Information Technology Literacy (ITL)

While there are several definitions of Information Technology Literacy (ITL) within different organizations, the common thread is being able to apply knowledge from one program to another, from one machine to another, and from one situation to another. Having the basic skills of word processing and Internet searching is not enough to make a person competitive in the American workforce. Furthermore, just as reading and writing are fundamental components of a literate society, so is the ability to apply various technology-based constructs. The responsibility of ITL instruction falls with the public school system. A student graduating from high school needs to be competitive in a technology-based workforce.

Keywords Authentic Assessment; Computer Literacy; Information and Communication Technology (ICT); Information Literacy (IL); Information Technology (IT); Information Technology Literacy (ITL); Outcomes-based Education; Task Knowledge; Technology Fluency; Technology Integration

Overview

Even in the poorest of American school districts, students have computers. Whether using a learning system for accommodation purposes or using a program to enhance mathematics skills, students are being exposed to computer technology as early as kindergarten and are in control of that technology by the time they graduate from high school. Being in control, however, can mean different things depending on the person. To some students, it means having the skills required to conduct word processing tasks or to create a PowerPoint presentation. To others it means being able to manipulate different search engines in order to apply essential information to a research document. In either case, with years' of exposure to computers—both at school and at home—students graduating from American high schools should be ready to face the world.

Not so, says Andrea Foster (2006). She cites a recent study by the Educational Testing Service that implies, "College students and high-school students preparing to enter college are sorely lacking in the skills needed to retrieve, analyze, and communicate information that is available online" (2006, par. 1). To be certain of what Foster is discussing, distinctions need to be made between commonly used terms describing the ability to use technology.

Computer Literacy, Information Literacy & Information Technology

Literacy

Having computer literacy means that a person has enough understanding of computer applications (including their limitations) to use them correctly. A person with computer literacy can complete information-based tasks using a keyboard, software, and hardware correctly. The student creating a PowerPoint presentation is considered computer literate, for example. A person is said to have information literacy when he or she can determine which resources are needed and can access them easily. For example, a person with information literacy can distinguish which applications and resources are best for use in different situations, like knowing that a scholarly journal is a better resource than a magazine when writing a master's thesis.

Information technology literacy (ITL), on the other hand, maintains that a person is capable of utilizing a variety of technologies, like digital electronics, data storage components, and advanced computer applications: writing HTML, for instance. The IT literate person understands how technology changes from day to day and from year to year and how those changes can be applied to various tasks.

Foster (2006) may be right, as many people are computer literate and never move beyond the need for using basic computer applications. However, universities and employers are changing their requirements to include the utilization of computer functions beyond that considered basic computer literacy. Without advanced technological experience, some students will not be accepted into the colleges of their choice and will not be hired for positions in which they would be otherwise qualified. As a result of this shift in expectations, many higher education institutions are making technology one of the courses of study for all of their students.

For example, the State University of New York College at Plattsburgh requires that all of its students complete a one-credit introductory technology course. Students choose one of two courses to fulfill this requirement: Introduction to Information Management and Introduction to Information and Technology Literacy. While both courses offer practice with accessing and evaluating websites, the first focuses more on the basics of computer literacy, like email and web browser functions. In addition to basic skills, the second course requires students to understand and utilize effective search and research strategies with the expectation that those strategies will be applied in the most efficient manner. The second course also offers the potential for students to gain information technology literacy.

Applying the Knowledge

Being able to apply what is known is the key to the difference with these definitions. A person can be computer literate without knowing how to figure out a new program. A person who is IT literate, however, can learn a new program based on what she already knows about computer applications. This difference can be compared to the difference between knowing how to calculate a multiplication problem versus not having that knowledge but being able to utilize a calculator. Without a calculator, the latter person can't do the same work as the former. Without computer literacy, a person cannot have information technology literacy. However, one does not need ITL to have basic computer literacy, which most people possess. But what most people possess, the world is now saying, is not enough to be a competitive employee. SUNY Plattsburgh is making progress toward combating this problem, but until all American high schools make the same progress, students graduating from secondary institutions may not be able to find jobs at the entry level.

According to a report by the Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS), a division of the Department of Labor,

It is now becoming widely recognized that the United States must choose between two futures. We can become increasingly divided into rich and poor, a nation of second-rate products and services; or, we can continue to be a highly productive and thriving economic force. To remain the latter we must restructure our schools and workplaces and greatly increase the skills of much of our current and future workforce-especially those of our frontline, non-college educated workers (as cited in Kane, Berryman, Goslin & Meltzer, 1990, p. 2–3).

