Information technology and information literacy for first year health sciences students in South Africa: matching early and professional needs

Abstract

The need to develop skills in Information Technology and Information Literacy for a career in the Health Sciences is not in dispute. More debated are the most appropriate ways of assessing existing skills, addressing training needs and incorporating IT/IL learning, and at what stage skills development should begin to be most effective. This article reports on three years of experience with a training model in the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, in providing IT/IL skills to a diverse group of students in South Africa. It provides an evaluation of the activities and discusses the possible advantages of the methodology. This training model is based on measuring rather than assuming existing computer skills in incoming students; it is informed by curriculum demands and focuses on early intervention and close integration into mainstream undergraduate courses.

Notes

Notes on contributors

GUDRUN OBERPRIELER, DLitt et Phil (German Studies), MEd (Adult Education), is the Coordinator of the Computer Literacy Project in the Academic Development Programme (ADP), Centre for Higher Education Development (CHED), at the University of Cape Town. She has over the past three years participated in the design and implementation of the IT/IL component of the new curriculum in the Faculty of Health Sciences. Email: [email protected]

KEN MASTERS, MA, FDE (Computer Science), ACHEM, was formerly the Manager of Computer Assisted Learning at the University of Cape Town. Since 2001, he has served as the Director: IT (Education) at the Faculty of Health Sciences, where his overall main task is to direct the integration of IT into the new curriculum. Email: [email protected]

TREVOR GIBBS, FRCGP, M.Med.Sc., is Director of Health Sciences Education at the University of Cape Town. He has overall responsibility for all matters educational within the Faculty, and specific responsibility for the development of curriculum transformation. Email: [email protected].