Digital Skills for Work, Education and Everyday Life

Overview

Digital Skills for Work, Education and Everyday Life is an introductory course to the digital competencies essential to modern life. From the foundations of everyday usage, to developing the skills and strategies to approach unfamiliar and complex problems: in this course you will be supported to not only learn to use computers, but how to use them proficiently and skilfully. The main goal is to teach you the techniques that IT professionals use, to give you a curious, adaptable, and systematic approach to the computer, which will stand you in good stead in the digital world. This module is suited for professionals who work with computers in their office, students who would like to improve their digital competence, or anybody who recognises the growing importance of these skills – and wants to make the most of the opportunities found in the digital commons.

Programme

The module is split into 7 units, and the content covers the following topics:

Unit 1: Foundations:

• Setting up a new PC
• Mac or Key components of each OS (Windows or MacOS)
• Creating an Aberystwyth University account or Setting up an authenticator, dealing with common authenticator problems
• Introduction to digital literacy
• Connecting to useful university services
• Terminology
• Building “digital confidence”

Unit 2: Communication

• Setting up email accounts, managing these accounts (Microsoft Office/Outlook and Google Office/Gmail)
• Best practices for email
• Formatting, inbox management, signatures, mailing lists, shared mailboxes
• Advanced email features, such as conditional formatting
• Familiarisation with online conferencing services (Microsoft Teams, Google Workspace, or Zoom)
• Troubleshooting common problems, such as audio/visual or connectivity
• Tips and tricks to enhance online meetings

Unit 3: Navigating [Mis/Dis] Information

• Defining key terminology
• Looking at the growing importance of criticality in media consumption
• Evaluating sources through factors such as author credibility, publication reputation, domain type, etc.
• Source triangulation, cross referencing multiple reliable sources
• Advanced searching techniques, such as logic and filters o Introduction to popular fact-checking websites and other tools, a look at how convincing AI can be in creating fake videos, photos, and voices
• How AI can be (carefully) integrated into searches to improve the speed and depth, with a look at the downsides of this method
• Why does AI hallucinate? A very brief introduction into how these new systems work

Unit 4: Digital Citizenship and Cybersecurity

• Rights and responsibilities when online
• Looking at the modern state of privacy online
• Keeping your data safe o Intellectual property and copyright
• Digital footprints
• Strategies for managing your online reputation

Unit 5: Productivity and Collaboration

• The basics of word processing (Microsoft Word, Google Docs, Apple Pages)
• More advanced features such as tracking changes, commenting, and collaborative editing
• The basics of spreadsheets (Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, Apple Numbers)
• More advanced features, such as pivot tables, real time data, and collaboration
• The basics of slideshows (Microsoft PowerPoint, Google Slides, and Apple Keynote)
• Introducing other digital tools for productivity
• Tips and tricks for productivity, including shortcuts, automations, and customising interfaces

Unit 6: Troubleshooting Problems

• Identifying common problems, techniques to isolate these problems
• Gathering information to help solve these problems Implementing solutions where possible, and verifying these problems are solved
• Learning when to escalate a problem
• Hardware VS Software, their different symptoms
• Connectivity, how to approach Wi-Fi problems
• A brief introduction to more advanced techniques, such as safe mode, system recovery, etc.
• Strategies for staying current with ever[1]evolving systems

Unit 7: Lifelong Learning in the Digital Age

• Overview of how technology has transformed traditional education through online platforms and digital tools
• Exploring MOOCs, and other online courses (through traditional institutions such as Aberystwyth University as well as more modern and experimental platforms) 
• Using AI (carefully) to enhance one’s own learning and assessment

Learning Outcomes 

1. Confidently perform the most common digital tasks on Windows or Mac computers.
2. Develop and deploy strategies to overcome more advanced/unfamiliar operations on the computer.
3. Use common digital tools such as Word, Excel, or PowerPoint to a higher proficiency.
4. Protect themselves online against scams, misinformation, disinformation and other cyber threats.
5. Collaborate with others using digital tools in work, school, or everyday life.
6. Troubleshoot and overcome common issues that arise when using the computer.

Assessments 

1. Weekly Tests - 30%
2. Written Assignment - 70%

Reading Suggestions

Reading suggestions will be offered throughout the course. 

This course is for everyone. No previous experience is needed and there are no formal entry requirements.

What do I Need

As this is an online course, you would need the following: 

• Internet access.
  
• Access to a laptop or computer with a web camera and microphone; the use of headphones might also be of benefit.
• Use of the Chrome web-browser where possible.