate FITness learning across the CAS
  curriculum and in their efforts to increase their
  own FITness

11
Assessment

• Key to the success of this program will be the
  assessment of
• Existing opportunities
• Incoming students
• Midpoint
• Exiting students
• The program itself