As online classes are becoming more prevalent, using a computer proficiently has become a necessary skill for college students. As such, a basic computer literacy class should be a General Education class required for a 4-year degree, with the option to test out of the class.

A similar program has already been implemented within the College of Business, said Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies Sheree L. Meyer.

Students aiming for a degree from the College of Business must complete three separate five-week classes covering how to use Microsoft Windows, Internet Explorer, spreadsheets and word processors.

However, business students have the option to take three separate tests corresponding to each computer literacy class to get out of taking those classes. Therefore, students who are already adept at using computers are not wasting their time with classes they do not need.

Meyer said the concepts explicitly taught by those classes are already integrated within the existing GE curriculum due to two policies enacted by the faculty senate in 1997 and updated in 2000. While the specific assignment that taught computer literacy was nixed in 2008, according to the “Information Competence Assignment” page on the library’s website, the concepts the assignment taught have been weaved into both high school and university curriculum.

While Meyer said she is satisfied the computer literacy requirement is sufficiently integrated into the curriculum with no specific class or unit requirements, the chair of the Computer Science department, Professor Cui Zhang, disagrees.

“Graduates should have basic computer skills to be more competitive in the job market and in their future career development,” Zhang said.

Computers have become common in every discipline, so, to teach students how to use them, a computer literacy class should be required.

Because Zhang teaches computer science classes, his students generally already know their way around computers, yet he still advocates having a basic computer literacy class as a required GE class.

Electrical and electronic engineering major Alex Meadows said the GE classes are “already overstuffed.” Adding another class on top of the current classes would simply increase the burden on students.

“From what I’ve experienced, a basic computer class should be a prerequisite for any class that uses computers or is online to save class time. The test could be a very simple online test that could be taken in the testing center while the other tests are being offered so as to add minimal financial strain to the college.” Meadows said.

Junior year English major, Christopher Martin, disagreed with Meadows. Martin said having a basic computer use class, provided there was an option to test out, would be a good idea for a required GE class.

Shantel Sandoval, Junior year English major going after her teaching credentials, found a middle ground between the two opposing ideas. She said finding your way around the Internet, as well as SacCT, is easy enough to figure out.

“Most people know how to use Microsoft Word. Now, formatting in APA or MLA style, on the other hand, that would be different,” Sandoval said.

She agreed with both Meadows and Martin in that the option to test out of the class would be a good idea

While there is no consensus in regards to this issue, students seem to generally agree a basic computer literacy class should be offered for those who need it, though not necessarily required or as a prerequisite.

A basic computer literacy class should be required so as to teach these students necessary skills for college survival. However, for a lot of students, such a class would be completely unnecessary, so there would need to be an option to test out of the course, thereby saving people time and money.