The Fluency Vision:

Fluency in IT is an introductory class that implements the recommendations of the National Research Council's study "Being Fluent With Information Technology" [National Academy Press, 1999]. The report describes the knowledge and experience a person should possess to be fluent in information technology, where fluency is a more ambitious goal than computer literacy.

"Literacy vs. Fluency"

Computer literacy has traditionally meant proficiency with a few contemporary computer applications such as email, word processing, and the like. Though such literacy instruction enables students to use computers directly, it does not have the staying power needed to accommodate the rapid changes in Information Technology.

To use computers effectively over time, people must become lifelong learners, continually expanding their knowledge and upgrading their skills. The NRC report adopts the term "fluency" for this more fundamental understanding of IT. The term connotes the ability to synthesize, to express oneself creatively, and to manipulate the medium to achieve one's goals.

This report, created by a committee of computer scientists, a cognitive scientist, and a labor expert, helps to identify the methods of obtaining fluency within information technology. To view this report in its completion, visit the National Research Council.