Information Literacy Program Plan, Essay Example

Program Background

The age of information technology is currently becoming the most operative system in the modern society which humans need to directly get involved with at present. Considering that at least 59% of the current population of human individuals cannot completely comprehend with the operative systems of computer-aided programs that are present in most social programs at present. AS a result, some remain at a clouded status as to whether or not they are to accept the changes that are happening in the society and create a room for adjustments that they should comply with so as to welcome development as part of their personal progress.

This is the reason why it is very important for a program towards equipping unknowing individuals to become more comprehensively competent in utilizing basic computer operations as a part of their daily activities. Notably, it is the desire of the program to make a difference on how the human society accept change and develop alongside the emergence of digital computing as a major part of human progress.

The presentation herein shall make a definite indication on how a particular information literacy program is supposed to motivate a huge part of the community to embrace progress as a part of their developmental course of living that is highly dependent on their desire to be more aware of the considerable extensive yet beneficial operations of the computer-generated systems that are inculcated within the lifestyle and the culture of the modern human society.

The Audience

The target audience for this program ranges from ages 19 to 35 years of age who have none to basic understanding of computer operations. This then means that the diversity level of the population to be served by the program is defined by their capacity to handle tasks based on their age and their exposure to computers. Even though there are teenagers to be added in the program, it is a requirement that they have none to less knowledge of computer operations to make it easier for them to stay in tune with the program workshops that are to be offered and not be bored since they already know what is going to be taught. Making the diversity of the population work for the program itself is an important aspect of the process since the understanding that a person may have regarding computers is expected to have a different impact on another. Setting a common ground between all the participants is an important consideration to give attention to.

The Venue

The room that has been made available for the implementation of the program could only be used one time every week and can accommodate only 20 students. Notably, even though there are computers around, given the two-hour limit every session would require the trainers to add in several other aides to be able to present the subject to the students immediately and have them try the operations in a hands-on practice. Making great use of the time and the facilities to be utilized for the program could be incurred through the creation of a multi-tasking plan that the proctor/s could consider while training the students.

At some point, two hours may seem to be a few moments only considering that the audience needs to know so much about information and computing literacy. Nevertheless, the effective use of the given time and venue provides a chance for the target audience to furnish their skills in the most practical and basic process that would work for their capacity to remember and apply what they have learned.

Overall Objective

The overall objective of this program is to equip the audience or the receivers of the lessons with the right skills needed to basically operate a computer especially when they are asked to do so in completing some electronic social service forms or at some point are required to apply such skills in their respective target jobs. It always pays to have basic knowledge on how to successfully manage the computer and operate using its basic systems especially in this electronically driven world. Equipping the people with the knowledge they need to know and the skills they need to posses would specifically allow them to embrace modernity to the fullest and benefit from it effectively.

Workshop 1: Basic Computer Operation

For personal use or office use, the participants in the program shall be taught the basic computer operations they should know of. Starting with the opening and the shutting down of the system, the participants are to be given an overview on how to take care of their own computer units at home or at work. A part of this workshop is defining terms that are used when operating computer systems such as “clicking”, “dragging” as well as opening and closing programs. To make the workshop more useful and practically applicable, the participants shall be asked to handle basic computer-based tasks utilizing different programs. For example, they are going to be asked and close programs such as Microsoft word or Microsoft excel. They are also to be instructed and guided on how to manipulate the mouse and also manually handle the command system of the computer without the aid of a mouse or a pointer.

Workshop 2: Basic Word Processing Operation

Every individual who needs to know about the basics of computer ought to know the basics of word processing. Encoding is one particular skill that could be learned through this workshop. The correct use of the keys in the keyboard and the function of each tab shall be given attention through this particular workshop. The students would also be taught how to save and delete files that they make through the program.

Workshop 3: Basic Excel Operation

Another common program used at present is that of excel. Microsoft excel is of course considered as a user-friendly computer program. However, without proper guidance, a new user of the program would be lost and would probably lose interest in the long run because of the sequences that needs to be given attention to in the tabular presentations made in the said program. In this workshop, teaching the students with the necessary shortcuts they need to know about the program shall be given attention to hence creating a better source of confidence for the students to utilize the said program on their own.

