Importance Of Computer Literacy

Computers have shown to be one of the most used inventions of all time. They do basically anything a person tells them to, and they have been included in the every-day life of people all around the world. As we embark the twenty-first century, computers have taken over the economic, political, and social aspects of the world, making access to this modern technology a necessity. Although technology is used as a part of many Americans’ every-day life, many people fail to acknowledge the fact that over 2 billion people do not have any access to modern technology, causing a division in our society.

Computers in general give people the ability to complete tasks that would have taken days or weeks to complete with the clicks of a few buttons. As technologies continue to grow the amount of adjustments that will be needed to make will be astronomical. However, society is aiming to help people gain the skills needed to push mankind further. In Davidson’s essay, she discusses how computers and technology can be put to many applicable situations. While working with her students, the “Duke students came up with dozens of stunning new ways to learn [and] almost instantly students figured out that they could record lectures on their iPods and listen to them for leisure” (Davidson 52). This advancement took a few weeks at one college campus in the United States when the technology was still being developed. Now, students have adapted to begin working across the globe to further society with new ideas for applying these technologies. These students now work diligently to make technology as effortless as possible so that their programs will be what will be used in the future. Gilbert discusses how when people are judged by a panel of others they tend to feel worse about themselves but, when dealing with computers people are only judged by one computer which tells them

The second article uses survey data to test whether there is a link between levels of internet literacy and concern about government surveillance. The survey responses produced two groups of respondents, those who were high in internet literacy and those who were high in social awareness. The definition of internet literacy used in this article is, “internet literacy is the self-assessed ability to use the Internet and various Internet-related applications to accomplish practical tasks by using a computer connected to a network” (Dinev). It also refers to one’s ability to protect oneself against online attacks, such as viruses, and they would be aware of the ability of the government to acquire data and track an individual’s behavior online (Dinev). The second group, the ones who were found to be high in social awareness were typically more socially active and tended to follow politics more closely (Dinev). The first two hypotheses pertaining to the internet literate group were: 1. Internet literacy negatively affects the perceived need for government surveillance. 2. Internet literacy positively affects the government intrusion concerns (Dinev). Conversely, the two hypotheses pertaining to the group that was found to be high in social awareness were: 1. Social awareness positively affects the perceived need for government surveillance. 2. Social awareness positively affects the government intrusion concerns (Dinev). In order to determine a correlation, the author used data

“Computers have had an unbelievably positive impact on society. Due to the advancement of computers, space exploration took place, vehicles were designed differently, the entertainment world became more entertaining, and medical science made more cures for diseases. The computers impacted society in many ways. Life became instantaneously easier. Some people say that computers are taking away manpower, and that may be true, but computers did make the impossible possible. Business uses computers for keeping track of accounts, money, and inventory. Another area the computer impacted is the entertainment world. Computers made it possible to enhance graphics and special effects. Education has transformed due to current day usage of the computer in the classroom. Computers help students in any way they need, including researching, typing, and searching. Teachers use computers as well. They use computers to keep track of grades, type out instruction for their students, engage students in the classroom, and stay in contact with parents and co-workers. The advancement of the computer has affected the medical profession as well. According to educator and author, Edwin Dolan,” calculations necessary to medical research are being done by computers at astonishing rates of speed, a procedure that is increasing the likelihood of finding cures for serious illness.” Computers are used to help perform surgeries, come up with new medications, keep track of patients, and

Americans have at present become too dependent on computers. With the invention of computers years ago, they have become an essential part of human life. Americans have increasingly become dependent on computers, and it is quite unbelievable that almost fifty years ago, many of them had never seen a computer before. Presently, computers are in use in almost every aspect of human life, at almost all corners of the globe. People can now work from the comfort of their own homes, interact instantly with their family or friends living abroad, and even socialize with strangers from all over the world. This paper explores how Americans are becoming too dependent on computers for communication, education, and entertainment.

Nowadays, computers are emerging rapidly than never before in human history. Everywhere you go, either stores, malls or even your homes is filled with all kinds of electronics. We have come to a stage whereby everything we do or placed our hands on must be computers. We don’t even need to ask our parents questions anymore, all our answers or solutions including problems are all in the internet. According to Theodore Roszak in “Shakespeare Never Lost a Manuscript to a Computer Crash,” argues that “the computer contributes nothing essential to the life of the mind.” I strongly agree! We are created to use our minds to solve problems and think critically. Although computer usage might be a benefit to the majority of the new generation, the fact is that computers can do harm to the society such as lack of memory and isolation.

