The Myth About Student Competency-Unit 7

Oblinger, D.G. and Hawkins, B. (2006). The myth about student competency. Educause Review, vol. 41, no.2.

Technology is pervasive in our society. For young people especially, technology as a tool is more basic to life than other forms of information gathering. In a world where technology is becoming even more essential for jobs and basic communication skills, it is a good thing that students feel so comfortable using technology. Indeed, students see technology not as something to fear, as many older people do. Instead, if students do not know immediately how to use a piece of technology, they do not back away from it, they simply play around until they understand how to use it.

While technology has become a part of everyday life, students still need to be taught certian skills to find information. As Hawkins and Oblinger argue, it is often assumed that today’s students just know how to find information and do not see the need to use valid sources for research. Instead, some students simply search the web for information, valid or not.

While there may be some truth to this argument, there is still a lot of teaching about research happening both in secondary schools as well as college. In may lower level college classes, the professor goes through the process of using the library and how to find valid sources. The time honored process of going to the source is not dead, it has just changed shape. Instead of looking through a card catalogue and then walking over to a stack of journals, many sources are now online. This allows students to fine good information easily and from virtually anywhere.

Overall, Hawkins and Oblinger, make some interesting points and stress the need to remember that information literacy is the most important skill we can teach our students, not just how to use technology.