Note to Teachers || WITS || GMU Composition

The development of WITS has been supported by a grant from the Technology Across the Curriculum Program, College of Arts and Sciences.

Purpose of the Site
To provide online modular instruction in the IT skills required in ENGL 100/101 for use at George Mason University

To provide instructional support for teachers of ENGL 100/101 on which to base more contextualized instruction in their own related assignments

Organizing Principle
The information on WITS is presented in three main modules based on the IT skills to be addressed in all sections of ENGL 100 and ENGL 101. The central modules are

Email (set up email account on gmu.edu; forward email from gmu.edu account to another email account, if applicable)
Word Processing (create, save, and retrieve a document; format document, to include page numbers and reference pages; revise document, to include add/delete/reorder text; print document)
Research Skills
This module is more correctly directed at skills in Information Literacy rather than the IT skills in the two other modules. Because of its complexity, the Research Skills module was separated into the following sub-modules:
- Articulate an information need
- Set up researchable questions
- Determine keywords based on these questions
- Understand the basic structure of databases (records and fields)
- Search online databases Expanded Academic ASAP, Periodical Abstracts, and the Library Catalogue in the GMU Library system by using the Boolean operator AND, truncation, and phrase
- Retrieve resources from these databases, either by electronic means or in person
- Evaluate sources, to include sources found in print and online sources found in a database or on a website, for credibility, reliability, objectivity, and currency.

Audience
The primary audience is the student population in ENGL 100/101 in any given semester. Other audiences may include transfer students who need to become familiar with these IT skills at Mason before moving on the advanced skills expected in ENGL 302

Constraints
Because the site has been developed to support instruction in Information Technology and Information Literacy skills required in ENGL 100/101 using the resources specific to Mason, Mason's resources have been emphasized.

"Missing" skills
Teachers may note that certain research skills have not been addressed, such as the Boolean operator OR Since this concept is more complex than the simple use of the Boolean operator AND, requiring an understanding of adjacency, nesting, and the algebraic order of operations, it has not been included in the set of skills for ENGL 100/101. Such advanced research strategies are better placed in ENGL 302. The ability to apply the Boolean operator AND, truncation, and phrasing will, in almost all cases at the ENGL 100/101 level provide the students with the skills needed to do the research required at this level.

Choice of Online Databases
The Library Catalog and Expanded Academic ASAP were highlighted as the online databases for instruction in WITS. They are representative of the kinds of information and search strategies students will need in any of the research at Mason.

In addition, students need to be able to navigate the Library Catalogue because the catalog has information about the holdings of the Mason libraries.

Instruction on the use of websites, which has information not primarily in print form, has not been included discussed at this time because of the focus on online databases. A discussion of websites has been included in the module on evaluation of sources.

Description of a Research Process
Because the site is meant to support a more contextualized research project in a particular course, the research process has been presented in a linear manner that, while not representative of the actual research process, does present basic research tools that students will need in their own work. Individual teachers will need to remind students of the recursive nature of the research process within their own research assignments.

The strategy of searching for full text records in the databases in addition to those with title and abstract was not meant to imply that individual teachers are supposed to require students to use full text records. This strategy was included because it is one of the ways in which resources can be obtained, as was the process of using Interlibrary Loan.

Site development and the faculty workshop have been funded by a grant from the Technology Across the Curriculum Program.

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	Note to Instructors
	The development of WITS has been supported by a grant from the Technology Across the Curriculum Program, College of Arts and Sciences. Purpose of the Site To provide online modular instruction in the IT skills required in ENGL 100/101 for use at George Mason University To provide instructional support for teachers of ENGL 100/101 on which to base more contextualized instruction in their own related assignments Organizing Principle The information on WITS is presented in three main modules based on the IT skills to be addressed in all sections of ENGL 100 and ENGL 101. The central modules are Email (set up email account on gmu.edu; forward email from gmu.edu account to another email account, if applicable) Word Processing (create, save, and retrieve a document; format document, to include page numbers and reference pages; revise document, to include add/delete/reorder text; print document) Research Skills This module is more correctly directed at skills in Information Literacy rather than the IT skills in the two other modules. Because of its complexity, the Research Skills module was separated into the following sub-modules: Articulate an information need Set up researchable questions Determine keywords based on these questions Understand the basic structure of databases (records and fields) Search online databases Expanded Academic ASAP, Periodical Abstracts, and the Library Catalogue in the GMU Library system by using the Boolean operator AND, truncation, and phrase Retrieve resources from these databases, either by electronic means or in person Evaluate sources, to include sources found in print and online sources found in a database or on a website, for credibility, reliability, objectivity, and currency. Audience The primary audience is the student population in ENGL 100/101 in any given semester. Other audiences may include transfer students who need to become familiar with these IT skills at Mason before moving on the advanced skills expected in ENGL 302 Constraints Because the site has been developed to support instruction in Information Technology and Information Literacy skills required in ENGL 100/101 using the resources specific to Mason, Mason's resources have been emphasized. "Missing" skills Teachers may note that certain research skills have not been addressed, such as the Boolean operator OR Since this concept is more complex than the simple use of the Boolean operator AND, requiring an understanding of adjacency, nesting, and the algebraic order of operations, it has not been included in the set of skills for ENGL 100/101. Such advanced research strategies are better placed in ENGL 302. The ability to apply the Boolean operator AND, truncation, and phrasing will, in almost all cases at the ENGL 100/101 level provide the students with the skills needed to do the research required at this level. Choice of Online Databases The Library Catalog and Expanded Academic ASAP were highlighted as the online databases for instruction in WITS. They are representative of the kinds of information and search strategies students will need in any of the research at Mason. In addition, students need to be able to navigate the Library Catalogue because the catalog has information about the holdings of the Mason libraries. Instruction on the use of websites, which has information not primarily in print form, has not been included discussed at this time because of the focus on online databases. A discussion of websites has been included in the module on evaluation of sources. Description of a Research Process Because the site is meant to support a more contextualized research project in a particular course, the research process has been presented in a linear manner that, while not representative of the actual research process, does present basic research tools that students will need in their own work. Individual teachers will need to remind students of the recursive nature of the research process within their own research assignments. The strategy of searching for full text records in the databases in addition to those with title and abstract was not meant to imply that individual teachers are supposed to require students to use full text records. This strategy was included because it is one of the ways in which resources can be obtained, as was the process of using Interlibrary Loan. Site development and the faculty workshop have been funded by a grant from the Technology Across the Curriculum Program. back to top

Composition Program at George Mason University