Assessment of spreadsheet and database skills in the undergraduate student

What makes a student computer literate? Since spreadsheets and databases are used in many applications, across many platforms, minimal skills in these areas are often seen as components of computer literacy. This paper describes the process of the evaluation of un-dergraduate students in the area of spreadsheet and database topics. The students were tested at the onset of an Information Systems Applications course, a requirement in the Uni-versity’s core curriculum. The students were expected to have attained a certain skill set prior to this course. The results of the assessment are discussed and changes to the curriculum are presented based upon the exam results