Research Proposal Computer Competency

							                          IT Competency Survey
                             Draft: 3/13/06 v2
                             Draft: 3/21/06 v3
                             Draft: 4/4/06 v4
                             Draft: 5/5/06 v5

Proposal for 2006-2007:

A. Freshman Survey:

We have the possible opportunity to add 1-2 questions.

Currently that survey will include the following questions that cannot be
altered;

      (27) Engaged in activity in the past year (indicate frequency)
         Used the internet
            for research or homework
            to read news sites
            to read blogs.
      (28) Rate yourself
            Computer skills
      (33) During your last year in high school, time spent during a typical
      week
            Playing video/computer games

Proposal:

New Question: Self-rate (scale as in 28) on computer skills [in priority
order]
   a) Download and use a file
   b) Send an attachment with email
   c) Download and use a podcast
   d) Create a presentation
   e) Upload a file to a website
   f) Write a blog
   g) Contribute to a wiki
   h) Manage files on your computer
   i) Manage software on your computer
B. Transfer Student Survey

Currently, the following IT-related questions are in the survey:

        (1) Rate Yourself
              Computer Skills
        (17) Engaged in activities in past year
              Used the Internet for research or homework
              Used a personal computer
        (25) Time spent during a typical week
              Playing video/computer games

Proposal:

Add the same questions as have been added to the Freshman Survey.

Add to embed four additional self-rating

1.   Find online data for a research paper
2.   Use software to analyze data
3.   Add footnotes to a research paper
4.   Add images or tables to a research paper
5.   Search an online library catalogue
Version: April 4, 2006
Proposal: Structure the IT competency questions to match the ICT Literacy
Assessment, so that we can compare the larger response base from the
Freshman Survey with the ICT Literacy test responses that are likely to be
much smaller in number.

What is your skill level using the following computer technologies and
applications? (Do not use, Very unskilled, Unskilled, Skilled, Very skilled).

 1. Define
         a. Articulate the type and purpose of the work for which IT is to be used
         b. Identify the appropriate electronic tool(s) to be used (for example,
            software package or search engine)
         c. Identify the appropriate electronic resources to be used (for example,
            database or library)

 2. Access
        a. Use a web browser (Internet Explorer, Mozilla, Firefox)
        b. Search and locate what you need using an online library catalogue
        c. Search and locate what you need using an academic database OSTOR,
           NEXUS/LEXUS)
        d. Download and use a file from a website
        e. Download and use an email attachment
        f. Locate and use materials on a course website
        g. Locate and use course calendar information
        h. Subscribe to an RSS reed
        i. Download a podcast
        j. Take an online quiz or exam
        k. Use online help

 3. Manage
       a.    Use bibliographic software (EndNote, RefWorks)
       b.    Use data analysis software (Minitab, SPSS, Fathom)
       c.    Organize files and folders
       d.    Save and locate information on a computer
       e.    Keep track of course grades
       f.    Back up a computer
       g.    Install or upgrade software on a computer
       h.    Move files between devices (digital camera, cell phone, PDA, computer)
       i.    Secure your computer (for example from intruders or virus)

 4. Create
        a. Create and use a spreadsheet (Excel)
        b. Generate a graph from spreadsheet data
        c. Create a table
        d. Build a website using software (Dreamweaver, FrontPage)
        e. Build a website using HTML
        f. Create a word-processing document (Word, WordPerfect)
        g. Write a program (Basic, Java, C++)
        h. Cut and paste text, a table, an image, or section of audio/video into a
           word-processing document.
        i. Create a graphic (Photoshop, Flash)
        j. Create an video/audio file (Director, iMovie)
        k. Create a presentation (PowerPoint)

5. Communicate
      a. Use email
      b. Use a bulletin board
      c. Use a chat room
      d. Use instant messaging
      e. Use text message
      f. Create a blog (MySpace, Facebook)
      g. Update a document on a wiki
      h. Send an attachment
      i. Edit and show changes to a word-processing document written by
         someone else
      j. Save a file in a standard format (PDF, RTF)
      k. Upload a file to a website