1943-1946 was a remarkable period of year, it was the beginning of a new era, It was the birth of computers (the first digital computer – ENIAC), one of humankind’s greatest successes. Having a computer might not feel special in today’s world, but It was a real deal back in its early development. And knowledge about computers and how to use one was gold – as it is now. Because of the increasing level of digitization and the rate of technological advancement, knowing what computer literacy skills to learn first can be hard.
However, with the right information and tutoring, you are good to go. You will not only know what computer literacy skills to learn first, you will also know the importance of those skills, and how to get started learning them.
Let’s get started!
Can You Make a Phone Call?
Will it come as a shock to you if I told you, your smartphone is a computer? Your smartphone has a CPU, memory, storage, and even an operating system, making it no different from the desktop or laptop computers you use every day. For this reason, smartphones have been given the nickname – Handheld Computers.
If you can navigate to the phone dialer on your smartphone and successfully make a phone call, you have operated a computer.
The definition of a computer goes beyond a desktop or laptop computer and smartphones. Your smartwatch, tablets, traffic light, and ATMs are all computers and that makes the scope of computer skills wide (very wide!). But for the sake of this guide, everything will be limited to laptop and desktop computers.
Before diving into the different types of computer literacy skills, let’s answer an important question: “What is computer literacy?”
What is Computer Literacy?
Computer literacy means having the skills and knowledge to use computers well and competently.
Computer literacy skills are divided into two: Hardware skills and Software skills. Hardware skills are skills needed to physically operate a computer such as turning on and off the computer and changing Memory sticks. Software skills are skills that are needed to efficiently and flawlessly use computer programs such as editing a document with Microsoft Word.
Computer Literacy Skills
Working with Computer Hardware:
As crazy as it may sound, many people don’t know how the computer works. The first and basic computer skill to learn is to know how the computer works and how to use computer hardware like the mouse and keyboard.
- Begin by identifying and learning what each component of a computer system (RAM, CPU) can do. This is the foundation of computer literacy.
- Next, learn how to power On and Off the computer and change the batteries (if it is a laptop computer).
- Learn how to connect the mouse and keyboard to the computer and know how to use them competently. For the mouse, start by
- Learning what each button of the mouse stands for and what they can do
- Know how to click and drag objects on the screen and
- Learn how to launch and quit programs.
For the keyboard, start by:
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- Learning what each key on the keyboard stands for especially the special keys like the Shift and Tab keys.
- Know how to type competently (not the hunt and peck style) and finally…
- Know some keyboard shortcuts (this will come in handy when you need them).
Working With an Operating System:
Operating system is the bridge between the computer hardware and us, computer users, so it makes sense to learn it immediately after learning about computer hardware. The three most common operating systems are Windows, Mac Os, and Linux operating systems. There is a high chance that you are using a Windows operating system but regardless of whichever one you use, you must know how to:
- Switch from normal user to Administrator or root (superuser)
- How files, directories, and file permissions work
- Locate and tweak essential system settings
- Find and open a file or directory from the file manager
- Re-image a computer
Using a Word Processor:
Each Operating system comes shipped with a word processor by default and that emphasizes how important the skill of using a word processor is. A word processor is a software that facilitates the creation of digital documents and knowing how to use one is a very important skill. Using a word processor competently isn’t a skill you learn in a day but with constant practice, you get closer to perfection. You must know how to:
- create a new document
- edit and save and print documents
- copy, cut, and paste
- insert tables, chart, shapes, images into a document
- change fonts, underline, and bolden words or phrases.
Getting Online and Searching the Internet:
What makes up the majority of the 21st century is the internet. The internet is full of rubbish and being able to navigate, search, and get the right results is a very vital skill. You need a web browser to access the internet and luckily, all operating systems come by default with one. To evaluate your competency you should know how to:
- Open a web browser
- Use website links by opening in a new tab or windows
- Type in the right keyword for a search
- Use other web applications like email and messaging applications.
All skills mentioned above are general computer literacy skills. Of course, depending on your career path, you might need to learn some basic skills related to your field. For software developers, you must know how to code, for IT guys, you must have an in-depth understanding of operating systems and networking, for the graphics guys, you must learn how to use graphics tools.
Computer literacy helps boost productivity and open one to various opportunities, and is therefore an essential skill that children need to survive this technology-driven world. If you ever want to start learning or advance your skills, there are many online and in-person classes you can consider taking here at TakeLessons.
Adedayo Ajao