Fluency with Information Technology: an Introduction

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Fluency with Information Technology an
Introduction

• CMPT 109
• Montclair State University
• Spring, 2003
• J.W. Benham and Kossi Edoh

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Why fluency?

• Traditional computer literacy emphasized
  immediately useful skills, like using a word
  processor or a web browser.
• Fluency with Information Technology (FITness)
  includes computer literacy, but also comprises
  concepts and capabilities that will (we hope)
  help you deal with changes in technology
  throughout your life.

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FITness

• To achieve fluency in technology students should
  be taught the three different types of contents.
• Skills
• Concepts
• Capabilities

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What is FITness?

• Skills means proficiency with current
  applications, for example e-mail, word
  processors, web browsers, spreadsheets, and
  databases.
• As applications change, the necessary skills also
  change.
• New applications
• New versions of existing applications

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What is FITness? (2)

• Concepts refers to fundamental knowledge
  underlying information technology. Examples
  include the following
• How computers work
• How information is represented internally
• How information is transmitted over a computer
  network
• Concepts change more slowly than skills.

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What is fluency? (3)

• Capabilities refers to the higher-level thinking
  abilities needed to use a computer effectively.
  Here are some examples
• Troubleshooting an operating-system problem
• Organizing a research report using a word
  processor.
• Setting up a spreadsheet to perform a what-if
  calculation.
• Concepts and skills are necessary but not
  sufficient conditions for using IT effectively.
  One also needs higher-level capabilities.

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FITness in CMPT 109 (examples)
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FITness in CMPT 109 (2)
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FITness in CMPT 109 (3)
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Programming

• Students must have some algorithmic thinking
  skills
• Students read textbook for the concepts and
  capabilities contents.
• Students get skill contents from the lab