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California State University Dominguez Hills

Academic Senate

EPC 09-04

Resolution on Computer and Information Literacy

MSP 4/22/09

Resolution

It is hereby resolved that the Academic Senate endorse the following policy on Computer and Information Technology.

Based on the recommendations of The Joint Task Force on Information Literacy, the Academic Senate proposes the following policies which respond to one or more of the following questions:

1. Given the pervasive nature of computer technology in academia and the trend toward increasing automation of information, how can we best assess the Information Literacy skills of our students upon entrance to CSUDH?

and

2. How can we ensure that our students are successfully able to demonstrate current and appropriate Information Literacy skills in order to navigate the information environment both during and after their time at CSUDH?

In a 2000 report from the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL), Information Literacy (also known as Information Competence/y, Information Fluency, et al.), is defined as the ability to:

• Determine the extent of information needed

• Access the needed information effectively and efficiently

• Evaluate information and its sources critically and incorporate selected information into a knowledge base and value system.

• 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

(, complete report available upon request)

(These standards are attached to specific performance indicators and outcomes at )

Students will be able to demonstrate the following competencies:

1. Computer knowledge

a. Efficiently use and manipulate technology in a conscious and rational way consistent with standard methodology of Computing Sciences

b. Understand and use basic computer terminology and communicate effectively with computer professionals and other users

c. Know the fundamentals and basic organization of a personal computer

2. Data use, transfer and management

a. Transfer files, organize data in files, databases, and directories, upload web pages, backup data, etc.

b. Demonstrate awareness of viruses, hoaxes, as well as familiarity with privacy, issues and other security, and safety risks issues

c. Use e-mail appropriately and effectively

3. Common software

a. Use word processing and database software effectively in a conscious and rational way consistent with standard methodology of Computing Sciences

b. Be able to create a basic electronic slideshow presentation

c. Demonstrate basic understanding and ability to use of spreadsheets

d. Use learning management software to the extent appropriate to for the student’s course of study

4. Searching for and finding information

a. Identify the broad range of available information resources (print, multimedia, web, online databases, etc.)

b. Select and critically assess the quality and contents of available resources

c. Use database query commands to search the web or library databases

d. Critically Evaluate search results

e. Recognize and differentiate appropriateness and quality of information materials

5. Using information

a. Recognize various sources of information (books, journals, newspapers, etc.) Repeats item 4 (a)

b. Broadly understand the “life cycle” of information

c. Synthesize information from various sources

d. Use information and its media ethically, with awareness of forms of protection of intellectual property, such as copyright and plagiarism restrictions, and other applicable laws.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Assessment

The university should determine the level of Computer and Information Literacy (or CIL) skills our students possess upon entering CSUDH at any level (freshman, transfer, graduate, etc.). The university should require that all students demonstrate a baseline level of Computer and Information Literacy skill competency before graduation. To this end, the Academic Senate endorses the following options:

1. Require students to demonstrate CIL skills by achieving a minimum score on an assessment tool, no later than the end of their second semester at CSUDH (dependent upon program or department requirement).

Rationale: CSUDH helps to educate the workforce of Southern California. CIL skills are essential to success in work and life in the 21st century. As a precedent, Sacramento State, San Francisco State and CSU Bakersfield require students to demonstrate computer technology and information literacy skills before they graduate.

2. Require students to successfully complete a class on computer and information literacy, or if they passed two or more modules, successfully complete an online tutorial and assessment for those areas that the student did not pass in the initial assessment. This online tutorial will ensure learning and demonstration of CIL skills.

The Academic Senate recommends that the curriculum for this tutorial be evenly divided between computer skills and information synthesis/critical content evaluation. Support for this can be found in the report on New Technologies For Literacy And Adult Education: A Global Perspective () We further recommend that the tutorial should be separated into modules that address various skills and components, e.g. a module for computer hardware and platforms, a module for software packages, a module for critical contents evaluation and information synthesis, etc.

Skill Acquisition

The Academic Senate proposes that CIL skills should be reinforced across the university curriculum, ensuring that CSUDH students can not only demonstrate these skills, but also realize their importance. To this end, the Academic Senate endorses the following options:

3. Computer and Information Literacy skills should be infused more heavily into existing lower division course curricula, including math and the sciences.

Rationale: Information science literature has shown that retention of Information Literacy skills increases dramatically when infused into the course curricula. While CIL is most associated with research in the Humanities and Social Sciences (an example of this is the writing requirement at USC. The curricula and learning outcomes for courses supporting this program have been updated to include information literacy skills.), it is imperative that all students graduate with these skills. At other CSU campuses, CIL skills have been successfully incorporated to course curricula from every discipline, including the physical and biological sciences, engineering and mathematics.

4. Discipline specific Computer and Information Literacy skills should be infused more heavily into existing upper division and graduate courses.

Rationale: With the high percentage of transfer students coming to CSUDH, there must be a way for them to acquire CIL skills at their appropriate course level. Other CSU’s have CIL courses covering discipline-specific literacies, such as NSS 154 at CSULA and the Liberal Studies track at CSUB. Certain upper division and graduate courses could be designated as “CIL Intensive” (similar to our Writing Intensive courses), in order for students to gain and demonstrate the skills they need.

Program Review and Accreditation

Due to the WASC standards that include CIL skills (WASC 2001 Handbook of Accreditation Standards 2 and 3, pp. 20 and 27), the Academic Senate agrees that the university should incorporate the Computer and Information Literacy skills and competencies outlined above into the program review process. The Academic Senate endorses the following options:

5. Computer and Information Literacy skills and outcomes should be incorporated into General Education and Program Level Student Learning Outcomes.

Rationale: This action will not only satisfy the WASC standards mentioned above, it will ensure that our students are able to demonstrate satisfactory CIL skills upon graduation. While departments and programs may choose to emphasize some CIL competencies over others, a broadly based implementation will consistently and continuously emphasize to our students that CIL skills are essential for success in – and beyond - their educational career.

6. The assessment tool, the computer and information literacy classes, and the on-line tutorials be reexamined yearly and updated due to the advances in technology and the evaluation of the outcomes. To do this, a committee on computer and information technology shall be set up to evaluate the quality of the assessment tool, the classes, and the modules with respect to the outcomes, and the currency of the technology. This committee should have at least one member from a computer science background and one member from the library.

Rationale: In a rapidly evolving field such as computer and information technology, to keep our students current we need to continuously evaluate and update our offerings.

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