Riding the Technology Wave, Cont'd from page 1

Finally, the report also highlights some common barriers to computer use. Schools reported that computer equipment wasn’t always up-to-date enough to make use of new software. Students described how they weren’t able to access computers after school in order to practice what they had learned. Both literacy students and teachers indicated they would like the opportunity to improve their computer skills. And, of course, lack of funds for computer equipment and training was also listed as a major barrier by both literacy students and teachers.

To learn more about this research you can download Riding the Technology Wave: Experiences of adult literacy students and teachers in Ontario on the Canadian Council on Social Development’s website at: www.ccsd.ca/recent.html

Essential Computer Skills

Computers are used in literacy programs for a variety of purposes. In many literacy programs, a computer is an educational tool used to help students improve their literacy skills. Computers may also be used to provide students with computer training. In both cases, students need to master some basic word processing skills such as the ones listed below. These skills allow students to attempt a wide variety of literacy tasks such as typing a grocery list, a letter of complaint, a resume, or an autobiography.

If you are interested in teaching word processing skills such as these and/or more advanced computer skills, here are some resources you may want to consult.