Two questions about ICT capability

I’m afraid that the great clear-out is still not finished – if anyone knows of a blowtorch that will set light only to paper without igniting the building in which the paper is stored, please let me know. Anyway, As I need to continue with a job I half wish I’d never started, but also am disinclined to keep people waiting forever for another article, I thought I’d compromise by reposting the following article which first appeared on the original version of this website nearly three years ago, on 26th June 2008. If I have learnt anything from this mega-spring clean it’s that the tough questions don’t actually go away, they merely rematerialise in a different context. I think the questions posed in the following article are still relevant. What do you think?

Here are two questions you might like to use in order to get a discussion going with your colleagues.

They are both concerned with assessing ICT capability.

I'd be very interested in your thoughts on these matters.

Q1: If a student uses a wizard to achieve something with a software application, does that mean they are very ICT-literate, or not very ICT-literate?

Q2: How would you know?

Comments

[david]

well might it depend on the person's familiarity with the particular software and and their general skills, eg I might use a wizard with a new piece of more complex software , and not use one with a familiar and/or easier piece of software?
later when and if i am familiar with the more complex software I might not use the wizard or i might choose to and being the most time effective way?

[Terry Freedman, Educational ICT Consultant]

David, I think you're right. I often use things like wizards and templates to enable me to get something produced, and then tweak it later if necessary once I have figured out how to do the fine-tuning. I do think, though, that the use of wizards etc makes it even more difficult to judge a student's level simply by looking at their finished work: you have to talk to them too IMHO.