Become computer literate

Some ideas taken from the UK Teach the Teachers in IT programme. If you are quietly confident about these you are in good shape.

• Use the right program
  Know which program is appropriate for the tasks you have to do.

• Word Processing
  Use your PC or your Mac to write simple letters and memos following your in-house layout standards

• Spreadsheets
  Automating your calculations and producing tables and graphs to backup your recommendations.

• E/Mail
  Read, reply, and send Email messages.

• Internet
  Use search engines to find useful information on the Internet

• Graphics
  Using low-cost packages to produce high-impact graphs and visuals for presentations; add diagrams and graphs to reports.

• Database
  Using your database program to record facts and figures, and to retrieve them every-which-way.

• Accounting
  Use an accounting package for invoices, statements, purchase orders, stock control, expense reporting, budgets, and accounts.

• Manage your files
  Name your files appropriately on the computer, save them in proper folders, and be able to find them again. Carry out housekeeping to purge redundant files.

• Select and Swap
  Copy and Paste files and images from one package to another

• Install and run new software
  Downloading from the Internet, or installing from disk or CD-Rom, software useful to you. Checking for Virus. Uninstalling redundant software.

• Helping other users
  Explaining your favourite tools to others so they can use them too.

   
  

The Internet Proficiency Certificate is being promoted by Internet Magazine and was published as a draft in the June edition. It is addressed chiefly for schools, but is repeated here as a useful checklist for all who want to start using the Internet.
More on the Internet Magazine campaigns is on
http://www.internet-magazine.com/campaigns/

• Making the connection
  • How to start and shut down
  • How to connect to the Internet
  • How to disconnect from the Net
• Email
  • How to start your mail client
  • Receiving, reading and replying to emails
  • Receiving, saving, scanning and opening attachments
  • Dealing with spam and unwanted mail
  • Using address books and using folders to organise mail
• Web
  • How to start yourWeb browser
  • Using hyperlinks to navigate
  • Downloading files
  • Entering URLs
  • Using a search engine
  • Sending a link/page to a friend
  • Dealing with stuff you don't want to find/see on the Web
  • Using bookmarks
• Chat
  • Finding a chatroom
  • Messaging clients and Web-based chat
  • Staying safe in chatrooms
  • Dealing with people you meet in chatrooms