U N I V E R S I T Y  O F  P I T T S B U R G H

October, 2001 

ESL Integrated Computer Skills Course

Susanne McLaughlin and Stephanie Maietta-Pircio have found wide gaps between the academic skills that instructors expect of international students and the work these students are actually prepared to do. The two hope their project, ESL Integrated Computer Skills Course (LING 0007), will bridge that gap by integrating computer skills with English language skills into one course for international students.

McLaughlin, the Computer Assisted Language Learning coordinator at English Language Institute (ELI), pointed out, “Since we’re an English for Academic Purposes program, we’re very interested in academic computing, that is, computing skills needed to be successful academically.” Both co-directors have taught many international students in computer labs. They have noticed that international students come in with a wide range of skills. “Where we see a real need for computer literacy is in people who come in from countries that lack technology. Some are really at a disadvantage when it comes to the expectations of university professors for using computers,” McLaughlin said. The course will teach students word processing, email, research, working in an online course, PowerPoint, and using a spreadsheet.

McLaughlin said the idea for the project came about because of a lack of the kinds of learning materials that would most help international students acquire the skills they need. Materials are available that focus on teaching English and computer skills to international students; however, existing resources do not introduce these students to both the terminology and the expectations found in their courses.

McLaughlin and Maietta-Pircio, a teaching fellow in the Department of Linguistics, are creating materials and designing a curriculum that will overcome “a lot of cultural assumptions and terminology” that often confuse international students. The directors hope international students will perceive the course as being especially valuable because it will integrate academic language and computing skills, and students will acquire new skills by doing individualized work in their particular fields of study.

 

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