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Plans Submitted to SCHEV
(PDF files)
Reports of
Results
Standards/Definition
of Technology Competency
College,
Architecture, Commerce, Nursing and Education
Engineering
Standards/Definition
of Technology Competency:
College of Arts & Sciences, Schools of Architecture, Commerce,
Nursing and Education
The University of Virginia expects
graduates of its College of Arts and Sciences and Schools of Architecture,
Commerce, Nursing, and Education to have and to understand basic
knowledge and skills about information technology in order to use
it effectively and productively for their own purposes. Specifically,
The University of Virginia expects these graduates to know and be
able to perform the following ten essential technology skills:
1. Setting up a personal computer.
A person who uses computers should be able to connect the
parts of a personalcomputer and its major peripherals (e.g., a printer).
This entails knowing about thephysical appearance of cables and
ports, as well as having some understanding of how to configure
the computer (e.g., knowing that most computers provide a way to
set thesystem clock, choose a screen saver, or change the screen
resolution).
2. Using basic operating system
features. Students should be able to install new software,
delete unwanted software, and invoke applications. Other skills
included in this category are the ability to discover file sizes
and determine the amount of free disk space.
3. Using a word processor to
create a text document. Minimal skills in this area include
the ability to select fonts, paginate, organize, and edit documents.
Integration of image and other data also is essential. Students
would demonstrate these skills in either a word processing application
or in a web page creation tool.
4. Using a graphics and/or artwork
package to create illustrations, slides, or other image-based expressions
of ideas. This skill involves the ability to use the current
generation of presentation software and graphics packages.
5. Connecting a computer to
a network. Students should be able to demonstrate they know
basic skills for connecting a computer to a telephone jack and configuring
a system for dial-up access to an Internet service provider.
6. Using the Internet to find
information and resources. This skill includes locating
information on the Internet and using browsers and search engines.
The use of search engines and browsers requires an understanding
of one's needs and how they relate to what is available and what
can be found readily, as well as the ability to specify queries
and evaluate the results.
7. Using a computer to communicate
with others. This skill includes being able to use electronic
mail as a primary mode of computer-based communication.
8. Using a spreadsheet to model
simple processes or financial tables. This skill includes
the ability to use standard spreadsheet systems to carry out basic
mathematical calculations.
9. Using a database system to
set up and access useful information. This skill includes
the ability to use a database system for basic operations or to
use personal information mangers.
10. Using instructional materials
to learn how to use new applications or features. This skill
involves using online help files and reading and understanding printed
manuals. One aspect of this process is obtaining details or features
of systems one already comprehends; a second aspect is using the
tutorial to grasp the essential models and ideas underlying a new
system.
Definitions
for the 4-point scoring scale
The following is an explanation of
the 4, 3, 2, 1 scoring scale, which applies to all schools.
A SCORE OF 4 (strong competence):
A score of 4 indicates that the student is able to complete
the activity successfully without any assistance.
A SCORE OF 3 (reasonable competence):
A score of 3 indicates that the student is able to complete
the activity with minor assistance, or almost complete it correctly.
without assistance.
A SCORE OF 2 (some competence):
A score of 2 indicates that the student understands or has some
understanding of the concept behind the activity, but is unable
to carry out the specific steps on the computer to accomplish the
activity's goal without the need for major assistance.
A SCORE OF 1 (little competence):
A score of 1 indicates that the student does not have a basic
understanding of the concept behind the activity and thus could
not accomplish the activity.
Standards/Definition
of Technology Competency:
Engineering
The University of Virginia's School
of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) expects its students to
master the essential computer skills and fundamental problem solving
techniques common to engineering. More specifically, at a minimum,
the SEAS expects its graduates to know and to be able to demonstrate
the following seventeen essential technology competencies. The first
ten items in this list of essential technology competencies have
been adapted from recommendations of a research report of The National
Research Council, Being Fluent in Information Technology,
Washington, D.C., National Academy Press, 1999. The report is available
on the web: http://books.nap.edu/catalog/6482.html.
1. Setting up a personal computer.
A person who uses computers should be able to connect the
parts of a personalcomputer and its major peripherals (e.g., a printer).
This entails knowing about thephysical appearance of cables and
ports, as well as having some understanding of how to configure
the computer (e.g., knowing that most computers provide a way to
set thesystem clock, choose a screen saver, or change the screen
resolution).
2. Using basic operating system
features. Students should be able to install new software,
delete unwanted software, and invoke applications. Other skills
included in this category are the ability to discover file sizes
and determine the amount of free disk space.