The fact that this report was published over two decades ago is very telling of the predictive nature of the research. The Department of Labor notes the necessity of American schools to create citizens who are confident and competitive in a developed world of technology. In addition, citing the employment sector, the report acknowledges that

One of the most profound implications of computers in the workplace is that they replace learning based on visual observation with learning acquired primarily through symbols, whether verbal or mathematical (Zuboff, 1988; Scribner, 1988). For example, in textiles, semiliterate operators used to be able to move into technician jobs because they literally could see how textile machines functioned. Today, many machines have microprocessors and other electronic components that are not observable. To understand, diagnose, and fix the new machines, technicians now have to be able to represent their structures and processes symbolically in their heads by decoding complicated manuals, diagrams, and updates provided by the manufacturers (Bailey, 1988). Literacy requirements have accordingly increased (as cited in Kane, et al, 1990, p. 4).

It is not enough to be like most students who have the ability to write papers, create impressive presentations, or search the Web. Being marketable almost twenty-five years ago was viewed by the Department of Labor as having the skills necessary to manipulate technology to a more sophisticated end. To meet that end, high schools need to ensure that they're graduating qualified workers.

Applications

The School Library

While many students find it convenient to conduct research at home, that convenience may not equate to effectiveness or efficiency. Indeed, there truly is no better way to research a topic than at the school library. In addition to state of the art computers and software, libraries also have state of the art employees: librarians. School librarians are now required to have advanced degrees (generally in library information science) and ITL at its core definition. In fact, the people working in libraries are not necessarily identified as librarians anymore. Many have names like Library Media Specialists. Nonetheless, they all have the same credentials: they are trained in a variety of search techniques, can manipulate various technologies, and know the most up-to-date resources for finding information.

While many (high school) students feel they can research a topic independently, doing so can cause frustration and take time away from identifying useful sources on which to focus. The assistance of a librarian can reduce aggravation as well as the time-consuming task of ineffective searching. In addition, librarians can bring students (rather than the search topic) to the forefront of learning by letting them explore various search methods in their presence. With a librarian available to suggest alternatives, students will feel more confident if trouble occurs. And, once they are shown (and practice) how to maneuver from one method of searching to another, that confidence turns into true independence.

The library itself is often centrally located in primary and secondary schools. It generally has some requirement of attendance depending on school policy. Hannah Baker, a kindergartner at Momot Elementary School, goes to the library at least once a week for a scheduled class. For that class period, Hannah and her classmates are read to and then allowed to roam in search of a book to borrow for the next week. There is a computer lab attached to the library at Hannah's school, and, in addition to having computer time in her classroom each day, Hannah's after school program also schedules at least three lab sessions per week. Hannah has learned that the library is a place to read and that there are shelves of books for her to explore. She has also learned that computers are a regular part of her school day. At this point in her life, Hannah prefers books and would not be considered computer literate by any means. Like many students, however, the importance of books in her life and competency with computers will likely change before she leaves primary school (Personal communication, November 24, 2007).

The Humanities

A five-year-old named Giles at another school is much more astute with technology than Hannah. When Giles and his family take vacations, the child is the one who programs the television DVR to record the family's favorite shows—four of them on three different channels. By age ten, Giles was assisting his school's new teachers with information technology (IT) problems (Ashley & Attwood, 1999). As with second language learning, children are more adept with the computer skills that are often lost on adults, even though most children are not as technologically savvy as Giles. Because of this seemingly inherent ability, it makes sense to utilize computers in the elementary classroom. "Pre-programmed software that could be loaded ready to run was the first major revolution in primary computing," according to Ashley & Attwood (1999, p. 163).

Something to note here is that when considering the lives of children, it is probable that exposure to technology (video games, tablets, computer applications, even the ATM) has surpassed the exposure to reading books in the home. In this regard, it is no wonder that children are familiar with computers and can benefit from a learning environment that incorporates them. Ashley & Attwood (1999) caution us, though, about the value placed on information and communication technology (ICT). "The mere existence of disproportionately expensive equipment in schools is a hugely powerful statement about value and the values of society (p. 166). While expensive equipment does send a message to children about the importance of technology, the authors believe that the use of ICT in the classroom can be an effective supplement to a humanities curriculum. They note that there are several software options for teachers with regard to curriculum incorporation (Ashley & Attwood, 1999).

