Re:Are HBCU Students Digitally Disinterested?
by PakG1 on Monday March 21, 2011 @04:29AM
(#2348900)
Agreed that what's important is teaching people how to navigate interfaces and think on their feet. I face the same difficulty trying to teach my parents how to use computers. It was a most horrific experience teaching my dad how to send attachments to someone via gmail.
My other friend was trying to implement a cms for his church's website. He was pulling his hair out trying to figure out how to get the elder folk to understand that the cms would most likely be easier and simpler than their preferred method for typing something up in MS Word and posting that to the website.
Now where I disagree with you. These kids seem quite adept at using various user interfaces. Where they're lacking is being able to use computers for increasing productivity in the workplace.
In assessing technology usage, the book also addresses computer skills and reports while students come to campus knowing how to use a computer, they may not necessarily be prepared to use it for the complex technology-based work that employers demand. “Although students can send e-mails, download music files and instant message, employers are looking for graduates who can use a computer to enhance productivity and solve recurring problems,” explains Guy.
In line with that, there are many valid cases where further training on MS Office is a good thing. I realize that this may not be in your cited use case, but there are valid reasons why Excel and Access exist, and those things do require extensive training (whether self-learning or 3rd-party teaching). Statistical analysis, forecasting, and data automation are amazing things that can be done by Excel that can't be learned just by looking at the program. Another great example is Photoshop. Just because someone knows how to use buttons, it does not mean they would be able to do amazing things with Photoshop that make a design shop work better.
There are computer programs in the workplace that add real value and are easy to pick up; there are also programs that are not so easy to pick up by just knowing how buttons work, often enough because 1) they're complicated, and 2) because they require a lot of background knowledge that isn't intrinsic to the programs themselves.
I cannot tell you how many managers and clerks alike I have met who try to do data tracking and analysis in Excel manually. An analysis task that could take me 30 minutes takes them an entire day, just because they do not know how to use Excel; they're simply pressing buttons, not using the program to its full capability.
My other friend was trying to implement a cms for his church's website. He was pulling his hair out trying to figure out how to get the elder folk to understand that the cms would most likely be easier and simpler than their preferred method for typing something up in MS Word and posting that to the website.
Now where I disagree with you. These kids seem quite adept at using various user interfaces. Where they're lacking is being able to use computers for increasing productivity in the workplace.
In assessing technology usage, the book also addresses computer skills and reports while students come to campus knowing how to use a computer, they may not necessarily be prepared to use it for the complex technology-based work that employers demand. “Although students can send e-mails, download music files and instant message, employers are looking for graduates who can use a computer to enhance productivity and solve recurring problems,” explains Guy.
In line with that, there are many valid cases where further training on MS Office is a good thing. I realize that this may not be in your cited use case, but there are valid reasons why Excel and Access exist, and those things do require extensive training (whether self-learning or 3rd-party teaching). Statistical analysis, forecasting, and data automation are amazing things that can be done by Excel that can't be learned just by looking at the program. Another great example is Photoshop. Just because someone knows how to use buttons, it does not mean they would be able to do amazing things with Photoshop that make a design shop work better.
There are computer programs in the workplace that add real value and are easy to pick up; there are also programs that are not so easy to pick up by just knowing how buttons work, often enough because 1) they're complicated, and 2) because they require a lot of background knowledge that isn't intrinsic to the programs themselves.
I cannot tell you how many managers and clerks alike I have met who try to do data tracking and analysis in Excel manually. An analysis task that could take me 30 minutes takes them an entire day, just because they do not know how to use Excel; they're simply pressing buttons, not using the program to its full capability.