3. Using a word processor to
create a text document. Minimal skills in this area include
the ability to select fonts, paginate, organize, and edit documents.
Integration of image and other data also is essential. Students
would demonstrate these skills in either a word processing application
or in a web page creation tool.
4. Using a graphics and/or artwork
package to create illustrations, slides, or other image-based expressions
of ideas. This skill involves the ability to use the current
generation of presentation software and graphics packages.
5. Connecting a computer to
a network. Students should be able to demonstrate they know
basic skills for connecting a computer to a telephone jack and configuring
a system for dial-up access to an Internet service provider.
6. Using the Internet to find
information and resources. This skill includes locating
information on the Internet and using browsers and search engines.
The use of search engines and browsers requires an understanding
of one's needs and how they relate to what is available and what
can be found readily, as well as the ability to specify queries
and evaluate the results.
7. Using a computer to communicate
with others. This skill includes being able to use electronic
mail as a primary mode of computer-based communication.
8. Using a spreadsheet to model
simple processes or financial tables. This skill includes
the ability to use standard spreadsheet systems to carry out basic
mathematical calculations.
9. Using a database system to
set up and access useful information. This skill includes
the ability to use a database system for basic operations or to
use personal information mangers.
10. Using instructional materials
to learn how to use new applications or features. This skill
involves using online help files and reading and understanding printed
manuals. One aspect of this process is obtaining details or features
of systems one already comprehends; a second aspect is using the
tutorial to grasp the essential models and ideas underlying a new
system.
11. Putting data in a table
and plotting and performing basic statistics on the data.
This skill includes the ability to use a standard spreadsheet or
equation-solving package to set up a two-dimensional table, plot
the data on at least two different types of axes, create a histogram,
use intrinsic functions, create a user-defined function and find
the sum, mean, median, mode and standard deviation of the data in
the table.
12. Creating matrices, performing
matrix algebra, and solving simultaneous systems of equations. This
skill includes the ability to use a standard spreadsheet or equation-solving
package to create matrices, find the sum, difference and product
of matrices, transpose a matrix, find the determinant and inverse
of a square matrix and use matrices to solve systems of simultaneous
equations.
13. Performing curve fitting
on a data set. This skill includes the ability to use a
standard spreadsheet or equation-solving package to determine the
equation of a curve that represents the aggregate of the data.
14. Using an Interactive Development
Environment (IDE) to compile and build an existing program. Students
should be able to open an IDE, open an existing program file, name
the parts of the program and compile and build the program.
15. Performing simple debugging
of a program. Given a simple program with expected inputs
and outputs, a student should be able to correct logic or programming
errors to remove the fault in the program.
16. Hand-checking a computer
function. Students should be able to read a function and
a set of input (actual) parameters, and determine the result of
executing the function.
17. Writing a computer program
that interacts with a user and performs basic statistical calculations
on a data set. Students should be able to write a simple,
interactive program. This program should input a data set, fill
an array, and calculate basic statistical information about the
data set and output these results.
Description of Measure to be
used
A panel of independent evaluators
assessed the technology skills and competencies of not fewer than approximately
8% of fourth-year SEAS undergraduates chosen at random. Separate
cohorts of students for competency items 1-10 and items 11-17 carried
out activities in each of the seventeen areas, and for each activity
an evaluator gave each student a score based on the 4-point scale
described below. A score of 4, 3, 2, or 1 was assigned for each
of the seventeen skills and competencies for each student. Separate
final composite scores of 4, 3, 2, or 1 were determined and reported
separately for competencies 1-10 and 11-17 for each student by averaging
the individual scores. The following is an explanation of the 4,
3, 2, 1 scale.
A SCORE OF 4 (strong competence):
A score of 4 will indicate that the student is able to complete
the activity successfully without any assistance.
A SCORE OF 3 (reasonable competence):
A score of 3 will indicate that the student is able to complete
the activity with minor assistance, or almost complete it correctly
without assistance.
A SCORE OF 2 (some competence):
A score of 2 will indicate that the student understands or has
some understanding of the concept behind the activity, but is unable
to carry out the specific steps on the computer to accomplish the
activity's goal without the need for major assistance.
A SCORE OF 1 (little competence):
A score of 1 indicates that the student does not have a basic
understanding of the concept behind the activity and thus could
not accomplish the activity.
IAS
Reports: UVa Core Competency Assessment |
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