20 Basic skills EVERY educator should have for the 21st century (16-20)
During the last 15 years, we in education have moved at light speed in the area of educational technology. Whether you are involved in higher ed, secondary ed, elementary ed, or special ed, all of us find it difficult to catch up, keep up, and put up with fast-moving computer-based technology. Not since the introduction of the blackboard have we seen a piece of equipment make such a difference in how we teach. Today, not only do we use computers, but we also have laptops, wireless laptops, and tablet PCs. In addition, we have the World Wide Web, scanners, CD burners, USB drives, digital cameras and digital video cameras, PDAs, as well as video and DVD players. And most educators use a variety of tools-including video, e-mail, desktop conferencing, online programs such as WebCT and Blackboard, as well as video conferencing-to teach. Thus, it is no longer acceptable for educators to be technology illiterate.
With that in mind, here is a comprehensive listing of the technology skills that every educator should have. Because as computer and associated technologies continue to change and evolve, educators must continue to strive for excellence in their work. Today that includes continued time and effort to maintain and improve their technology skills (as much as some educators do not want to admit).
Here are 20 basic technology skills that all educators should now have:
- Word Processing Skills
- Spreadsheets Skills
- Database Skills
- Electronic Presentation Skills
- Web Navigation Skills
- Web Site Design Skills
- E-Mail Management Skills
- Digital Cameras
- Computer Network Knowledge Applicable to your School System
- File Management & Windows Explorer Skills
- Downloading Software From the Web (Knowledge including eBooks)
- Installing Computer Software onto a Computer System
- WebCT or Blackboard Teaching Skills
- Videoconferencing skills
- Computer-Related Storage Devices (Knowledge: disks, CDs, USB drives, zip disks, DVDs, etc.)
- Scanner Knowledge
- Knowledge of PDAs
- Deep Web Knowledge
- Educational Copyright Knowledge
- Computer Security Knowledge
16. Scanner Knowledge
Educators should know how to use a scanner and what OCR capacity is. See the following Web sites for helpful information and tutorials.
- A Few Scanning Tips
www.scantips.com
Scanning Tips by Wayne Fulton - AARP: How to Use a Scanner
www.aarp.org/computers-howto/Articles/a2002-07-16-scan.html
How to Use a Scanner - How do I Use a Scanner
www.bbc.co.uk/webwise/askbruce/articles/scancam/usescan_1.shtml
How to Use a Scanner by Ask Bruce - Scanners
www.pcworldmalta.com/archive/iss44/scanners.htm
Scanner Information by PC World - Scanning Tips for Beginners (and old pros, too)
http://aroundcny.com/technofile/texts/tec010503.html
Scanning Tips for Beginners - Best Sites for OCR Scanners
www.discount-secrets.com/computer/scanners/ocr-scanner.htm
OCR Scanner Information. - Secrets of…
www.secretsof.com/content/576
Secrets of Taming Computers – Scanners
17. PDAs Knowledge
Educators should now what a PDA is and who to use one. See the following Web sites for helpful information and tutorials.
- Palm Web site
www.palmone.com/us/?siteRef=p1-xfer - The Source for a Palm Powered World
www.palmgear.com
PalmGear’s Web site - Palm News and Information
www.handheldnews.com/category.asp?ObjectID=5421
Palm News for Beginners - Real People Helping People: Palm Computing Devices
www.suite101.com/linkcategory.cfm/4239/5398
General Information on Palm Pilots - Basic PDA Specs Explained
www.geek.com/news/geeknews/2003Jan/bpd20030103017997.htm
Basic PDA Information - For PDA Users
http://scilib.ucsd.edu/bml/pda/intro.htm
Introduction for PDAs from UCSD
18. Deep Web Knowledge
Educators should know what the deep web is and how to use it as a resource tool. See the following Web sites for helpful information and tutorials.
- The Deep Web Directory
www.completeplanet.com
CompletePlanet’s Deep Web search engine and site - Internet Tutorial: The Deep Web
http://library.albany.edu/internet/deepweb.html
Deep Web Information from University Library at Albany NY - Your Source for Deep Web Information
www.deepweb.com
The Deep Web Web site. - Searching the Deep Web
www.deepwebtech.com
Deep Web Technologies Web site. - Invisible Web Gets Deeper
www.searchenginewatch.com/sereport/article.php/2162871
Deep Web information from SearchEngineWatch. - Doing it Deeper: The Deep Web
www.bhsu.edu/education/edfaculty/lturner/The%20Deep%20Web%20article1.doc
Article by L Turner from Black Hills State University
19. Educational Copyright Knowledge
Educators should understand the copyright issues related to education including multimedia and Web-based copyright issues. See the following Web sites for helpful information and tutorials.
- University of Washington Libraries: Copyright Information for Educators
www.lib.washington.edu/help/guides/copyright.html
Copyright Information for Educators. - Internet School Library Media Center
http://falcon.jmu.edu/~ramseyil/copy.htm
Copyright for Educators portal - Adventures of CyberBee
www.cyberbee.com/copyrt.html
Copyright with CyberBee - West Valley College Library: Copyright
www.westvalley.edu/wvc/library/copyright-resources.html
Copyright Information for Educators - University of Maryland University College: Information and Library Services
www.umuc.edu/library/copy.html
Copyright and Fair Use in the Classroom, on the Internet, and the World Wide Web - PBS Teacher’s Source
www.pbs.org/teachersource/copyright/copyright_ed_multi.shtm
Educational Multimedia - Black Hills State University: Copyright Guidelines
www.bhsu.edu/education/edfaculty/lturner/Copyright%20Guidelines.htm
Copyright Guidelines portal
20. Computer Security Knowledge
Educators should know about basic computer security issues related to education. See the following Web sites for helpful information and tutorials.
- Computer World: The Need for Better Security
www.computerworld.com/securitytopics/security/story/0,10801,71714,00.html
Computer security concerns article from ComputerWorld - Security 101: Security
www.secure101.net/security/security.htm
Security 101 A Basic Computer Security Resource for Educators - Educational Cyber Playground: Security
www.edu-cyberpg.com/Technology/staffdr.html
Computer Security and Related Issues Portal - Cisco Systems: Beginners Guide to Network Security
www.cisco.com/warp/public/cc/so/neso/sqso/beggu_pl.pdf
A Beginners Guide to Network Security - A Beginners Guide to Wireless Security
www.governmentsecurity.org/articles/ABeginnersGuideToWirelessSecurity.php
A beginner’s guide from GovernmentSecurity.org - Computer and Network Security Introduction
www.comptechdoc.org/independent/security
An article by the Computer Technology Documentation Project - Science & Technology Resources on the Internet
www.istl.org/02-fall/internet.html
Computer security article by Jane Kinkus, Purdue University