COE Technology Goals - 1995

Table of Contents

TECHNOLOGY GOALS RELATED TO THE PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS, FACULTY, AND STAFF

Given a technologically sound environment, faculty, staff and students are encouraged to incorporate basic as well as advanced technologies into their instruction, research, and service.

1. Basic Office Equipment Operation

Rationale:

Technology in the work place is designed to facilitate routine tasks. Faculty and staff should be able to take advantage of up-to-date technological developments designed to enhance the efficiency of daily responsibilities associated with duplication, communication and dissemination of information.

Performance Goal #1:

All faculty and staff will be proficient with basic office equipment. Necessary skills include:

1.2 proper use of copiers, fax machines, scanners and other equipment to duplicate, transfer, or translate written media.

2. Computer Literacy

Rationale:

Personal computers have become commonplace in the work environment. The ability to rapidly access, create, store or distribute information is an important tool for faculty, staff, and students. Electronic networks that provide entry to databases and a means of communication give students and faculty extensive means of information exchange related to their work.

Performance Goal #2:

All faculty, staff and students will be able to use basic desktop/personal computers and software programs. Necessary skills include:

2.2 proper use of word processing programs to compose, modify, save, and print files.

2.3 translation and importation of files in alternate formats and across hardware platforms.

2.4 initiation of basic troubleshooting procedures including virus detection, undeleting, and working with backup files.

2.5 transmission of information from one location to another (e.g. file transfers via various internal & external systems).

3. Electronic Communication

Rationale:

Electronic communication tools provide a means to rapidly and inexpensively access and distribute information in an environmentally efficient fashion. Electronic communication allows for easy collaboration with colleagues on a local, regional, national and world-wide basis.

Performance Goal #3:

All faculty, staff and students will have the ability to use electronic mail and will maintain an active electronic mail address. Electronic communication is encouraged as a medium for:

3.2 faculty-student and student-student interactions (e. g., computer conferencing outside of class hours).

3.3 faculty-staff interactions (e. g., transferring documents electronically for formatting and editing purposes).

4. Technology-Enhanced Presentations

Rationale:

Effective presentations through the use of instructional technology can enhance the learning process. Presentations that are accomplished through a functional mix of resources will provide a broader spectrum of knowledge, streamline the integration of principles and themes, and stimulate analytical, critical and constructive thinking as well as creative problem solving.

Performance Goal #4:

All faculty, instructional staff, and students involved with instruction will be proficient at using appropriate electronic technology for instructional and formal presentations. These skills will include:

4.2 selection and/or development of appropriate educational software designed specifically for use in teaching courses (i.e., courseware) that takes into account the needs and learning styles of learners.

4.3 selection and/or evaluation of hardware that supports any chosen educational courseware.

4.4 use of teleconferencing and distance learning technologies.

5. Data Management and Analysis

Rationale:

Effective performance in the academic work place requires the ability to access and carefully analyze information as well as to effectively problem-solve. Improvements in technology have dramatically changed data acquisition and analysis techniques. These developments have had an impact on commonly performed tasks ranging from the manner in which statistical analyses are completed to the preparation of documents for publication.

Performance Goal #5:

All faculty, staff and students will be proficient with data analysis and management appropriate to their field of study or job expectations. Necessary skills include:

5.2 the retrieval of information from databases, on-line catalogs, and other forms of electronic storage.

5.3 the use of data analytic software appropriate to areas of expertise or job expectations.

5.4 the creation, use, and interpretation of graphic representation of data.

6. Administration and Advising

Rationale:

A great deal of the work done at a university involves time- and labor-intensive record keeping, data collection, information distribution and other administrative tasks. In today's business environments technology is used to streamline administrative tasks at all levels, but the College too often requires faculty, staff, administrators, and students to fill out reports by hand or use forms designed to be completed using a typewriter. Technology needs to be used to ease this administrative burden.

Performance Goal #6:

All faculty, staff, administrators, and students will be able to use technology that can replace paper for simple administrative functions. These include:

6.2 the use of electronic databases for departmental recordkeeping and student advising.

7. Profession- or Program-Specific Skills

Rationale:

Technologies associated with the work place are often specific to a particular field. Faculty, staff, and students should have knowledge and skills with technologies that are used in their field.

Performance Goal #7:

All faculty, instructional staff, and students will be proficient at using technologies specific to their chosen field. Necessary skills include:

7.2 familiarity with advanced technology used in professional practice in a particular field.

8. Continuing Education

Rationale:

Software and hardware advances are continuously occurring. These advances can dramatically improve teaching, research and service. Faculty, staff, and students need to stay abreast of advances in technology.

Performance Goal #8:

Faculty, staff, and students will update their knowledge about, and skills related to, software and hardware in order to take advantage of the most current technology. These efforts will include:

8.2 participation in applicable computer training opportunities provided by the College, its schools, departments, or programs, or by professional associations.

9. Societal Impact

Rationale:

Computers have brought new opportunities and benefits to society. By their nature, computers have increased concern over such enduring issues as privacy and freedom of information. They have also spawned new ethical and legal problems (intellectual property issues, copyright protection, high-tech criminal activities such as electronic embezzlement, vandalism associated with computer viruses, etc.).

Performance Goal #9:

Faculty, staff, and students will be acquainted with the societal issues related to the development of information technology. Items included under this goal are:

9.2 knowledge of and compliance with accepted conventions associated with electronic communication.

9.3 recognition of illegal uses of computers and willingness to report such activities to the appropriate authorities.

9.4 knowledge of technological resources which facilitate equity, access to information, and educational opportunity for persons with disabilities and for those who are disadvantaged as a result of some other circumstance.