The Essentials of Computer Literacy and Education

Computer literacy
entails understanding and knowledge of computer usage for processing and communicating information. Information comes in many forms, including text, numbers, pictures, and sound. Computer literate individuals should, therefore, be able to retrieve, organize, analyze, describe, and present various types of information in an appropriate manner. They should understand the relationships between computers and society, including legal and ethical issues related to software use, copyright, plagiarism, and privacy.
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EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY AND METHODS

The educational philosophy of the computer lab should be based on two essential ideas:

The first is that drill and practice in current programs is necessary to solidify skills and give students confidence. The second is that what students need most in the field of computers is an ability to learn how to figure out for themselves the machine or program in front of them, to such a high level that they can actually accomplish something with a machine.

If students learn to do that well, they can use any computer the industry may come up with for the rest of their lives.

Many students are not computer literate.

But how do we fit computer literacy skills into an already overloaded curriculum of adult literacy and numeracy?
The solution is an online distance learning digital literacy skills course that students can work on at home and in the classroom, a course for teaching them everything they need to know to meet the needs of the 21st Century.

Using technology effectively means using skills to make comparisons, evaluate both technology and information, organize ideas, and think through decisions. Technology literacy requires clear, critical thinking, which forms the basis of our Computer Essentials Online. Nine Core Standards for Digital Literacy 1. Understanding and Using - students learn the patterns and rules of navigating technological interfaces, not specific steps to use one program or application. 2. Digital Citizenship - students learn digital literacy skills to interact on the Internet and use social technology in a responsible way.

3. Identifying Needed Information - using technology means interacting with information. 4. Finding Information - technology opens up new ways of finding information. 5. Organizing Information - students learn ways that information is organized in technological systems and learn to apply logical organizational structures to information on computers. 6. Interpreting and Showing Information - technology gives new ways to present information, and the presentation of information gives it context and affects its meaning.

7. Evaluating Information - students apply critical thinking skills to evaluate the relevance, reliability, and quality of information. 8. Creating Digital Content - students learn to use technology to create digital content in multiple formats. 9. Communicating in a Digital Environment - since communication is a core part of new technology, students learn to communicate effectively through the multitude of new technological social environments. (Ex. emails, blogs)

REFERENCES:
(2014) by Truman State University. Computer Literacy. Webmaster Contact. http://academics.truman.edu/essentialSkills.asp Riversong, M. (2005). Educational Philosophy and Methods. http://home.earthlink.net/~rivedu/cprog2.html