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Literacy Test-Out. Who, What, Why, and When. June Parsons, Kristen Taggart, Ryan DeGrote. 1. What we’re going to do in this session:. Create a grid that can help you focus on the objectives for your test-out program Define the who, what, when, what, and how for CL test-out
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Literacy Test-Out • Who, What, Why, and When June Parsons, Kristen Taggart, Ryan DeGrote 1
What we’re going to do in this session: • Create a grid that can help you focus on the objectives for your test-out program • Define the who, what, when, what, and how for CL test-out • Look at some popular test-out tools 2
The Literacies • Computer literacy (CL) • Digital literacy (DL) • Information and Communication Literacy (ICT) • Fluency FITness • Network literacy • Informancy • Media literacy • e-literacy 7
Computer Literacy • Primary focus is application skills • It is the basic “grammar” of the digital world • Equivalent to “print literacy” in that is represents the ability to 8
Digital Literacy • Computer literacy software skills • Concepts pertaining to technology and information • Understand, produce, and communicate information using technology tools • Function within an information society (independent learning, ethical, moral behavior) • sites.google.com/site/colinlankshear/ourlangcollections 9
Information Literacy • Determine the extent of information needed • Access the needed information effectively and efficiently • Evaluate information and its sources critically • Incorporate selected information into one’s knowledge base • Use information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose • Understand the economic, legal, and social issues surrounding the use of information, and access and use information ethically and legally • /www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/acrl/standards/informationliteracycompetency.cfm 10
Information and Communication Literacy (ICT) • Define the problem or task • Locate information • Select and analyze information • Organize information • Present information • Evaluate process 11
Fluency FITness • Foundational concepts of technology: how it works • Contemporary skills: use applications • Intellectual capabilities: apply concepts and skills to solve problems and manipulate information • www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=6482 12
Test-out Paradigms • Who • What • When • Why • How 13
Who Tests Out • All students (eventually) • Students in specific majors • Students who want certification 14
Why is Test Out Offered • Students need the credit hours for coursework in major • Check that students know how to use research tools • Make sure students have qualifications desired by employers • Institution wants to save $$ by not teaching intro courses or remedial courses • Institution wants to ensure that students meet certain standards before taking courses • Institution believes that graduates should have a level of competency in technology 15
When are Test Out Exams Offered • During orientation • “On your own” • During first year • Before graduation • As part of a course 16
What Do Test Out Exams Assess • Match basic technology terms to their definitions • Identify computer and peripheral components • Use the operating system to open applications and manage files • Use basic features of word processing software • Use a browser and search engine to locate information • Understand “something” about intellectual property (Don’t copy stuff), security (make backups), and privacy 17
How to Get/Make a Test Out Exam • Faculty Created • ExamView Test bank • Blackboard • Commercial and open source tools such as iSpring QuizMaker, Zoho Challenge, QuizStar • Commercial Exam from Microsoft, CertiPort, CompTIA, ECDL Foundation • SAM Challenge 18
Faculty Created • Texas Woman’s University • www.twu.edu/mtsc/computer-literacy-exam.asp • Tabor College • www.tabor.edu/adult-graduate/student-resources/computer-literacy • Wayne State University • testing.wayne.edu/app/testinfo.cfm?eid=TECLC • Eastern Washington University • access.ewu.edu/CPLA/CPLA-Challenge-Exam-Information.xml 19
Commercial Certification • Project SAILS Standardized Assessment of Information Literacy Skills • Kent State Univeristy www.projectsails.org • IC3 Internet and Computing Core Certification • Certiport www.certiport.com • Strata IT Fundamentals • CompTIA www.comptia.org/certifications/strata/tech.aspx • ECDL/ICDL International Computer Driver LIcense • ECDL Foundation www.icdlus.com/ • Microsoft Certified Application Specialist • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Professional_certification_(computer_technology) 20
iDCA (Digital Competence Assessment) Studnets ages 15-16 The assessment “aims at stimulating the student to reflect on the themes of digital competence and supplying the teacher with possible tips for further work” www.digitalcompetence.org • Microsoft Digital Literacy Certificate Test (30 questions) • http://www.microsoft.com/about/corporatecitizenship/citizenship/giving/programs/up/digitalliteracy/eng/curriculum.mspx 21
SAM 22
Points to Ponder • As of 2006, most states included curriculum guidelines for computer literacy. Students affected by those guidelines are just now enrolling in college. • In common discourse,... "computer literate" often connotes little more than the ability to use several very specific applications (usually Microsoft Word, Microsoft Internet Explorer, and Microsoft Outlook) for certain very well-defined simple tasks, largely by rote. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_literacy) • After students test-out of computer literacy, what other digital literacy competencies do you expect them to master before they graduate? • How will you afford students the opportunity to gain college-level digital literacy? • Liberal studies requirements? • Major coursework? • Self-study? • Testing out doesn’t mean you know it all! 23