Educational Software

The first option is a generic software package. Such packages give teachers the freedom of using software with their own material without having to adopt additional coursework they would not normally use. Examples of generic packages include "word processing, spreadsheets, databases, graphic representation of data, drawing and desktop publishing" (Ashley & Attwood, 1999, 166). The second option is a package created specifically for an academic subject. Subject specific software is limiting in that movement from one subject to another (having students write an essay or calculate math problems during a history lesson, for example) is not possible. The third option is often used by libraries, as it is solely created for reference purposes. Reference packages usually contain encyclopedias and search tools and come in the form of transferable CD-ROMs. Communication technologies are the fourth option for teachers. Communication technologies allow students to interact with their teachers or with other students or resources around the world by way of email exchanges, chat rooms, and the use of the Internet. Finally, technologies such as digital cameras, Smartboards, and voice recognition software are also available for teachers to incorporate into their classroom curricula (Ashley & Attwood, 1999).

The reach of the World Wide Web has expanded—some would say exploded—across the educational landscape: while only 35 percent of public schools were wired in 1994, the number climbed to nearly 100 percent by 2009 (Wells & Lewis, 2006, p. 4) with 97 percent of teachers reporting having one or more computers in their classroom every day, and Internet access available for 93 percent of those computers (US Department of Education, 2010, p. 3). Wireless connections to the Internet are becoming the norm due to faster speeds, more flexibility in network configurations, ease of expansion, and lower costs. In addition, a NCES 2009 survey found that the ratio of students to instructional computers with Internet access has increased from s dropped to 3.8 students per computer in 2005 (Wells & Lewis, 2006) to 5.3 students per computer (US Department of Education 2010). The first time NCES measured this ratio was in 1998, and at that time there were 12.1 students per computer. Fast broadband connections provided quicker access to Web-based information.

These trends form a backdrop for the advent of Web-enhanced educational software in the later 1990s. As fast, reasonably priced, and accessible Internet access became available to more and more K–12 students both inside and outside of school, many in the education community began to conceive of ways to use it to improve the state of education in America. Web-based education was one of the ideas discussed during the national conversation about education reform and outcome-based education culminating in the passage of the historic No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. Today's new teachers are not considered "fully qualified" unless their teacher training includes at least one course in computer-assisted learning (Herring, Notar & Wilson, 2005).

Now in the twenty-first century, some experts argue that educational software is evolving yet again as it makes use of the ascendant social software paradigm. Social software is Internet tools that facilitate the collaboration between many different users on a given task.

Task Knowledge

According to D. Scott Brandt (2001), Associate Professor of Library and Information Science at Purdue University,

There are few places where information retrieval-a primary element of information literacy—does not involve sophisticated information technology. Understanding how to use the technology must be a prerequisite to proficiency in finding, using, and evaluating information successfully. This understanding should be "conceptual," not simply functional. Just as information-seeking skills alone are not adequate outcomes for information literacy, technology skills alone are not adequate outcomes for information technology literacy. information literacy goes beyond the skills and knowledge involved in information seeking and retrieval, and strives for higher levels of understanding regarding the context of information in today's society, its composition and organization, as well as its use in lifelong learning (Brandt, 2001, p. 73–74).

One of the best ways to advance beyond basic retrieval is to teach it to someone else. As such, the American Library Association (ALA) (1989) notes that being information literate means to understand technology enough to generate, organize and utilize information effectively and be able to teach someone else to do the same (cited in Brandt, 2001). This is what is known as application or having task knowledge, and it is based entirely on what a person has experienced in the past. Again, as technology advances, it is essential to advance with it. For example, one cannot truly understand the principle of probability without first knowing that a deck of cards holds four sets of suits ranging from an ace to a king. Nor can a person write a correct sentence without understanding subject and verb. The more probability problems calculated and the more sentences written put a person in a position to pass on that material to someone else.

Within the framework of information literacy, it isn't until recently that educators have realized what is necessary for a curriculum to advance information literacy skills. Any such curriculum needs to be more comprehensive than teaching "rudimentary technical ability, minimal critical thinking skills, and minor problem solving" (Brandt, 2001, p. 76). In creating a course design to ensure that basic skill knowledge is surpassed, objectives and measurable outcomes must be the first priority. SUNY Plattsburgh has its course objectives and measurable outcomes printed in its course descriptions. For a student, it is clear by reading the descriptions what will be achieved at the conclusion of those two courses. For a teacher, it is equally clear what must be taught to ensure that achievement.

