DEVELOP AND PILOT A COMPUTER LITERACY ASSESSMENT TOOL
FOR INCOMING STUDENTS
2011 UPDATE REPORT WITH REVIEWER RESPONSE
Project Details
Develop and Pilot a Computer Literacy Assessment Tool
for Incoming Students
Category 3-Understanding Students' and Other Stakeholders' Needs
Timeline
Planned Project Kickoff
05-15-2011
Target Completion
08-15-2012
Title
1.
Status
REVIEWED
Updated
Reviewed
09-16-2011
10-04-2011
Created
06-03-2011
Last
Modified
10-04-2011
Project Accomplishments and Status:
Answer:
A survey was provided to all full-time faculty members Spring, 2010. This report
was made available to all faculty and their administrators (Chairs, Deans, VP of
Learning).
The survey’s subject areas were: E-mail, Internet, Operating System and File
Management, Word Processing, Presentation Software, and Course Management
System.
Overall, faculty demonstrated consensus that all six of these categories are
important to the success of their students:
Based on the above report, the search for an assessment tool will evaluate the
following skill areas, keeping in mind that it is unlikely we will find a tool that
will match each skill exactly as defined below. At least this list will provide a
target during our search process:
E-mail:





Send, receive, and reply to an e-mail
Access NC Student e-mail system using login and password
Attach files, documents, and links to messages
Open attachments for available applications
Save, delete, and print e-mail
Internet:

Access a given web site using an internet browser

Navigate within a website using basic browser functions (e.g., back,
forward)

Conduct simple keyword search
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


Access search results (identified web sites)
Navigate between and within websites
Copy/paste information from a webpage or download a file from a web
site to a desired location
Operating System/File Mgmt:

Start an application (such as word processor, internet browser, typing
tutorial, etc.) by desktop icon or menu

Power on a computer and peripherals

Use features of an application simply by using the mouse, keyboard, and
the application’s menu bar

Store and access files on a removable storage device (such as a CD-ROM
or USB Flash drive)

Print files of various formats (e.g., PDFs, JPEGs, PowerPoint files, etc.)
Word Processing:
Create documents
Spell-check and Grammar-check documents
Print preview, print, and save documents
Format text (font, bold, italic, underline, font size, alignment, etc.)
Cut, copy and paste text or objects
Enter text using word wrap, indentation, appropriate line spacing, etc.






Course Management System:
Skills to use a Course Management System will most likely be absent for
an incoming student, unless s/he is transferring from another college. Also,
it is unlikely that an assessment tool will include Course Management
Systems (particularly since we would need the assessment to be specific to
Blackboard). Therefore, the focus for this need will be met by providing
free, easily-accessible resources for all incoming students.

Presentation Software:

