Computer Literacy - Aspects of Computer Literacy

Aspects of Computer Literacy

Aspects of computer literacy include:

• what is a computer

• what are its limitations
• what is a program (not necessarily how to program)
• what is an algorithm
• what is computable
• what a computer cannot do
• why computers cannot produce random numbers
• some seemingly simple problems are not
• concurrency and issues with shared data
• all computers have the same computing ability with differences in memory capacity and speed
• performance depends on more than CPU clock speed

• understanding the concept of stored data
• what are the real causes of "computer errors"
• the implications of incorrect (buggy) programs
• the implications of using a program incorrectly (garbage in, garbage out)
• issues rising from distributed computing
• computer security

• trojan horse (computing), computer virus, email spoofing, URL spoofing, phishing, etc ...
• what to do when a security certificate is questioned
• password creation (how to avoid bad ones)

• social implications/aspects of computing

• Netiquette (or at least E-mail Etiquette)
• identifying urban legends (and not forwarding them)
• critical assessment of internet sources
• criminal access to financial databases

• keyboarding, mousing (using input devices)
• plugging in and turning the computer on
• using/understanding user-interface elements (e.g., windows, menus, icons, buttons, etc.)
• Composing, editing and printing documents
• the ability to communicate with others using computers through electronic mail (email) or instant messaging services
• managing and editing pictures (from cell phones, digital cameras or even scans)
• Opening files and recognizing different file types
• Multimedia literacy, including, but not limited to:

• making movies
• making sound files
• interactivity
• creating web pages

A higher order of computer literacy involves a user being able to adapt and learn new procedures through various means while using a computer.