UVA-WISE STUDENT TECHNOLOGY PROFICIENCIES

As noted in the catalog, all UVa-Wise students shall, on graduation, be able to show proficiency in six areas of technology. These are:

understanding that computers can be useful in performing certain tasks

being able to produce a document with a word processor

being able to set up a spreadsheet to solve a problem

being able to send and receive e-mail

being able to use the internet to gather information on a subject

being able to evaluate internet sites critically and analytically

In using these skills, students should be able to do the following:

Students should be able to list uses to which a computer can be put

Students should be able to create a document, and to design it so that it is appropriate to its purpose e.g., a letter looks like a letter, a report looks like a report

Students should be able to change fonts, font sizes, alignments (justifications), create tables, save a document, name a document, create a folder to store it in, call up and re-edit a document

Students should be able to set up a spreadsheet, enter data, create headers for the data, create appropriate computations for data (sum, average, etc.)

Students should be able to compose an e-mail message; save, reply, forward, delete; analyze why a bounced message was returned; use an address book; send an attachment; and create a signature

Students should be able to use the internet to find information (for example, find a weather report), and provide the address where this information can be found again

Students should be able to critique an internet site: that is, understand who/what published the site, for what purposes, evaluate how authoritative it is, whether the author is biased or unbiased (does the author have a stake in the issue?), and provide a reasoned critique of its reliability

Starting with the Spring 2002 semester, a sample of juniors and seniors will be asked to perform these competencies to demonstrate required proficiency. Demonstration will be to an individual designated and trained for this purpose. Measurement of competency will be in three levels: high competence, competence, low competence. Results will be reported, anonymously, to the state.

Posted: Spring, 2002