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ABSTRACT

Do new college students already know much of what has previously been taught in our computer literacy courses (assuming a functional definition of knowledge according to which students are proficient with personal computer and Internet applications)? We conducted a survey of incoming first-year students at Quinnipiac University to learn not only their skill level with a representative range of technology tasks, but also from whom they learned these tasks. Results provide a profile of students who report learning many technology tasks primarily on their own. We propose a taxonomy according to which native technology tasks are learned with family support, social and educational technology task categories are supported by friends and teachers, respectively, and optional technology tasks are learned with little support. Our results will help in the design of appropriate computer literacy courses.

REFERENCES

• 1: Alternative Learning Division. Computer Literacy Self-Assessment. Technology Literacy, (June 26, 2003), Accessed August 16, 2004. http://matcmadison.edu/ald/lab/tech/selftest.htm
• 2: Computer and Information Literacy. Teaching, Learning, & Technology Round Table, Ursuline College, May 10, 2004 , Accessed August 16, 2004. http://www.ursuline.edu/tltr/complit.htm
• 3: Mark Hoffman , Jonathan Blake, Computer literacy: today and tomorrow, Journal of Computing Sciences in Colleges, v.18 n.5, p.221-233, May 2003
• 4: Horrigan, J.B. Pew Internet Project Data Memo: 55% of Adult Internet Users Have Broadband at Home or Work. Pew Internet & American Life Project (April 2004).
• 5: How Computer Literate are UC Davis Students? I.T. Times 4,3 (Nov. 1995), Accessed August 16, 2004. http://ittimes.ucdavis.edu/v4n3nov95/complit.html
• 6: Information Literacy Survey. Accessed August 16, 2004. http://www2.carthage.edu/ais/survey.htm
• 7: Oxford University Learning Technologies Group IT literacy at Oxford University. Oxford University Computing Services, Accessed August 16, 2004. http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ltg/literacy/
• 8: Self-Survey of NC Computer Literacy Competencies. Accessed August 16, 2004. http://www.ceap.wcu.edu/ROFM_CGIv4.1/NCcompetencies.html
• 9: USDoC, A Nation Online: How Americans are Expanding Their Use of the Internet. 2002.
• 10: Williams, K. Literacy and Computer Literacy: Analyzing the NRC's 'Being Fluent with Information Technology'. University of Michigan, 2002. http://www.literacyandtechnology.org/v3n1/williams.htm

INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  K. Computing Milieux
  K.3 COMPUTERS AND EDUCATION
      K.3.2 Computer and Information Science Education
          Subjects: Literacy

General Terms:
Experimentation, Management, Verification

Keywords:
computer literacy, first-year students, from whom learned, skill level, taxonomy, technology tasks