Redefining computer literacy in the age of ubiquitous computing

Most computer literacy courses encountered by college students in a non-technical major encompass a foundation set of computing skills including efficient use of word processing, spreadsheet, database, and presentation software. Yet current college graduates are facing fresh challenges as end-users in a work force transformed by legislation that is revolutionizing digital data communication, by nearly boundary-less computer systems that include mobile and static devices, and by employer expectations for safeguarding critical data resources. For example, data privacy legislation affects all end-users of computer systems in the workplace. As employees, new graduates will have access to critical data to perform their jobs, yet they could be the weakest link in an otherwise effectively secure computer system, primarily because of inadequate education, negligence, and inexperience. Technical and mathematical computer security has progressed substantially in the last few years, but new graduates are typically lacking in the knowledge of computer security as a fundamental component of their workplace roles. This paper proposes a computer literacy course content and structure that incorporates substantial practice in end-user computer security.