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ABSTRACT
Technology permeates our society. But do institutions of higher education adequately prepare students to use this technology? The definition of computer literacy continues to change as technological innovations are adopted by the marketplace. The specific technology installed in any university setting constantly changes in both sophistication and function. The challenge for universities is to ensure their students meet a minimum level of competency when using new constantly changing technology. As such, universities need to incorporate new, flexible testing tools. This study examines the efforts of one university to test for basic computer skills using an Internet-based, interactive, validated, skills test that already has wide-acceptance in the business community. Over 7000 basic computer skills exams were administered to Computer Information System majors with surprising results.
Keywords: Computer Literacy, IS Education, Information Technology, Computer-based testing
1. INTRODUCTION
Today, the use of computer technology on students' desktops for word processing, communicating with others, preparing class project presentations, searching the Internet, creating computationally-intensive spreadsheets, and record keeping in database management systems is now an accepted norm. Almost any university that creates, stores, and retrieves information as part of its curricula expects students to have appropriate computer technology skills. In fact, most universities assume that new students are computer-literate when they arrive - in contrast to past expectations that all new students would need some basic computer training.
The future ramifications of adopting technology into instructional settings can be significant and far-reaching. As a direct result of technological innovations, methods of information delivery by instructors and reception by students in the future will be very different to the traditional methods employed today (R.P. Vlosky & Wilson, 1998).
University students and instructors alike with little or no computer experience are often overwhelmed by the use of technology in the classroom. On the other end of the spectrum are those who are very proficient and comfortable in u sing computer-based technology. Yet, the expectation of computer literacy is both a burden and an opportunity. The specific technology installed in any university setting constantly changes in both sophistication and function. Classrooms are being wired so that faculty can use the latest software, incorporate electronic presentations into their teaching, present video, and/or connect to the Internet. The technologies in these high-tech classrooms...