Assessing student exposure to and use of computer technologies through an examination of course syllabi

Abstract

A syllabus analysis instrument was developed to assist program evaluators, administrators and faculty in the identification of skills that students use as they complete their college coursework. While this instrument can be tailored for use with a variety of learning domains, we used it to assess students' use of and exposure to computer technology skills. The reliability and validity of the instrument was examined through an analysis of 88 syllabi from courses within the teacher education program and the core curriculum at a private Midwest US university. Results indicate that the instrument has good inter‐rater reliability and ratings by and interviews with faculty and students provide evidence of construct validity. The use and limitations of the instrument in educational program evaluation are discussed.

Notes

* Corresponding author: Department of Counseling and Educational Psychology, 146 Schroeder Complex, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI 53201 USA. Email: [email protected]