Improve Your Computer Skills
May 2021
As remote learning, instruction, and working became more common, it is important to possess digital literacy skills in order to participate and work effectively and efficiently. As a volunteer, digital literacy skills are even more important because your work may involve helping others develop and improve these skills as well.
There are many websites where you can develop your digital literacy skills. Our Digital Literacy page has compiled many of those resources for you to review.
As remote learning, instruction, and working became more common, it is important to possess digital literacy skills in order to participate and work effectively and efficiently. As a volunteer, digital literacy skills are even more important because your work may involve helping others develop and improve these skills as well.
There are many websites where you can develop your digital literacy skills. Our Digital Literacy page has compiled many of those resources for you to review.
Key Verbs for Digital Literacy
June 2021
When volunteering online, you may need to teach digital literacy skills and/or help students use their computers. This can be difficult in general, but it is made twice as hard due to the online environment. One area which you need to be aware of is the language you use as you explain actions and terms to students. Some computer technology may be new and this can be a cause of miscommunication. Although there are many resources available to learn the words for computers, very few resources focus on the verbs we use when talking about computers. It is important to remember that the cause of miscommunication may not be the computer term (screen, hard drive, desktop, etc.), but could be related to the action you are describing / instructing (e.g., Type your username). Some verbs to be aware of:
- Turn on / off (the computer, the monitor, etc.)
- Shut down the computer
- Log on / off (sign in / sign off and log in / out) (the computer, website)
- Press (the button, the key, etc.)
- Type (your username, password, etc.)
- Click (the link, the button, etc.) // Double click / right click
- Drag and drop / Click and drag (the file)
- Select / highlight (the text, the words, etc.)
- Scroll down (the website, document)
When volunteering online, you may need to teach digital literacy skills and/or help students use their computers. This can be difficult in general, but it is made twice as hard due to the online environment. One area which you need to be aware of is the language you use as you explain actions and terms to students. Some computer technology may be new and this can be a cause of miscommunication. Although there are many resources available to learn the words for computers, very few resources focus on the verbs we use when talking about computers. It is important to remember that the cause of miscommunication may not be the computer term (screen, hard drive, desktop, etc.), but could be related to the action you are describing / instructing (e.g., Type your username). Some verbs to be aware of:
- Turn on / off (the computer, the monitor, etc.)
- Shut down the computer
- Log on / off (sign in / sign off and log in / out) (the computer, website)
- Press (the button, the key, etc.)
- Type (your username, password, etc.)
- Click (the link, the button, etc.) // Double click / right click
- Drag and drop / Click and drag (the file)
- Select / highlight (the text, the words, etc.)
- Scroll down (the website, document)