Workshop 4: Basic Internet Browsing

The internet is the most basic reason why people need to know how to utilize computer operations properly. With information technology taking over the society today; it could not be denied that almost every aspect of life today could be connected within the internet. As for example, banking could now occur through the internet. With simple clicks on the websites, depositors can now check their balances, pay bills or even transfer funds to other accounts even without going to the bank themselves. Several other transactions are now being completed online for the sake of extending convenience on the part of the users. IN this case, this workshop shall provide the students a brief overview of what the internet is all about and how one could operate it properly without feeling overly concerned about making mistakes or any matter as such.

Workshop 5: Knowing more about the Internet

While the internet is a useful tool for getting and sharing information, users of this particular communication portal need to know so much about its system. This specifically involves privacy issues, laws on business transactions and other matters that a regular ordinary internet user would likely be concerned about. In this case, this workshop shall provide the students with the precautionary measures they need to take when they are to use the internet as part of their daily activities.

Workshop 6: Overall Summary of Program

The last workshop shall be an evaluation and summary presentation of all the lessons that have been learned. Overall application of the skills that were taught to the students shall be given attention to through hands-on practices that are to be handled and proctored by the instructors or trainers.

Tools and Materials for Teaching

Each workshop is to be presented with half a lecture and half a hands-on practice activity. This however would be different when it comes to the 5^th and the 6^th session of the workshop which are likely to be presented with full lecture [5^thn session] and practical application discussions; and more on the evaluative summary on the 6^th session of the program.

The lectures shall come with hand-outs and power point presentations that are to be used by the proctors to present the subjects they hope to discuss during a specific workshop. This will allow them to be clearer about the path of teaching that they are to take and also visually equip the students with the understanding they need to embrace even before they have the hands-on activity on practice.

Possible Risks and Hard points to Handle

Diversity is one of the biggest concerns for the completion of this program. This is the reason why the application of the media-tool such as powerpoint presentations are to be inculcated within the process. Giving the students a better visual understanding of the points that they are being taught with would help in making it easier for them to retain in their memory what they have learned from the program as they go along with the developmental process of applying the lessons into actual use.

Workshops 5 and 6 are to be given particular consideration over the aspect of making a great impact on how relative teaching is to be evaluated through the results of the tests that the students are to take. These two last workshops shall serve the teachers a chance to see whether or not they have to assist a particular student in a specific problem about the use of computer that they may still be struggling upon.

Expected Outcomes of the Program

After the completion of the six workshops, it is expected that the participants would have gained a better grasp of the operations of computer systems and would be able to motivate themselves to practice more on how to apply such skills. Establishing a sense of confidence in them, the proctors are expecting that the easy-approach to basic computing that they have introduced would have a great impact on how the students would behave the next time they are faced with the challenge of completing a computer task on their own no matter how basic or complex the said process be.

Given the chance to operate a computer on their own, it is also hoped through this program that the motivation of the students to continue practicing at home or at work be established in them hence making them more capable of applying what they have learned even after the workshops have been completed. In this course, application is an important aspect of learning. Hence, during the last part of the workshops, it is imposed that the proctors would create a presentation that would further encourage the students to utilize computers more especially now that they have acquired the basic skills needed to operate the said machines.

References

Adelman, C. (2000). A Parallel Post-secondary Universe: The Certification System in Information Technology. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Education.

Allen, T., and M.S. Morton, eds. 1994. Information Technology and the Corporation of the 1990s. New York: Oxford University Press.

Shelly, Gary, Cashman, Thomas, Vermaat, Misty, and Walker, Tim. (1999). Discovering Computers 2000: Concepts for a Connected World. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Course Technology.

Webster, Frank, and Robins, Kevin. (1986). Information Technology—A Luddite Analysis. Norwood, NJ: Ablex.