Assessing ITL

The only way to determine if a student has achieved what is expected is to assess what he knows, and the best way to create an assessment tool is to make it authentic. Authentic assessment is the equivalent of measuring applicability, whether or not a student can take what he has learned and apply it to the world around him by demonstrating higher-order thinking skills. When objectives are created and measurable outcomes detailed and defined, assessment tools should also be considered. The Education Task Force (ETF), a group of public schools in California, developed several outcomes to enable students from one grade to move efficiently to the next. When considering communication technology, ETF noted that students should be adept at "[u]sing technology as a tool to access information, analyze and solve problems, and communicate ideas (as cited in Farmer, 1997, par. 6). Specifically, ETF cited the following specific abilities for determining student success.

• The student demonstrates competence in the use of authoring tools, graphic applications, and telecommunications.

• Uses technology in many disciplines to solve problems.

• Selects and employs a variety of electronic technology resources for research and communication.

• Creates products using technologies.

• Uses technology responsibly, legally, and ethically (as cited in Farmer, 1997).

These required skills show more than authentic learning and higher-order thinking ability. They also show information technology literacy.

There are several ways to identify the achievement of ITL. First is most common in writing evaluation: the rubric. While creating outcomes, a rubric can be created in tandem to show outcome achievement. For example, if an outcome is that a student will create a product using technology, a rubric for how the finished product looks (professional, amateur, etc.) can be created at the same time to give the teacher a better understanding of what she is expecting as a result. Another form of assessment can be electronic in nature and can encompass several steps that are assessed individually. An example of this is having students create a research project in which they start with a word-processed outline and annotated bibliography. Once sources are identified and the research completed, a PowerPoint(r) presentation could be required and, finally, a webpage created post a culmination of the information researched.

Mobile Technology

In addition to desktop or laptop computers with Internet access, other technology on the rise in schools is tablets, which are comparable to computers in that students are able to access the Internet, create documents, watch and make videos, or research web-based material. In the early 2000s, handheld computers, or personal digital assistants (PDAs), were popular and were small enough to be held in one hand. In 2005, for instance, 19 percent of schools gave handheld computers to students or teachers, nearly double the number of schools who provided them just two years earlier. In 2013, schools are providing students with Apple iPads that are loaded with electronic textbooks and other educational material. Apple claimed that just one year after the launch of the iPad in 2010, over six hundred school districts across the country implemented one-to-one programs in which at least one classroom in a school provided iPads for each student in the class to use throughout the day (USA Today, 2013). Research has shown that increasing the use of mobile computing in a student’s education can result in higher level thinking, more collaborative work, and greater involvement in the learning process (Bick, 2005).

Digital Literacy

In 2011, Commerce Secretary Gary Locke of the Obama Administration announced an online website (DigitalLiteracy.gov) designed to help users learn digital literacy skills. Resources and tools, which are geared not only to the general public but to educators and librarians, include lesson plans, online training tools, and career building resources such as word processing basics, résumé skills, and job search techniques (Chopra & Strickling, 2011). The site also provides information on finding healthcare, building a website, and developing skills necessary for success in the workforce.

In June of 2013, President Obama unveiled a program that is aimed not only at drastically improving high-speed Internet access to schools across the United States, but is also geared toward teacher and administrator training and education in the use of technology. ConnectED (White House, 2013) promises to “connect 99 percent of America’s students to the digital age” by providing high-speed wireless and broadband Internet to schools and libraries across the country by 2018. Additionally, ITL will be addressed at the educator level by

• "using existing federal education funding to invest in professional development to allow teachers to “keep pace with changing technological and professional demands” and to ensure that “every educator in American receives support and training in using education technology tools to improve student learning”

• "using funds under Title VI of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act will be used to train teachers “to use educational technology . . . to implement new, computer-based assessments of student learning”

• "utilizing third-party vendors will help school districts identify software and applications (apps) that will “provide content aligned with college- and career-ready standards” (White House, 2013).

Finally, a person cannot go into a bookstore these days without needing to utilize a computer to locate what's she's looking for. And, to make a fast purchase in a grocery store, the same person needs to scan her own items. Similarly, accepting a package on the doorstep is impossible without having to put a stylus to a digital pad. Technology is everywhere; it can determine whether or not a diabetic has the appropriate blood sugar level, and it can report the outside temperature from the warmth of a living room. In the workplace—from retail to textile, and from CEO to currier—information technology literacy is an essential part of the workday. To graduate from a public school system without the benefit of such skills is like walking into a competitive workforce wearing flip-flops.

Terms & Concepts

Authentic Assessment: Analyzing information about students in order to determine their abilities.

Computer Literacy: Includes the necessary skills and knowledge about hardware and software to use computer applications effectively.

Information and Communication Technology (ICT): A part of the National Curriculum in the United Kingdom; it necessitates that students acquire new skills and understanding while it encourages engagement in the classroom. It is also used to assess student achievement.

