The Computer-Email-Web (CEW) Fluency Scale--Development and Validation

Information fluency is generally defined as an ability to express oneself creatively, reformulate knowledge, and synthesize information regarding new information technology. The term has recently gained popularity over experience, expertise, competence, knowledge, and literacy. As with other related concepts, there is a great need to accurately assess "information fluency" for research and pragmatic purposes. This study seeks to remedy this need by developing a self report instrument to tap this theoretical concept. The paper explores existing computer competence scales (very few of which even include email or Internet components), review the emerging literature on information fluency, and report about the development of a new Computer-Email-Web Fluency instrument. Evidence of the reliability and validity of the instrument is presented, based on data from students enrolled in Basic Public Speaking courses. (Contains 85 references and 6 tables of data. The survey instrument is attached.) (Author/RS)