I.T. Times
Volume 4. No 3 Information Technology News of the University of California, Davis November 1995


How Computer Literate are UC Davis Students?


The last time that question was studied, back in 1983, 46% of the students on campus were using computers and only 8% used personal computers. Now, a new survey reveals that virtually all incoming UC Davis freshmen say they had access to a computer during high school and that most plan to have a computer with them on campus.

Commissioned by Associate Vice Chancellor for Information Technology Carole A. Barone, the survey of incoming students was conducted by Student Affairs Research and Information. "The results of this survey are in keeping with the goals of our faculty who are clearly moving in the direction of assigning more out-of-class activities that involve computing," said Marina Estabrook of the Teaching Resource Center. Estabrook, who coordinated the 1983 survey, just completed a survey on faculty use of media in teaching.

The recent survey of 1,235 freshmen entering UC Davis in Fall 1994 questioned students about their computing experience, skills, and comfort level with computers.

The findings:

"From this survey we may assume that high schools and parents have successfully introduced incoming students to the increasing role computers play in society, and that the University now must build on that introduction," says Kevin Roddy, a lecturer in the Medieval Studies Program and the Academic Coordinator for Information Technology.

"We are in the position of being challenged by our own students to use computers more effectively in our teaching and in our service," Roddy added.

You may order a complete copy of the survey via that World Wide Web at http://sariweb.ucdavis.edu/

For further information call Roberta Grant in Student Affairs Research & Information at 752-3889.


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