The technology placement idea is interesting. This spring Academic IT, working with the Educational Technology Committee, administered a pilot of a technology test developed by the Educational Testing Service. We're currently awaiting the report. About 65 to 70 people took the test, which is described on the ETS web page as follows: "The ICT Literacy Assessment is a comprehensive test of Information and Communication Technology proficiency that uses scenario-based tasks to measure both cognitive and technical skills. The assessment provides support for institutional ICT literacy initiatives, guides curricula innovations, informs articulation and progress standings, and assesses individual student proficiency." The ETC intends to look at the results to help shape their Technology Across the Curriculum proposal. Janet Potter Associate Provost for Library & Information Services SUNY College at Oneonta Oneonta, N.Y. 13820 -----Original Message----- From: Teaching Breakfast List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Dr. Paul A. French Sent: Monday, June 05, 2006 10:46 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: Freshman Orientation to Technology Jim: Here're a few ideas: Email: 1) How and why to check it, and how often. (Daily, or set up an auto-response indicating when a person will be back.) 2) Email do's and don't's, including etiquette. (This could be a 1 page list?) Would MS Word and Excel introductions be too much? I wonder whether there should be a technology placement test (and associated required mini-courses for students who don't test out) for incoming students. Before they get too far into my courses, some of which are offered to first-year students, I would like them all to be fairly competent at using a computer keyboard, web searching, email, Blackboard, MSWord (including equations), and Excel (and maybe PowerPoint). In addition, I would like students to be more aware of the huge disparity in technological background/abilities among students, faculty, and staff. (Btw, I still haven't been able to bring myself to require that students use Blackboard and/or email for communication, since I always have some very good students who strongly resist these technologies.) Getting students to know when, where, and how to ask for help, and to actually do it is a great goal. Thanks, Paul Paul A. French Associate Professor and Chair, Physics and Astronomy Department SUNY College at Oneonta Room 120 E, Physical Science Building Oneonta, NY 13820 607-436-3358 607-436-2654 (fax) 917-797-9755 (cell) > -----Original Message----- > From: Teaching Breakfast List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf > Of Jim Greenberg > Sent: Monday, June 05, 2006 9:04 AM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Freshman Orientation to Technology > > Tbers, > > I was recently asked to do a technology orientation for our incoming EOP > students. This got me to thinking about what our incoming students need > to > know. Here is my list. Comments? > > Orientation to Blackboard > Where the computer labs for students are located and their hours > What is Print Quota and how much do they have (how to get more) > The student Computer Help Desk... where it is and what they do > Turnitin authentication paper checking service > > What else do you think they should know about? > > > Mr. James B. Greenberg > Director Teaching, Learning and Technology Center > Milne Library > SUNY College at Oneonta > Oneonta, New York 13820 > > email: [log in to unmask] > phone: 607-436-2701 > fax: 607-436-3081 > IM: oneontatltc > > "Ignorance is curable, stupidity lasts forever"