The faculty expects students entering the MLIS degree program to be technologically literate, and to build upon this foundation of literacy throughout the program. A technologically literate student will:

• Demonstrate a sound conceptual understanding of the nature of technology systems and view themselves as proficient users of these systems;
• Understand and model positive, ethical use of technology in both social and personal contexts;
• Use a variety of technology tools in effective ways to increase creative productivity;
• Use communication tools to reach out to the world beyond the classroom and communicate ideas in powerful ways;
• Use technology effectively to access, evaluate, process and synthesize information from a variety of sources; and
• Use technology to identify and solve complex problems in real-world contexts.

See Standards for Technological Literacy   published by the International Technology Education Association (ITEA) in 2000.

Students come to the MLIS program with technology literacy competencies. The goal of information technology education within the framework of the MLIS program is for students to become technologically fluent, as defined in the 1999 report, Being Fluent with Information Technology:

Fluency with information technology requires three kinds of knowledge--contemporary skills, foundational concepts, and intellectual capabilities--that prepare a person in different ways for FITness:

• Contemporary skills, the ability to use today's computer applications, enable people to apply information technology immediately. In the present labor market, skills are an essential component of job readiness. Most importantly, skills provide a store of practical experience on which to build new competence.
  
  
• Foundational concepts, the basic principles and ideas of computers, networks, and information, underpin the technology. Concepts explain the how and why of information technology, and they give insight into its opportunities and limitations. Concepts are the raw material for understanding new information technology as it evolves.
  
  
• Intellectual capabilities, the ability to apply information technology in complex and sustained situations, encapsulate higher-level thinking in the context of information technology. Capabilities empower people to manipulate the medium to their advantage and to handle unintended and unexpected problems when they arise. These intellectual capabilities foster abstract thinking about information and its manipulation.

Affirmed by the faculty of the Library and Information Sciences Program
November 3, 2004

The LIS faculty does not require ownership of a computer or laptop, but does encourage it.

Students who wish to purchase computers, accessories, and supplies should  visit http://www.technology.pitt.edu/Documentation/RecommendedConfigurations1.pdf