This category was the least required by our faculty, so it will not be
included at this time. If the demand increases in the future, then it can be
included in future versions of the incoming assessment.
In addition to the faculty weights for each skill area, another consideration was
the impact this will have on incoming students. We must carefully weigh each
area’s importance in comparison to the added skill requirements for our incoming
students. This process needs to increase their ability to succeed in college, but not
be so vast that it becomes a barrier to them.
Response:
Considering the fact that your stated timeline merely desires identification of the
students’ skills required, you are well on your way toward success in this Action
Project! Obtaining this information during the summer months can be challenging
for many campuses, but you have stuck with your plan.
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This shows NC State’s Broad-based Involvement, Leadership Support, Agility
and Responsiveness to Change, Foresight to Plan Proactively, Fact-based
Information Gathering, and Integrity in Words and Deed—ALL solid Principles
of High Performing Organizations.
With such a fast, solid start, however, institutions can become complacent. Guard
against this complacency by ensuring that the next steps are completed
expeditiously. Consider identifying the vendors AND selecting the product to use
both during the Fall Term, for the most difficult part can be the selection of the
vendor. Also consider asking brother/sister institutions in the state to see which
systems they use, and attempt to drive toward consensus in the selection. If
nothing else, take a look at some of the resources provided by the HLC through
the Innovations Exchange (http://www.aqip.org/InnovationExchange/) or the
HLC Resources for Institutions (http://www.hlcommission.org/information-forinstitutions/resources-for-institutions.html).
2.
Institution Involvement:
Answer:
This project was initiated by the DEI (Developmental Education Initiative),
particularly while studying our institution’s Assessment and Placement Policies.
In the past, our Computer Literacy Assessment was only administered to students
who wanted to register for specific computer courses, to ensure they had the
minimum skills to succeed. As our institution advanced in technology (in all of
our programs), we recognized the need to assess all of our students, and match the
assessment to the skills that are important for success. The DEI Committee
consists of:
Deb Hysell (Chair)
Bev Walker
Cathy Craig
Tom Kluding
Barb Keener
John Falls
Kimberly Lybarger
Margaret Puckett
Sheila Campbell
Carmen Morrison
The reports from this committee have also been submitted to Peg Moir, VP of
Learning Support & Retention, and Tom Prendergast, Institutional Research.
The DEI Committee will continue to work on this project during the next
academic year.
This is a new AQIP Project, and it was communicated to all faculty and staff by
Kate Peresie’s June 3rd e-mail, which announced the three new AQIP projects for
this year.
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Response:
For future report reference, it is less important for an evaluator to know the names
of the individuals involved. Titles or locations of individuals will help to assess
the cross-representation and/or depth of the involvement of the campus. I also
question the value of reports merely going to the Vice President of Learning
Support and Retention and Institutional Researcher. Why is there not broader
faculty involvement in the Project as well as someone from the field of
technology or learning technologies? Consider a broader approach to involvement
in the future of this or any other Action Project in order to ensure that the NC
State community at-large knows and cares about what is being done to enhance
its quality.
It does appear as if Communication (AQIP Category 5) is a value for NC State,
but there is also evidence supporting the Value of People (AQIP Category 4),
Planning Continuous Improvement (AQIP Category 8), and Building
Collaborative Relationships (AQIP Category 9). All in all, you are on the right
track to quick success in this Action Project!
3.
Next Steps:
Answer:
Fall 2011:
Identify vendors that have products that can be used as the
assessment tool
Winter 2012:
Evaluate the products and select one to develop the new
assessment
Determine how funding will be obtained
Winter-Spring 2012: Develop the new assessment, the procedures for
registration and the administration of the assessment
Spring 2012:
Pilot the new assessment and make necessary changes to
implement the new assessment
Summer 2012:
Implement the new assessment
Response:
As stated previously, “Consider identifying the vendors AND selecting the
product to use both during the Fall Term, for the most difficult part can be the
selection of the vendor. Also consider asking brother/sister institutions in the state
to see which systems they use, and attempt to drive toward consensus in the
selection. If nothing else, take a look at some of the resources provided by the
HLC through the Innovations Exchange (http://www.aqip.org/InnovationExchange/)
-orHLC Resources for Institutions (http://www.hlcommission.org/information-for-institutions/resources-forinstitutions.html).”
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The other thing to begin to tackle is the elephant in the process that you have
identified: “Determine how funding will be obtained.” This may be a question
that you want to begin to address with the leadership and greater community
involved. If you explain to them the reason that you are undertaking this Project
(the survey that “discovered that a large percentage of [your] faculty…require
computer skills for their students to be successful in their courses”), they may be
swifter to respond positively in the funding request. You’ve shown a propensity
toward solid communication and this may be the greatest communication
challenge you will face in these economic times (AQIP Category 5).
4.
Resulting Effective Practices:
Answer:
This action project is one part of the Placement/Assessment Review strategy from
the College’s Developmental Education Initiative. The Placement/Assessment
Review Team was trained by an external consultant and developed its own logic
model, revised evaluation plan, and data template for the strategy. The Team
identified inputs, outputs and activities and developed outcomes for the short,
medium and long-term. Based on the model, it is been much easier to come up
with formative evaluation questions (e.g., is the intervention being implemented
as intended?) as well as summative questions (e.g., are the intended outcomes
being achieved and for whom?).
Response:
This entire project was based on AQIP Category 3, but you are showing solid
evidence of meeting Category 1 (Helping Students Learn) as well. Building an
Action Project like this that touches multiple areas of the Quality Improvement
categories is not easy, and you should be applauded for your work in the area.
Consider writing down the ways in which NC State came up with the suggested
plan and presenting that topic at a future HLC Annual Meeting. By that time, you
should also be able to talk about the final steps in the process!
5.
Project Challenges:
Answer:
We recognize that computer skills are necessary for our students to succeed, and
therefore, we must fulfill the responsibility of ensuring our students possess the
minimum level required. However, computer skills present a whole new set of
challenges mainly because of its inherent nature to change so rapidly. Just while
working on this project, we have upgraded several software packages used at our
institution, and we are constantly evaluating future products to use for education,
as well as products used by industry (which we need to prepare our students to
use). At times, it seems like we are attempting to “nail down jello”.
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Not only is it difficult to identify the skills that are relevant in a volatile subject
area (technology), but funding is also challenging for two reasons. First,
assessment tools or technology skills are typically difficult to find and costly,
particularly since they have such a short shelf-life and are expensive to develop.
Second, the Ohio Board of Regents does not recognize basic computer literacy as
a prerequisite for acceptance into college, so computer skills training courses
cannot be treated the same as developmental education courses for reading,
writing and mathematics are treated. This impacts the availability for financial aid
for computer skills training unless programs include computer skills courses as
credit courses in their curricula. Many programs are at or near the maximum
number of credit hours allowed and will not include computer skills courses in
their curricula.
Regardless of these challenges, we still believe the benefit to our students will
justify the effort required.
Response:
Continuing in the midst of large challenges (especially including state-specific
challenges) is never an easy task, but you have been able to persist. The
difficulties that you faced have not yet hindered your progress. Contrarily, it
appears as if your progress is outstanding in the short timeframe. Identification
of the potential issues will help you deal with them as they come up, and
communication of the process and progress will be your best defense against an
aggressive oppressor. Keep up the effort, and the results will positively follow in
the future!
aqip\Computer-lit-update-review-2011.docx\oct’11\kp\kme
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