Computer literacy has played an extremely significant role in defining who I am today, in a more unique and personal way than any traditional spoken language, and is set to define my future as well. My ability to understand and communicate with computers is something I pride myself in greatly, and is a topic in which

Today’s generation could never ever imagine in their wildest dreams about the world, ages before, when there were no computers or any other technologies. So much we have advanced that now every information is just a click away and is in your hands 24/7. All this advancement was possible only with the introduction of a small device called the “Computer”. The computer is considered the most revolutionary invention of the twentieth century and it appears to be as well. The impact of computer usage can be found in

Developing a more self-aware relationship with computers can directly affect our uses of technology. Imagine solving a puzzle. Each piece has an absolute position and directly affects the pieces around it, and if you remove one single piece your puzzle is ruined. That understanding of an absolution position is the same for the components of a computer; without one component, the others fail. This theory reveals moderation of use. Using a computer is simple, hopeful, and optimistic compared to traditional relationships and understanding its components reveals its complexity, mirroring the true complexity of societies. Our unrealities of substitution have cost society its focus, “We shape our buildings”, Winston Churchill argued, “…then they shape us. The same is true of our digital technologies. Technology has become the architect of our intimacies.” Its promise of vast resources and abilities are tempting, overwhelming, and can consume our lives because of our “lonely” feelings (Turkle). Dr. Stewart also supports this argument as “people go along with technology as it comes”. If you do not use it in measure than you are certain “to be overwhelmed by it” (Stewart); the technological revolution has such a great cultural change. What traditionally drove us as individuals prior to the 2000, is completely “modernized” (Stewart). One’s drive almost solely relies on technology and our

Last summer I taught basic computer skills to students of grades four and five and some staff, at Arthala, a rural area’s public school, every weekend. The experience was a revelation to me, for I took computer literacy for granted; there I was dealing with people hardly cognizant of computer applications. I also helped them establish a fully functional computer lab, basic computer related utilities; made seventy people computer ready for jobs and education.

As a means to analyze computer literacy by age, a population of children, teenagers, young adults, middle-aged adults, and senior citizens were selected to participate in a simple computer literacy evaluation. Using only a standard laptop computer with the latest Windows operating system, participants were evaluated on their ability to perform various file management, networking, and printing tasks. Children, ages 9-12, scored 53%; teenagers, ages 13-17, scored 64%; young adults, ages 18-25, scored 92%; middle-aged adults, ages 30-50, scored 64%; and senior citizens, 60 years or older in age, scored 25% respectively. Overall, the evaluated population received a computer literacy rate of 59%. Refer to Figure 7 for a simplified model of the results.

As I sit here and recall my last nineteen long years on this planet and my various interactions with different mediums of technology, it has become very obvious to me that I, like most people where I am from, have had really no major interactions with technology compared to others in my age group. I sit in coffee joints at night and watch people become more introverted than a turtle, ducking into their little shells of technological safety. They look at you through their faux, so-call trendy DKNY knock-off glasses, dressed in their Abercrombie clothes, hiding behind nothing but the glow of a laptop or in the corner talking to someone on their cell phones which just happens to match what they are

Being proficient in using technology will be a prerequisite for almost any employment for younger students. It is the school’s job to prepare many of these kids for employment, and that is especially true for the lower socioeconomic areas where students with computers at home are rare. Eisenberg and Johnson describe this basic skills education as the “laundry list” approach to computer education. By ‘list” they mean isolated skills, such as word processing, or searching the Internet. “Students need to be able to use computers and other technology flexibly, creatively and purposefully. All learners should be able to recognize what they need to accomplish, determine whether a computer will help them to do so, and then be able to use the computer as part of the process of accomplishing their task.”1

The attached research paper, requested by Jill Jaber as required by the Written Communication curriculum at Fox Valley Technical College, describes the need for computer literacy and adjustments to technology to help combat computer illiteracy.

Norman Ralph Augustine once said “One of the most feared expressions in modern times is 'The computer is down’.” I personally like this quote because it explains some of my past experiences with computers. I can remember when I got my first computer on Christmas; it was from “Santa”. I was at that age when I had a suspicion that Santa wasn’t real. From that day I wanted to learn everything I could about computers. My parents were very excited for me because of my willingness to learn everything I could about my newest interest. So the very next day I installed all of the software and hardware so that I could finally get on my new computer. One of my favorite things that I did on the computer was play video games. One day I got busted playing games by my parents and I was grounded from the computer for a week. So after that my parents would give me time to use my computer for gaming and time to do homework. Over time I found that there were many different things you can do with computers and you can learn many new concepts. The three main concepts that I think everyone should know about computers are how a computer runs, how to get rid of viruses, and troubleshooting. Most people that have grown up in the technological world know how to do these three main concepts already, but the older generations who are just coming into this technologically advanced world need to learn these three main concepts in order to use a computer efficiently and effectively.