Information Literacy (IL): The ability to determine what information is needed when (an abstract versus an entire article, for example), and possessing the skills to find and use that information appropriately.

Information Technology (IT): The field of communication by means of an electronic source.

Information Technology Literacy (ITL): The ability to utilize technology in a variety of settings to accomplish an assortment of goals: to communicate, to solve problems, to access and manage information, to create data in all subject areas.

Outcomes-Based Education: Sets measurable goals for students; goals will be assessed by identified rubrics listing expected student achievement.

Task Knowledge: The ability to identify the process and skills necessary to complete specific activities. These are generally education or industry specific.

Technological Fluency: The ability to use technology in a way that allows for proficiency and efficiency when completing tasks.

Technology Integration: Incorporating the use of technology into daily educational activities.

Bibliography

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Foster, A. (2006). Students fall short on 'Information Literacy,' Educational Testing Service's study finds. The Chronicle of Higher Education, 53 , A36. Retrieved November 30, 2007 from EBSCO online database, Education Research Complete: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=22984125&site=ehost-live

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Herring, D.F., C.E. Notar & J.D. Wilson (2005). Multimedia software evaluation form for teachers. Education 126 , 100-111. Retrieved June 9, 2007 from EBSCO Online Database Education Research Complete. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=18360477&site=ehost-live

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Suggested Reading

Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL). (2000). Information literacy competency standards for higher education. Chicago: American Library Association. Retrieved June 20, 2001 from the World Wide Web: http://www.ala.org/acrl/ilintro.html#ildef

American Society for Training & Development. (2000). Training basics community. Retrieved April 21, 2000 from the World Wide Web: http://www.astd.org/virtual%5fcommunity/comm%5ftrainbasics/

Brandt, D. S. (1997). Constructivism: Teaching for understanding of the Internet. Communications of the ACM, 40 , 112-117.

Carroll, J. (2011). From encyclopaedias to search engines: Technological change and its impact on literacy learning. Australian Journal of Language & Literacy, 34, 27–34. Retrieved December 20, 2013, from EBSCO Online Database Education Research Complete. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=61967042

Crompton, R. & Mann, P. (eds) (1996) IT Across the Primary Curriculum, London: Cassell.

Gregory, D. (1997). Art education reform: Technology as savior. New Technologies in Art Education: Implications for Theory, Research, and Practice, (pp. 163-168). Reston, VA: National Art Education Association.

Information Technology Literacy-What learners need to know. (1998). Curriculum Administrator, 33 , 56. Retrieved November 30, 2007 from EBSCO online database Education Research Complete: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=331683&site=ehost-live

Jewell, M. J. (1998/1999). The art and craft of technology leadership. Learning and Leading with Technology, 26,{4), pp. 46-47.

Kearsley, G. & Lynch, W. (1992). Educational Leadership in the age of technology skills. Journal of Research on Computing in Education, 25, 50-60.

Krug, D. (2002). Electronic media and everyday aesthetics of simulation. Visual Arts Research, 25, 27-36.

Krug, D. H. (2004). Leadership and research: Reimagining electronic technologies for supporting learning through the visual arts. Studies in Art Education, 46 , 3-5. Retrieved November 30, 2007 from EBSCO online database, Education Research Complete: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=14763561&site=ehost-live

Lemke, C. & Coughlin, E. (1998). Technology in American Schools: Seven Dimensions for Gauging Progress. The Milken Exchange on Education Technology. Santa Monica, CA: Milken Family Foundation.

Leu, D. J., McVerry, J., O'Byrne, W., Kiili, C., Zawilinski, L., Everett-Cacopardo, H., & ... Forzani, E. (2011). The new literacies of online reading comprehension: Expanding the literacy and learning curriculum. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 55, 5–14. Retrieved December 20, 2013, from EBSCO Online Database Education Research Complete. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=73908525

National Research Council (NRC). (1999). Commission on Physical Sciences, Mathematics, and Applications. Committee on Information Technology Literacy, Computer Science and Telecommunications Board. Being fluent with information technology. Washington, DC: National Academy Press. Retrieved June 20, 2001 from the World Wide Web: http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/BeFIT/.

NCET (1998) History using IT. Book 2: Searching for Patterns in the Past Using Databases and Spreadsheets, Coventry: NCET.

Neuman, M. & Simmons, W. (2000). Leadership for student learning. Phi Delta Kappan, S2 (l), 9-12.

Straker, A. & Govier, H. (1997). Children Using Computers (2nd edition). Oxford: Nash Pollock.