Technology Literacy

Students at Centre College are frequently exposed to and engaged with technology, gaining proficiency in and out of the classroom. Centre students gain computer literacy skills throughout their four years. First-year students are immersed in the Finding Your Centre (FYC) program in their first semester at Centre College, during which they are provided with instruction and support on using Moodle, the web portal (CentreNet), document/cloud storage, and printing services. During FYC, first-year students are introduced to library staff, services and resources. Students receive instruction on the research process, using the library catalog, searching electronic databases, source evaluation, and citing sources. Students will utilize these skills throughout their four years in most of their classes. Students have access to desktop computers in the library. Laptops, external hard drives, chargers, and equipment for technology-based projects are available for checkout. Students also complete a variety of technology-based assignments in their required first-year seminars, in all general education courses, and in courses throughout the curriculum. They learn to use spreadsheets, computer simulations, statistical programs, and graphical software. In their upper-level courses, they also learn to use discipline-specific software and technologies. Many courses across the curriculum and at all levels of study require the use of presentation software to complement the delivery of oral presentations. Oral and written communication are explicit student learning goals for the first-year studies courses and for our general education curriculum.

Assistance for technology-based projects and assignments is available through the Center for Teaching and Learning, as well as via the Digital Scholarship and Instructional Services of the library. In recent classes, students have created videos and podcasts, made digital presentations, composed and illustrated digital stories, published blogs, developed apps, and created websites. In addition, students have access to the Media Lab, where they can learn how to use more advanced software programs such as Adobe Creative Cloud, iLife, Comic Life, and Anime Studio, as well as an Audio Visual Suite that provides a sound proofing barrier to record podcasts and audio for video-related projects. In addition, this space includes a green screen wall that is used when recording video.

Outside of the classroom, the ITS Technology Support Center provides a central location for computer, mobile device and software support and configuration assistance. Throughout campus, students have access to public computers with a host of general and specialized software. Students with their own computers and/or mobile devices can access campus systems as well as the Internet most everywhere on campus using Centre’s pervasive wireless and wired campus network. From the campus portal system, CentreNet, students can access their email accounts, Microsoft Office 365 (web-based version), Moodle, Zoom and select cloud-based document repositories as well as online student registration, class schedules, and degree program planning tools. Students can also install the full Microsoft Office suite on their personal systems under the College’s licensing agreement. In addition to general office automation products, students will have access to course specific software on an as needed basis. This includes applications like RStudio, IBM's Stata and SPSS statistical software, Perkins Elmer's ChemDraw, and ESRI's ARC GIS suite. Our students are also provided with access to many online departmental services from career and graduate school planning resources to discipline-based research services. Centre students have access to and use a variety of sophisticated electronic tools in their pursuit of academic success and excellence.