Summary from iLevel Advisory Meeting, May 9, 2003
Marcel O'Gorman
Jun 26 2003
This meeting consisted primarily of a discussion about the iLevel Credentials.
1) Level II Credentials
The Team reviewed a letter, drafted by Prof. O’Gorman, that will be sent to Dept. Chairs. The letter informs them of the Level II Credential and asks for their participation.
Changes were made to the letter regarding the setting of a “time limit” for responses. Elaine Bell has provided a list of Departments and Department Chairs who should receive the letter.
Emmy Yousey noted that it seems wrong to work on Level II Credentials when we haven’t even solidified the Level I requirement. Marcel noted that Level I and Level II are very different things (the latter being discipline-specific), and in order to fulfill grant requirements, they absolutely must be developed simultaneously, as soon as possible.
2) Level I Credentials
The discussion of the Level I Credential or Basic Skills Exam seems to revolve primarily around its legitimization within the greater University apparatus, i.e., the Core Curriculum. One option is to use the test as a way of “testing out” of CIS 100.
Chris Odionu noted that CIS and/or Computer Science should be creating the test. One problem, however, is that this test is not specifically for CIS or Computer Science students, but for those with a lesser degree of computing skills. However, since CIS currently offers CIS 100, it makes sense that they should have a great deal of input in designing the Basic Skills Exam.
Options and questions regarding Level I: a one-credit class? An automated (online) test? A new 3-credit class? What will be the role of the Student Tech Mentors in all of this?
It would be valuable to have data from students who took the exam and then took CIS courses, to see if the exam might play a contributing factor in performance.
The discussion concluded with the formation of a Level I ad hoc committee consisting of Emmy Yousey, Chris Odionu, and Tony Drommi. This committee will revisit the Basic Skills Exam, and will interface with the Core Revision Committee on integrating the exam (or an appropriate alternative) into the Core Curriculum.
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