Required Software Proficiency in General Education and Business Courses

Abstract

Approximately 1,100 students in a general education computer course at a Midwestern state university with a technology focus were required to demonstrate competency in Microsoft Word®, Excel®, and PowerPoint® during the Fall 2001 and Spring 2002 semesters. The entrance requirement at the university requires a minimum of an ACT score of 20 or in the upper two-thirds of their high school graduating class. Many students are in the 20 to 23 range of ACT scores. A large portion of the students lack high school experience in independent study and individual responsibility. Results of the project indicate that students with little experience in self-responsibility can achieve at the university level when required.