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What is Information Technology Fluency?

The National Research Council, in its report titled Being Fluent with Information Technology defines IT fluency by describing three types of IT knowledge: Skills, Concepts and Capabilities.
  • Skills refers to proficiency with contemporary computer applications such as email, word processing web searching. Skills give students practical experience upon which to base other learning.
  • Concepts refers to the fundamental knowledge underpinning IT, such as how a computer works, digital representation of information, assessing information authenticity. Concepts provide the principles on which students will build new understanding as IT evolves.
  • Capabilities refers to higher-level thinking processes such as problem-solving, reasoning, complexity management etc. Capabilities embody modes of thinking that are essential to exploiting IT but students apply broadly.
In addition, another important organization that supports the concept of information technology fluency is the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). ISTE is currently administering the National Educational Technology Standards Projects (NETS). The primary goal of the ISTE NETS Project is to create a set of national standards that support a variety of educational uses of technology to promote student learning in K-12 schools. CITI strongly suggests that prospective grantees propose project activities that support the concepts embedded in the NETS project (www.iste.org).

Taken from Fluency with Information Technology, Lawrence Snyder, Pearson Education, 2005.

 

 

 

 

 

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