All students in the Tech Ed department at Spokane Community College are required to take an entry level computer class.

The students are expected to have basic proficiency in computer literacy, file management, online communications, and the Microsoft Office suit of programs.

The class is expected to meet four days a week, two hours per day, for five and a half weeks.

Upon completion of the course the students are expected to be able to complete the computer aspects of their other classes successfully.

The Problem-Solving, Problem-Finding Model was chosen for this project because although the classes to meet the computer skills needs already exist, and are a mandatory part of the curriculum, they fail to provide adequate training for authentic proficiency:

They do not take into account the range of learning styles and

life needs of adult students

They do not have high enough expectations

They do not have a system to deal with a broad range of

student backgrounds

They do not introduce real world problems that match the

student’s area of study

As a result:

Students are passing though the existing classes without gaining the skills

necessary to independently use the programs in a real world setting.

The Problem (continued)

The current classes do not adequately address the multiple learning styles or life needs of adult students:

Most intro to computer classes have highly prescriptive, step-

by-step text/workbooks that work poorly for auditory and

kinesthetic learners.

Most text/workbooks fail to give adult students the creative

choices they need as adult learners.

When students miss class due to family or work obligations,

there is no mechanism to adequately catch them up and they

fall behind.

Most computer skills workbooks do not reflect

best practices for adult learners.

The Problem (continued)

The current classes do not have high enough expectations of students:

Most curricula used in introduction to computer

classes have very low expectations of student’s ability

to apply software to complex, multi-dimensional real

world problems.

Most computer text/workbooks use a step-by-step

method that gives the student too much information

and discourages real authentic mastery of the

software.

High expectations encourages student growth!

The Problem (continued)

The current curriculum does not have a system to deal with a broad range of student backgrounds:

Some students come to class with a strong computer background,

while others have almost no experience at all. They all have to be

served in the same environment.

The key is to somehow serve both populations. In current classes,

the solution has been to lower the expectations to meet only the

needs of the least experienced student. Other students are simply

pushed through the system without being challenged.

This is the number one difficulty facing instructors in

computer skills classes.

The Problem (continued)

The current classes do not introduce real world problem solving that matches the student’s area of study:

The curriculum is often based on fields that do not

match the student’s area of study (i.e., teaching

carpenters how to write memos instead of teaching

them to draw up and print plans).

Computer text/workbooks often use hypothetical

problems that have no relevance to the students

intended profession.

The curriculum that is needed to address these problems should include:

A complete array of digital learning tools that are easily accessible to students

An organization that makes the tools easy to find and use on a daily basis

Instructors that can train the students to use the tools effectively

Multimedia learning tools that are asynchronous and user friendly

An Angel module that is preset to facilitate digital file management, communications, and grading

Also needed will be:A computerized and networked classroomAn overhead projection systemAccess to the Angel learning management systemHeadphones for students (they will need to provide their own)

The following are also needed for the successful implementation of this course:

Students must be motivated to actually learn to use the computer

in an independent way in real world applications as opposed to

simply jumping through a series of hoops.

Students who have computer anxiety must be willing to tackle this

problem and have a desire to overcome it.

Funding must be allocated toward the creation of the Angel

module and training instructors to use it.

The students in the Tech Ed department of Spokane Community College are extremely diverse:

Ages 17 to 60+

All racial types

Mostly middle to lower SES

Some fresh out of high school

Others returning to school after being injured or laid off

Some are pursuing a two year technical certification

Others will go on to a four year college

Many younger students have computer experience already

Many older students have little to no computer background

The teachers at SCC are:

Mostly adjunct faculty

Trained in technical fields but rarely possess education degrees

Many hold down more than one job

Most do not have time for extensive curriculum development

Most do not get paid extra for course design

Do not have an existing network amongst themselves for

collaboration or collegiality

Are not often given extra training or resources for the

improvement of their teaching

The Learning Environment (Continued)

All of the programs that require an introduction to computers course have different needs for the training that is specific to their field. It would be the responsibility of each instructor to customize the training to suit each program.

The area that this prototype is designed for is the Electrical Maintenance program for students who will earn a two year certificate or go on to get a four year electrical engineering degree.

It is the expressed wish of the head of the ELMT program that the computer instruction be practical and applicable to the further work that the students will have to do. This includes extensive file management and mathematical calculations (spread sheeting, graphing)

Class sizes are generally about 20 to 25 students and they tend to stay together throughout their course of study as a cohort.

The program itself is a part of an overall school community of about 6,000 students. The Tech Ed department is comprised of approximately 3375 students.

The Learning Environment (Continued)

All of the classrooms where the introduction to computer courses are held are equipped with individual computer stations that are connected to the school network.

Each classroom has an overhead projector attached to the teacher’s computer station.

Each workstation is loaded with all of the necessary software and is connected to the Internet.

Each workstation has audio capabilities, but each student will be required to bring their own headphones.

The teacher’s station has speakers for audio demonstrations.

There are no taboos or philosophical issues in the community at large that would interfere with the implementation of this course.

By the completion of the class the students will be able to:

Identify which program is the best suited to solve a particular

problem

Find and Access any of the many options for online or onboard

help and information

Evaluate a multi-dimensional design challenge and create a

solution using one of the learned programs without being given

step by step instructions.

Successfully transmit communication and files digitally through the

LMS and via email

Archive files on an online storage site

Recall a broad range of terminology related to computer literacy

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