TechRepublic recently released a top ten list of items required for computer literacy. I have to confess to laughing while reading the list. Many of the items listed are ones I’ve bemoaned during my interactions with friends, family members, or co-workers.
TechRepublic began its list by pointing to search engines. Some people don’t know how to use them. They type website addresses into the search box. They forget about the advanced search options. They don’t think about keywords, and the results of their searches are inevitable: millions of search results that may or may not be related to what they are trying to find.
Another item was word processing. TechRepublic listed it as an individual item, but I’ll bundle it with the Microsoft Office or Pages suite and other applications. No person needs to know all the ins and outs of every program being used, but a person should have a fundamental understanding of most programs. That person needs to know why he or she is using a particular program and what purpose it has. Without knowing that purpose, who is to say that the person is using the right tool for the job?
TechRepublic also pointed to basic hardware knowledge. It is essential. I know this fact is true after spending some time talking with tech support for my router as well as with tech support from my internet service provider. Knowing some of the cables and terminology can help to expedite troubleshooting.
Some of the other items on the list included scanning one’s computer for viruses as well as taking security precautions and knowing some basic hotkeys. I know that I probably would include those items on my own computer literacy list. Would you? What would you add or subtract? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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