IST 125 has been one of the many required courses for Cabrini College students for a long time up until this year.
IST was a class based on learning skills of Microsoft Word, Powerpoint, Excel and Access. Now incoming freshmen, starting with this year’s current freshmen class, have to take placement tests when they attend orientation. Depending on how well they score on their placement test, they will be placed into certain sections.
If a student was admitted to Cabrini during the time peri- od in which IST was still a required course for graduation, they still need to complete it. “IST 125 is continuing to be offered during fall semester 2015 and spring semester 2016, but after that students will no longer be able to take that course at Cabrini,” Dr. Browne, head of the IST department, said. If students did not fill that requirement, they will need to seek an IST course offered at another institution but first must have that course approved by Browne to make sure it is compatible and worthy of credit. Freshmen who do not pass certain parts of the placement test will be required to complete online modules that are worth half a credit each.
Brittany Smith, a current sophomore at Cabrini, said, “It’s a really good idea to do the placement tests over summer, because now it frees up more time for students to take other courses if they already have the basic skills taught in the IST 125 course.”
Freshman Emma Rodner-Tims talked about how the placement tests were a quick and easy way to test her knowledge on the Microsoft programs.
“After taking them, I realized what I needed to improve upon for the up and coming school year,” Rodner-Tims said. “I liked having the opportunity to test out of the programs; however I did not meet the requirement for the excel placement. I know have the ability to take the course online, at my own pace and on my own time to ensure that I utilize all the features of excel.”
