Nicole A. Buzzetto-Hollywood|Hwei Cheng Wang|Magdi Elobeid|Muna Elobaid
Addressing Information Literacy and the Digital Divide in Higher Education
University of Maryland Eastern Shore|University of Maryland Eastern Shore|University of Maryland Eastern Shore|University of Maryland Eastern Shore
aimpurpose digital divide educational inequalities remain significant societal problem united states elsewhere impacting low income firstgeneration minority learners accordingly institutions higher education challenged meet needs students varying levels technological readiness deficiencies information digital literacy shown hindrance student success paper documents efforts midatlantic minorityserving institution seeks assess address digital information literacy skills underserved students background number years ago historically black university maryland developed institutional commitment digital information literacy students efforts included adoption international certification exam used placement test incoming freshmen creation center student technology certification training course redesign pre post testing computer applications courses student perception survey methodology multimethodological approach applied study relied survey results pre post testing students enrolled introductory intermediate computer applications courses scores five years placement testing student pre post test scores compared order examine degree change post test scores also assessed five years scores test used placement incoming freshmen finally student perception satisfaction survey administered students enrolled courses consideration survey included combination dichotomous likertscaled ranking questions administered electronically data subsequently exported microsoft excel spss descriptive statistical analyses conducted contribution study provides research population firstgeneration minority college students expanding numbers higher education literature reports underprepared academic success unfortunately paucity current studies examining information technological readiness students specifically enrolled minority serving institutions paper timely relevant helps extend discourse digital divide technological readiness impacts higher education students included study representative enrolled historically black colleges universities hbcus united states giving paper broad implications across country internationally countries populations firstgeneration college students underserved populations lack digital readiness also issue therefore giving study global relevance findings digital divide serious concern higher education especially schools seek increasingly reach underserved populations particular results study show students attending minority serving institution come college technology skills needed academic success pre post testing students well responses survey questions proven efficacy computer applications courses building technology skills students courses viewed overwhelmingly positive students respondents reporting necessary part college experience benefits academically professionally use online simulated learning assessment system immediate automated feedback remediation also found particularly effective building computer information literacy skills students total sample size study 2800 individuals data 2690 ic3 tests administered five year period considered well 160 completed surveys pre post testing 103 students recommendations practitioners institutions higher education invest thorough examination information technology literacy skills needs perceptions students coming institution well following course completion recommendation researchers research expanded minority serving institutions across united states well abroad particular research protocol easily replicated duplicated minority majority serving institutions enabling greater comparisons across groups impact society results research help shed light problem desperately needs addressed institutions higher education realities digital divide preparedness entering college students particular low income first generation minority groups future research detailed quantitative survey study conducted seeks examine technology uses backgrounds needs interests career goals professional expectations respect range currently relevant technologies