Computer Skills for Information Problem-Solving: Learning and Teaching Technology in Context

There seems to be clear and widespread agreement among the public and educators that students need to be proficient computer users--students need to be "computer literate." However, while districts are spending a great deal of money on technology, there seems to be only a vague notion of what computer literacy really means.

- Can the student who operates a computer well enough to play "Doom" be considered computer literate?

- Will a student who has used computers in school only for running tutorials or an integrated learning system have the skills necessary to survive in our society?

- Will the ability to do basic word processing be sufficient for students entering the workplace or post-secondary education?

Clearly not. In too many schools, most teachers and students still use computers only as the equivalent of expensive flash cards or electronic worksheets. The productivity side of computer use in the general content area curriculum is neglected or grossly underdeveloped (Moursund, 1995).

There are, however, some encouraging signs concerning computers and technology in education. For example, it is becoming increasingly popular for educational technologists to advocate integrating computers into the content areas. Teachers and administrators are recognizing that computer skills should not be taught in isolation, and that separate "computer classes" do not really help students learn to apply computer skills in meaningful ways. This is an important shift in approach and emphasis. And it's a shift with which library media specialists have a great deal of familiarity.

Library media specialists know that moving from isolated skills instruction to an integrated approach is an important step that takes a great deal of planning and effort. Over the past 20 years, library media professionals have worked hard to move from teaching isolated "library skills" to teaching integrated information skills. Effective integration of information skills has two requirements: (1) the skills must directly relate to the content area curriculum and to classroom assignments, and (2) the skills themselves need to be tied together in a logical and systematic information process model.

Schools seeking to move from isolated computer skills instruction will also need to focus on both of these requirements. Successful integrated information skills programs are designed around collaborative projects jointly planned and taught by teachers and library media professionals. Computer skills instruction can follow the same approach. Library media specialists, computer teachers, and classroom teachers need to work together to develop units and lessons that will include both computer skills, general information skills, and content-area curriculum outcomes.

A meaningful, unified computer literacy curriculum must be more than "laundry lists" of isolated skills, such as:

- knowing the parts of the computer

- writing drafts and final products with a word processor

- searching for information using a CD-ROM database.

While these specific skills are certainly important for students to learn, the "laundry list" approach does not provide an adequate model for students to transfer and apply skills from situation to situation. These curricula address the "how" of computer use, but rarely the "when" or "why." Students may learn isolated skills and tools, but they will still lack an understanding of how those various skills fit together to solve problems and complete tasks. Students need to be able to use computers flexibly, creatively and purposefully. All learners should be able to recognize what they need to accomplish, determine whether a computer will help them to do so, and then be able to use the computer as part of the process of accomplishing their task. Individual computer skills take on a new meaning when they are integrated within this type of information problem-solving process, and students develop true "computer literacy" because they have genuinely applied various computer skills as part of the learning process.

The curriculum outlined below, "Computer Skills for Information Problem-Solving," demonstrates how computer literacy skills can fit within an information literacy skills context (American Association of School Librarians, 1995). The baseline information literacy context is the Big Six Skills process (see below and Eisenberg & Berkowitz cites). The various computer skills are adapted from curricula developed by the state of Minnesota (Minnesota Department of Education, 1989) and the Mankato Area Public Schools (Mankato Schools Information Literacy Curriculum Guideline). These basic computer skills are those which all students might reasonably be expected to authentically demonstrate before graduation. Since Internet-related skills are increasingly important for information problem-solving, they are included in this curriculum, and are noted by an asterisk.

Some computer literacy "skills" competencies which do not seem to fit into this information processing model, and which may or may not be important to have stated include:

- knowing the basic operation, terminology, and maintenance of equipment

- knowing how to use computer-assisted instructional programs

- having knowledge of the impact of technology on careers, society, and culture

- computer programming

- specialized computer applications like music composition software, computer assisted drawing and drafting programs, mathematics modeling software, etc.

Listing computer skills is only a first step in assuring all our children become proficient information and technology users. A teacher supported scope and sequence of skills, well designed projects, and effective assessments are also critical. Many library media specialists will need to hone their own technology skills in order to remain effective information skills teachers. But such a curriculum holds tremendous opportunities for library media specialists to become vital, indispensable staff members, and for all children to master the skills they will need to thrive in an information rich future.