POLICY
ON TECHNOLOGY FLUENCY
UMBC recognizes that the use of technology
is instrumental in enabling learning, advancing research, facilitating business
functions, and enhancing the quality of citizens' lives. UMBC, therefore, has
developed, and regularly, updates a Strategic Plan for Information Technology
(April, 2000) to ensure that technology enhances the quality of the campus'
teaching and learning, research, and administrative services. UMBC's Strategic
Plan for Information Technology responds to the Regents' mandate that graduates
from USM institutions be technologically fluent.
UMBC recognizes the importance of technology
fluency in promoting success in employment and enhancing lifelong learning and
communication capabilities. It is the intent of this policy to ensure that UMBC
graduates will possess the information technology related skills that define technology
fluency as a result of curricular focus, instructional strategies, and exposure
to technology as members of the UMBC community.
In order to accomplish the goals of UMBC's Strategic Plan for Information
Technology and to implement this policy, UMBC students must have access to
computing, software, and the internet. UMBC initiated its Assured Access to
Computing Policy in 2001 to ensure such access. In so doing and recognizing
that appropriate applications of information technology in teaching and learning
will vary according to discipline and by course, UMBC faculty now are free to
incorporate online resources and methods into their teaching and require students
to complete assignments that entail use of those resources and methods. This policy,
therefore, incorporates UMBC's Strategic Plan for Information Technology
as well as its Assured Access to Computing Policy.
UMBC graduates will possess the ability to use information technology to help
define research agendas and goals, identify and evaluate information sources,
develop write and edit reports and papers, and meet other course requirements
(i.e., online information research, analysis, and writing skills); present their
work through a variety of online or technology assisted means such as web pages,
email, online forums and presentation software (i.e, publishing/presentation skills);
and bring appropriate technology to bear on the problems within their disciplines
and have knowledge of technological tools relevant to their disciplines and to
being an active member of society (i.e., problem solving).
In addition to the incorporation of UMBC's Strategic Plan for Information
Technology and its Assured Access to Computing Policy into this
policy, UMBC will achieve the goals of this policy in the following ways:
- provide training beyond the classroom
to students to enable the effective use of information technology and develop
a level of information literacy (currently provided by the Office of Information
Technology, and the library);
- continue to enhance UMBC's required
composition course (English 101) and other composition courses which teach
technology skills;
- offer required courses that teach
technology skills within the major;
- technologically enhance other
courses within the disciplines as appropriate to each discipline;
- make technology an integral part
of all aspects of university life by continued use of technology to deliver
student services (such as registering for classes, viewing account balances,
accessing the schedule of classes and checking the status of library books)
Assessment
UMBC recognizes the need to evaluate
the effectiveness with which it implements its instructional activities and
accomplishes its technology fluency goals. UMBC will assess the degree to which
its students achieve technology fluency by the monitoring and reporting of its
assured access program; regular assessment of its required courses in composition
and those within the major (especially at the senior level) that contain a technology
component; and regular surveying its alumni. The Office of the Provost working
with the Office of Institutional Research shall be responsible for such assessment.
In addition, all academic program
reviews shall address the issue of technology fluency. New program proposals
also shall include a plan achieving technology fluency.
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Institutional Policy
on Technology Fluency
Template for the Board of Regents' Report on Implementation Progress
2004
1. Has UMBC's interim institutional
policy on technology fluency been approved by the Faculty Senate and adopted
as a final policy.
2. Please report on the progress
in implementing the institutional technology fluency policy in the areas recommended
by the National Research Council(*) :
- Contemporary skills: The
ability to use today's computer applications, enabling fluency in the application
of information technology. In the present labor market, skills are an essential
component of job readiness. Most importantly, skills provide a store of practical
experience on which to build new competence.
- Foundational concepts:
The basic principles and ideas of computers, networks, and information that
underpin the technology.
- Intellectual capabilities:
The ability to apply information technology in complex and sustained situations
as well as to encapsulate higher-level thinking in the context of information
technology.
As appropriate, please include comments
on implementation progress regarding the initiatives outlined in UMBC's technology
fluency policy:
- Providing training beyond the
classroom to students
- Continuing to enhance UMBC's required
composition courses, which teach technology skills
- Offering required courses that
teach technology skills within the major
- Technologically enhancing other
courses within the disciplines, as appropriate to each discipline
- Making technology an integral
part of all aspects of university life
- Instituting assessment mechanisms
to evaluate the effectiveness of institutional strategies in accomplishing
technology fluency goals
3. Future Initiatives and Comments
*cf. "Being Fluent with Information
Technology," National Research Council
http://books.nap.edu/html/beingfluent/es.html