Lesson 1 – Introduction to Digital Skills

Introduction to Digital Skills

Explanation of why digital skills are important for Volunteer Managers and their organisations. Introduction to Internet Basics, Browsers, Search, Online Accounts, Sharing and Connecting Online, and Online Safety.

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Lesson Resources – Introduction to Digital Skills Handout

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Video Transcript – Introduction to Digital Skills

Objectives: To understand why digital skills are important, and for Volunteer Managers to gain foundational digital skills on topics such as internet basics, browsers, search, accounts, sharing and connecting online, and online safety.

“Welcome to Introduction to Digital Skills!

Now –– what are digital skills, exactly?

Simply put, digital skills are the abilities required to use digital technology, such as computers and smartphones, in a smart, safe, and successful way.

Think of digital skills less as new, foreign skills you have to learn and more like a continuation of the skills you already have!

You have communication skills, right? You know how to talk with your friends, family, and colleagues. You see, technology only furthers our ability to communicate with each other. Digital skills build on this. We’re simply learning how to take our communication skills and translate them to the online world, so you can email, chat, and connect with your community, wherever you are.

You also know how to scan through books and research to find an answer. Searching for an answer on the internet is quite similar, yet faster, and with limitless information available at your fingertips! It’s the same concept, just with a different method that makes it easier to learn, discover, and create opportunities. We’re here to help you learn this method!

We’ve been evolving into this “digital world” for quite some time now. But since the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve leapt even further into an online existence. You can grocery shop, chat with your friends, and even work full-time from your phone or computer.

Digital skills aren’t just a bonus, but a requirement. Today, 87% of jobs require employees to have digital skills! Unfortunately, these skills aren’t equally accessible to everyone. There’s a severe gap in digital skills in Australia.

In 2020, over 50,000 Australians reported that a lack of digital skills or digital skills education were the main reasons they couldn’t find a job. And many who already had a job felt as if they didn’t have the digital skills needed to keep up. Most of those felt that they simply didn’t have the time or funds to gain these skills. Even for entry-level positions, employers now require skills such as email communication, online research, information security, collaboration tools, spreadsheet and document management, handling devices, video calls, and online calendar and productivity understanding.

This is just at a basic level. Most advanced or high-paying positions require specialised knowledge in additional software and online tools.

This is why we’re going to build your digital skills. Personally, digital skills can help make your life easier and enable you to feel more connected. But professionally, they can open up job opportunities, and expand the range of what you can do. We’re here to make these skills simple and accessible to everyone, starting with you!

It’s important to know these opportunities, as well as the foundational rules and hazards.

For example, using email, chat, and social media will enable you to communicate and connect with others, but you must know how to properly use them to do so. Search engines and websites can provide you with a wealth of information: you can easily find answers through Google searches, Frequently Asked Question Pages, written and video tutorials, chatbots, software, and productivity tools –– but once you find these answers, you must also be able to decipher whether the information you’ve found is legitimate or not.

Technology allows us to make purchases online, helping us save time – and even money – in some cases. Of course, you must know how to set up these online accounts and forms and ensure your payment method is secure so you can protect your valuable assets and information. If you’re not careful, your passwords and payment information can become compromised, and your identity or money can be stolen.

But don’t worry: Just a bit of online safety knowledge and digital skills can help protect against this.

Once you know even the basics, you can create opportunities, save time, and learn more than ever before. And by doing so, you can help others! To start, we’ll go over the basics of digital skills in the reading portion of this Module. From internet basics and browsers to online safety and sharing, we’ll break down some of the foundational skills and knowledge needed to feel comfortable and confident online. See you there!”