Computer Literacy Requirements in the Upper Peninsula High Schools

1. Computer Literacy Requirements in the Upper Peninsula High Schools Ray Amtmann Sandra Poindexter Walker L. Cisler College of Business Northern Michigan University

2. Dumbing-down of America • “Taxpayers are being lied to and swindled by the education industry, which has failed them, failed America and flunked its assignment – and should be expelled for cheating.” • Pat Buchanan • The Mining Journal, Wednesday March 7, 2007 page 4A

3. What were we trying to accomplish? • Find out the status of computer literacy and training in the Upper Peninsula (U.P.) High Schools • See how computer training in U.P. High Schools is evolving • See how this training might affect University Programs

4. Background • What is the necessity of teaching a university level introductory computer literacy course? • Are these skills are being covered in high school? • Does actual class performance at the university level and resultant grades show it is still a valuable course • Should it elevate the coverage to supplement high school content?

5. National Efforts • Technology Literacy Challenge • 1997 under the Clinton Administration • Envisioned the preparation of technologically literate students • Goals were referred to as the four pillars of training, hardware, access & connectivity, and content resources. • National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) • For Students, Teachers, and Administrators • Released in 1998, 2000, and 2001, respectively. • Categories included concepts and ethics, and tools for productivity, communication, research, and problem-solving

6. State Efforts - Michigan Dept. of Education • Curriculum Framework for technology content standards • Six functional areas are Using and Transferring, Using Information Technologies, Applying Appropriate Technologies, Employing Systematic Approach, Applying Standards, Evaluating and Forecasting • Educational Technology Standards & Expectations by grade level • Aligned with NETS • Middle school released • High school standards • Approved January 2006 • http://www.michigan.gov/documents/9-12_150927_7.pdf

7. State Efforts continued • Instructional technology across the curriculum • Freedom to Learn Program • Established 2003 • Focuses on middle school technology uses

8. Study Method • Only Upper Peninsula high schools • Survey instrument to principal • Survey questions included demographics, course requirement and content, and budget information • Email and telephone follow-up • Dates May-June 2005

9. Survey Results • Sample size: 44 high schools • Number of respondents: 28 (64%) • Number of students grades 9-12 • < 200: 32% • 200-400: 32% • 400-800: 25% • >800: 11% • Computer Literacy graduation requirement • 86%

10. Survey Results Cont. • How is requirement met • Single course 64% • Multiple courses 36%

11. Survey Results Cont. • When was requirement established

12. Survey Results Cont. • Textbooks • 29% use texts • 71% use instructor-generated content • Specific Courses • Various names • Computer Applications (7) • Other names not consistent

13. Survey Results Cont. • Subjects Covered

14. Survey Results Continued • Operating System used • Windows XP 64% • Windows other 54% • Macintosh 14%

15. Survey Results Cont. • Annual Budget • < $5,000: 11% • $5,000 - $50,000: 25% • $50,000 - $100,000: 25% • >$100,000: 14% • Not reported: 25%

16. Survey Results Cont. • How has your program evolved over the last five years? • Keeping up with the evolution of software • Responding to budget cuts • Moved away from secretarial skills model • Including multimedia

17. Schools to Spotlight • Sault Ste. Marie High School • All students have laptops • North Star Academy • All students have laptops • North Dickinson High School • All students have PDAs • Kingsford High School • Adopted technology integration plan

18. Shelly Cashman Summer Institute July 2005 • High school training is increasing and varies widely • Digital youth • Digitally entertained • Not digitally productive • Many people administrators/others asking? • Is college intro course necessary? • Do other departments want their own course? • Should intro course be eliminated or revised?

19. Shelly Cashman Continued • Proposed Solutions • Placement testing • Remedial course • Redefine the intro course • Make sure we produce what employers want / need • Consider a course that has more integrated projects • Includes office type assignments using more than one program • Prepare for a conference presentation • Do the background work • Word / Excel • Create the presentation • PowerPoint / Producer • Make the travel arrangements • Internet reservations etc.

20. A Second Study • To see how the previous material impacted University level course work we accomplished a second study • We tried to determine the value of a University Level introductory computer course • We are a Laptop University so it is important to know our student’s skills in this area

21. Study of NMU CIS 110 Students • Study Encompassed 1 year (3 semesters) • Winter 2006 • Summer 2006 • Fall 2006 • Included Six Sections • 177 Students • Taught by 3 Professors • Standardized Pre and Post Test

22. CIS 110 Programs • Microsoft XP Operating System • Microsoft Word • Microsoft Excel • Microsoft Access • Microsoft PowerPoint • Microsoft Outlook

25. What’s New on the Horizon • Michigan became the first state in the nation last year to require all students to take an online course or have an online learning experience in order to graduate from high school. • Begins with students entering Grade 8 in 2006 • Martin Ackley, Director of Communications Feb 8, 2007 • http://www.michigan.gov/mde/0,1607,7-140-38924-161970--,00.html

26. State of Michigan Education and Technology Plan March 2006 • Page 57 • “Despite the availability of computers and Internet access in school, the use of digital tools by students is more home-based than school-based.” • “…81 percent in grades 6-12 had at least one email address, and 38 percent in grades 3-5 and 19 percent in grades K-3 had an email address.” • http://www.michigan.gov/documents/STP2006_5-10-06c_158945_7.pdf

27. Information and Communication Technology Literacy • “…there is an assumption that because students have grown up with computers, they are ICT literate,” says Irvin R. Katz, Senior Research Scientist at ETS. • “while college-age students can use technology, they don’t necessarily know what to do with the content the technology provides” • College Students Fall Short… www.ets.org/ictliteracy/ • Karen Bogan kbogan@ets.org

28. ICT Literacy • Alexius Macklin, Associate Professor of Library Science at Purdue University, said that the preliminary research findings illustrate that most students do not have the ICT literacy skills needed to complete college-level assignments efficiently. • College Students Fall Short… www.ets.org/ictliteracy/

29. Conclusions / Thoughts • State and Federal programs are leading secondary educators into more technology based programs • High school graduates from the U.P. are gaining a significant computer literacy • They are ahead of their predecessors • High schools in the U.P. are incorporating technology in the classroom in various manners • University / college introductory computer courses • Should be updated • Are still necessary • Should lead to incorporating technology in broader educational situations

30. Questions / Comments