The Internet and the virtual dimension permeate every corner of our daily lives and, to a greater or lesser extent, also our jobs. The data clearly demonstrate this: 92% of the population aged 16-74 have used the Internet regularly. It could then be inferred that this stratospheric percentage of the population possesses very sharpened basic digital skills.
But are we really aware of what the basic digital skills are?, are we all digitally competent just because you use a computer? In this article we tell you what digital literacy skills are and explain exactly what they are - find out if you are digitally literate or have some room for improvement!
What are digital literacy skills and why are they important?
When we talk about digital skills, we are referring to the how fluently we use digital devices and how we exploit a number of functionalities that we consider basic. Some of these functionalities include managing a spreadsheet, editing photographs with an editing programme, sending and receiving e-mails, etc.
In a world invaded by digital in all its facets, it is crucial to train our digital skills so as not to fall too far behind in the face of the constant innovations that are emerging. In fact, what we call basic digital skills are rapidly mutating in line with the advances in software and technological needs demanded by companies.
What are the core digital competences?
Here's what we mean by basic digital skills so that you can make sure you really are digitally literate:
Using a computer or mobile phone
It may seem obvious, but it is the first step towards acquiring the other basic digital skills. By being in close contact with the latest technologies, children and young adults are learning to be guided by a computer interface intuitively and independently. It is often older people who find it difficult to start actively using a computer or other electronic devices.
Turning on a computer, shutdown, restart, format; copy, paste, create, rename and cut archives, and organise them into folders, set up users and external devices (keyboard, mouse, speakers, printer, etc.), connect to wireless networks…
These are basic skills for which we do not even need access to the Internet, but which we must have mastered in order to be able to take advantage of the most basic functionalities of a computer.
In terms of mobiles It is similar: you have to know how to make and receive calls, manage the phone book, download applications, uninstall them, modify the configuration options, organise the interface to your liking, move around the interface to get where you want to go, and so on.
Surfing the Internet
Knowing how to surf the Internet means being able to go into a search engine and being able to find the information you are looking for. Associated with this basic digital skill is another soft skill as is the critical thinking and research.
When surfing the Internet, we will find an infinite sea of information, so we will have to select which web pages provide us with the most relevant data, either in a more superficial or more detailed investigation.
Online security
This is the most taken-for-granted digital competence, but the one that many users with years of computer experience fail at. Protecting your privacy in the digital environment is imperative, especially if you are acting on behalf of a company.
Therefore, we must be aware that we cannot publish personal data and that we must shield our electronic devices from cyber threats. To do so, we must adequately encrypt access to our personal accounts and install a antivirus to detect vulnerabilities in our computer system in order to be able to tackle them as effectively as possible.
Online communication
We mean knowing how to use and manage a e-mail account in Outlook or Gmail, and sending text messages through social networks or instant messaging app such as WhatsApp or Telegram. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the basic digital competences for online communication include the use of videoconferencing tools such as Zoom, Teams or Google Meet.
These tools are very useful for organising remote meetings in a virtual space and collaborating together on a work project. In today's office environments, it is essential to feel comfortable using this software to work.
Basic office automation
While users may have varying levels of proficiency in office automation, knowing how to take advantage of the basic functionalities provided by the Office package is a basic digital competence.
Editing a text document in Word, creating a slideshow with PowerPoint or managing a spreadsheet to keep basic accounting records are essential skills that any user should have both for day-to-day use and to improve productivity and employability in the workplace.
Paying online
Another basic activity that has become widespread in society is the buying and selling of products and services online. This is why one of the core digital competences consists of knowing how to find your way around an e-commerce site to pay for a product, receive it, submit complaints and ratings and proceed in a secure manner.
To this basic digital competence can be added the digital banking management. Digitalisation is unstoppable and has also had a major impact on banks and thus on all their users. There are even banks without physical premises that are 100% digital. To be fully digitally literate, you need to know how to manage your finances online, especially via your mobile phone.
Are you digitally literate?
After reading this article, do you think you have all your basic digital skills well covered? Chances are that you do and that you have been using a computer for many years. But if you have any doubts, we invite you to take a look at our catalogue of technological training courses, especially in office automation.
At Euroinnova we have come to revolutionise education in the digital world, bringing cutting-edge practical skills with a refreshing methodology to democratise access to technology, from basic digital skills to software development and data science.
Become a Euroinnova future and train yourself digitally!
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