ICT Driving Licence at the University of Helsinki: Meeting the Needs of Diverse Study Fields Authors: Tiina Heino 1 and Päivi Helminen 2 Affiliation: 1 National Library of Health Sciences - Terkko, Helsinki, Finland 2 Viikki Science Library, Helsinki, Finland In the 11 faculties of the University of Helsinki, each year almost new students start their studies. The goal of the ICT Driving Licence is to make sure that each one of these new students has the necessary information and communication technology (ICT) knowledge and skills. This 3 ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) course is compulsory for all new students in all faculties. ICT Driving Licence consists of: Common learning material plus faculty tailored part and examination Learning material: Introduction to the use of computers The computer environment at the University of Helsinki Modifying and presenting data Information seeking ” Learning goals: the new student will be able to use the collection catalogues and other information sources at the libraries acquire search techniques that will make student’s work more efficient analyze the results and utilize the information in accordance with the principles for good academic practice” Data security and privacy protection Information seeking - Contents: Planning the information search Finding material from the HELKA libraries (the libraries at the University of Helsinki) Seeking information about a specific subject Utilising and evaluating search results ICT Driving Licence consists of: Common learning material plus faculty tailored part and examination Learning material: Introduction to the use of computers The computer environment at the University of Helsinki Modifying and presenting data Information seeking ” Learning goals: the new student will be able to use the collection catalogues and other information sources at the libraries acquire search techniques that will make student’s work more efficient analyze the results and utilize the information in accordance with the principles for good academic practice” Data security and privacy protection Information seeking - Contents: Planning the information search Finding material from the HELKA libraries (the libraries at the University of Helsinki) Seeking information about a specific subject Utilising and evaluating search results This kind of co-operation is very giving and very useful, to work together towards a common goal, try to speak the same language, understand and listen what the others have to say. To get a fresh point of view while everyone was checking each others’ specialties. And all the time keep in mind - it’s for the students who should get the benefit, this should be something they really need. Further information: Terkko: Viikki Science Library: –addresses: Components of the ICT Driving Licence incl. entry level tests and examination Challenges for the future How to ensure funding and coordination in the future How to ensure the pedagogical soundness Do self-learning material and tests encourage students for further studying and learning How to keep up with changes in information environment How to get enough resources to update the learning material ICT Driving Licence for the staff ICT Driving Licence for the faculty and staff? The faculty and staff need some means to improve their ICT skills. There are many challenges because the skills and needs of the faculty and staff may be even much more heterogeneous than students’ skills and needs. Pedagogical soundness The pedagogical principles of material and tests need to be continuously assessed and developed in the future. In the exercises and test questions and tasks, measuring skills should be even more implemented. The self-study learning material and exercises give the opportunity for the students to come back to the learning material when needed, and they are already doing that. The ICT Driving Licence provides just a starting point for the learning of ICT skills: ICT literacy skills need to be embedded appropriately in curricula. Despite these concerns, the ICT Driving Licence provides a solid foundation on which to build the ICT skills later. Recommendation for universities for including information literacy competency in the new degree structures (Bologna process). Who are involved in the working group of ICT Driving Licence? ICT driving licence is a shared study program of the University of Helsinki. including the coordinator and staff from all faculties (11): teachers support persons for educational technology faculty and campus libraries IT Department Open University at the University of Helsinki ICT Driving Licence process at the medical faculty LILAC 2009