Computer Literacy - Aspects of Computer Literacy

Aspects of Computer Literacy

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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.

Read more about this topic:  Computer Literacy

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