Workshop Proposal for ISECON 2004 – November 4-7 at Hyatt Regency Newport
Helen Wolfe, Professor CIS 
Teikyo Post University
800 Country Club Road
Waterbury CT. 06708
  
Biography: 

Helen Wolfe is a full Professor of Computer Information Systems at Teikyo Post University in Waterbury, Connecticut. She has been a full-time faculty member at Teikyo Post since 1980 ultimately advancing from assistant professor to full professor.  Prior to this she taught computer literacy, COBOL programming, and developed computer-based systems for small businesses and professional offices.

Professor Wolfe earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree, cum laude, from Hunter College of the City University of New York and a Masters Degree in History from Southern Connecticut State University. Subsequently she earned a Masters of Business Administration and a post MBA Professional Certificate in Computer Information Systems from the University of New Haven.

She holds memberships in the American Association of University Professors, the Systems Management Society and the Association for Information Technology Professionals. She has received grants to participate in international conferences supported by the Systems Management Society and was twice honored by the Connecticut Distant Learning Consortium for developing courses supporting the development of distant learning. She has conducted workshops before professional organizations advocating teaching online methodologies and fostering computer literacy. Nominated by former students, she has been listed in Who’s Who Among American teachers several times. 

 




Title of Workshop: Establishing College Computer Literacy/Fluency 

Objective: To conduct a workshop for developing a definition for computer literacy that can be applied to plan, deliver, and assess a course resulting in computer literacy/fluency at the college level. 

Rationale: Teikyo Post University requires a three credit course in computer literacy as part of its general education core. Every freshman must either pass a waiver examination in computer literacy or successfully complete CIS 112, Introduction to Computers. There is a need to continuously examine the content of these courses as definitions of computer literacy change due to students entering college with greater fluency and technology changes.

Materials Needed:

A marking board (white or chalk)
A computer projector
I may need a computer

Procedure:

1. Come to consensus regarding “What should a course in computer literacy include?” by defining computer literacy for college level students. Offer one definition of computer literacy and open discussion to generate a more inclusive definition. Refer to “The Components of Fluency with Information Technology,” Being fluent with Information Technology, CSTB, 1999.

2. Determine objectives for a course in computer literacy. Begin by examining the Learning Outcomes defined by Teikyo Post University. What must a computer literate student be able to do?

3. Suggest methodologies for achieving accepted learning outcomes. Again begin by examining the TPU model.

4. Explore ways for determining how well accepted objectives have been achieved. After dividing into groups, design challenging activities a computer literate person should be able to perform. Share some of these activities.

5. End the workshop with deciding whether students entering freshman year are already computer literate. How many could pass a waiver exam based on the accepted learning outcomes? Based on experiences with past freshman students, how successful would they be if required to accomplish activities suggested in item #4?

6. Invite attendees to share computer literacy course syllabi by sending samples to attendees via email.


Follow Up: 

1. Create a Bb website discussion forum for examining model courses in computer literacy for the 21st century.