Are HBCU Students Digitally Disinterested?

http://tnstatenewsroom.com/2011/01/are-hbcu-students-digitally-disinterested/

by wfoster4 • 15 years ago

11 5 15 years ago

iamdave• 15 years ago

Drastically reducing that huge wall of text I had earlier:

As an African-American IT guy working for a call-center that supports nearly 1000 users, 70% of who are black, the issue isn't black employees being disenfranchised from computer technology.

The issue is that computer technology courses are completely, and utterly failing to train students on how to use a computer outside of the realm of Microsoft Office. There should not be an Intro to Computers course ANYWHERE that spends more than two days on Microsoft Office, and that course shouldn't spend any more than an hour learning how to type memos in Microsoft Word.

NONE.

When a user submits a trouble ticket saying "I just moved to a new seat and Webmail is still logged in as a previous user" I slap myself. This isn't a task that requires a quick keystroke or an unknown to the average joe command-line trick. The logout button is staring you in the face.

So here's my solution: spend less time on Microsoft Office beyond what is absolutely essential enough so that the student can make an informed decision, and then start teaching students how to navigate interfaces, understand how buttons work, think on their feet.

PakG1• 15 years ago

Agreed that what's important is teaching people how to navigate interfaces and think on their feet. I face the same difficulty trying to teach my parents how to use computers. It was a most horrific experience teaching my dad how to send attachments to someone via gmail.

My other friend was trying to implement a cms for his church's website. He was pulling his hair out trying to figure out how to get the elder folk to understand that the cms would most likely be easier and simpler than their preferred method for typing something up in MS Word and posting that to the website.

Now where I disagree with you. These kids seem quite adept at using various user interfaces. Where they're lacking is being able to use computers for increasing productivity in the workplace.

In assessing technology usage, the book also addresses computer skills and reports while students come to campus knowing how to use a computer, they may not necessarily be prepared to use it for the complex technology-based work that employers demand. “Although students can send e-mails, download music files and instant message, employers are looking for graduates who can use a computer to enhance productivity and solve recurring problems,” explains Guy.

In line with that, there are many valid cases where further training on MS Office is a good thing. I realize that this may not be in your cited use case, but there are valid reasons why Excel and Access exist, and those things do require extensive training (whether self-learning or 3rd-party teaching). Statistical analysis, forecasting, and data automation are amazing things that can be done by Excel that can't be learned just by looking at the program. Another great example is Photoshop. Just because someone knows how to use buttons, it does not mean they would be able to do amazing things with Photoshop that make a design shop work better.

There are computer programs in the workplace that add real value and are easy to pick up; there are also programs that are not so easy to pick up by just knowing how buttons work, often enough because 1) they're complicated, and 2) because they require a lot of background knowledge that isn't intrinsic to the programs themselves.

I cannot tell you how many managers and clerks alike I have met who try to do data tracking and analysis in Excel manually. An analysis task that could take me 30 minutes takes them an entire day, just because they do not know how to use Excel; they're simply pressing buttons, not using the program to its full capability.

noahlt• 15 years ago

For anyone else who didn't know: HBCU = "historically black colleges & universities".

chr15• 15 years ago

Examples: Spelman College, Howard University, Morehouse College

mvkel• 15 years ago

I think this is a problem more on the faculty side than the student side. Students have proven that they’re more than willing to adopt new services if it helps them become more efficient communicators. Facebook and Twitter are examples of that. Ultimately, it’s up to school staff to decide which platforms the institution as a whole should adopt. That’s where things can be lacking across all higher ed universities, not just HBCUs.

There are some HBCUs, like Hampton University, that recognize the potential of technology on a campus. My company, Localist.com, is working with Hampton to help engage their students more on campus by offering a social calendar system. It plugs into all the services students already use (Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare), but provides the much-needed school context.

We’re going to be launching in the next couple weeks!

Anyway, like I said, I think the issue of students not engaging enough is a problem at the staff level. Students have already figured out how to solve the issue.

Are HBCU Students Digitally Disinterested?

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