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Answers to General Questions

Why was the ICT Profile for College Students created?

The mastering of informational, methodological and technological skills by students has become essential: thus it is to respond to a need voiced as much by colleges and universities as by the labour market that IT Respondents (IT REP Network) developed an ICT Profile for College Students. Consult the “Why the ICT Profile” section to find out more on the pertinence and value of the ICT Profile for the college network.

Answers to Questions from Teachers

Developing the ICT skills of my students: where to start?

The ICT respondent in your college is the best person to support you in your approach for integrating ICT Profile skills in a course. If you don’t know who that person is, consult the IT REP Directory. Pedagogical counsellors as well as college librarians and pedagogical technicians (SMTE) are also possible resource persons. Consult “Integrating the ICT Profile in a course” to know more on way to develop ICT Profile skills for your students. We also suggest that you explore the resources described in the “Examples and Experiences” section which can be found in most pages of this site. You will make some very satisfying discoveries.

Why Integrate ICT in Programs of Study?

The development of informational, methodological, cognitive and technological skills is essential for students, workers and current and future citizens. One cannot assume that students will acquire these skills on their own, thus it is necessary to teach them. This is the main reason why the college network has been organizing for many years to offer teachers, students and pedagogical counsellors a framework (the ICT Profile for Students), guidance, resources and tools necessary to support all actors involved in this major process. Consult the “Integrating the ICT Profile in a Program” section for find out more on ways to develop ICT skills for students in a program approach.

Answers to Questions from Students

Why do I need to develop ICT skills?

A recent Quebec study in which more than thirty thousand college students participated (Poellhuber, Karsenti et collab., 2012), revealed that students have an exaggerated perception of their true competency: the majority of students believe that they are competent, even experts when it comes to, for example, the different aspects of informational skills.

However, when they first come to college, many students demonstrate significant gaps, either in defining research subjects, identifying important key words, evaluating the validity and accuracy of sources, or analyzing or synthesizing information. Students also must improve their working methods and exhibit adequate behavior in terms of security, ethics and intellectual property. All of these skills are required, as a student, worker or citizen.

The ICT Profile for College Students gives a description of informational, methodological and cognitive skills that students need to master by the end of their college years, and this site offers resources to support their learning.

Are there any available resources to help me manage technology?

In this site, which is dedicated to the ICT Profile for College Students, you will find numerous resources that will help you develop your ICT skills. The “Resources” section allows you to do a search by skill or by type of resource. The “Developing Skills” section refers you to learning resources, such as tutorials and guides, and the “Exploring Software Applications” section suggests resources that explore available tools allowing you to carry out tasks using technology. As well, when you browse skills from the ICT Profile, pertinent resources associated with the skill are suggested. For more information, consult the “Structure and Content of the ICT Profile Space”. Have fun exploring!