Blog Corner: BECOMING INTERNET LITERATE!
My progress within the internet world, compared to those who are technologically savvy, is pretty slow.
I am not up to speed with the fast changing "buzz words" which often turn a simple paragraph into a foreign language!
I am amazed at the number of creative names which are invented to cover websites, and help sites.
It is all mixed territory for me, so how internet literate am I?
PROGRESS:
However, when I look back to when I started my journey, I could barely write an email, so bit by bit I am familiarizing myself with this new world!
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Traditionally, education was made up of learning how to take a subject, being told the correct way to deal with it, practice until proficient and then be qualified to implement it.
Often the learning process relied on the memory of the individual, as particularly subjects in literacy included memorising large parts of information which were presented in a specific way.
Mathematics and science subjects included learning well established equations and scientific formulae which were very much memory based, as learned from teachers, tables and books.
It was a slow learning experience, as it all started out at a basic level, and was added to as time went on until an individual felt competent and reached certain levels required for their ambitions.
The information that was given out and learned was done by the individual and the knowledge stored in their brain.
The big difference now has been a shift in that process, with shorter and faster ways to do things.
Information is available quickly via technology which cuts out much of the laborious memory patterns.
Hand writing has been replaced by word processing which is fast, transferable and interchangeable with spell checks, and help with presentation.
Information can be sourced from an enormous database which can help to challenge theories and alternative answers found.
It allows a student to quickly take a critical look at a project which may have previously taken many weeks to accomplish
I think it is the speed of everything, and trying to work out which (Key) words are compatible to move forward and be recognized by the ever present algorithm.
Present generations have been brought up with information technology, (I.T.), as basic computer literacy has been taught in schools for many years.
This must surely prepare the brain for looking and tackling learning in a particular way?
The reality of much technology is learning to rely on the information generated from sources other than the individual human brain.
THE RISE OF THE INTERNET:
Through the intelligence and research by some very clever people, they have revolutionized this power, and have been able to find answers to questions, and communicate in a way which is difficult to comprehend.
WORKINGS OF THE INTERNET:
It is all done at great speed, and what was previously worked out by the brain of an individual, for example a simple number addition, is now done by the click of a button, with the answer coming up in seconds without seemingly any human intervention.
This is the norm and expectation for the younger generation who will have had little experience or indeed need of physically adding numbers together.
Not only has technology speeded everything up, but it is the ability to make the information available across the world, and increasingly into individual homes, therefore linking countries, cultures and day to day communication.
EXPLAINING THE ALGORITHM:
ALGORITHMS:
Within a relatively short time span, technology has shrunk the world to unbelievable proportions.
There are rules of course, which are often difficult to see and understand.
I mentioned algorithms at the beginning of this post, and that is probably one of the most important guidelines to follow if a piece of work is being distributed to an audience.
Algorithms are used in many settings including mathematics, but are increasingly used in the I.T. world, when linked to search engines looking for information.
The content of the work must be relevant to what the potential audience is looking for, and will be recognized if certain words are generated and used.
The more these correct keywords are used, the more they will identify with the audience and be picked up by algorithms
Algorithms have many uses and can appear complex.
My simplistic interpretation of an algorithm is an invisible magnet which only picks up certain relevant content and criteria. If accepted, the content is gathered together generating and adding to a huge mass of information on that particular subject.
The algorithm will process the information and if happy with the amount and content will make it readily available to its audience.
A simple comparison would be two almost identical literate examples submitted by an individual.
1) Example one would have researched the appropriate keywords which will be picked up and filtered through and accepted for inclusion by an algorithm, and will be highly visible to an audience generating success for the piece of work.
2) The second example, although similar content, will not have used the important keywords, so will not be picked up.
It will by pass the filtration process and not feature in the algorithm, and therefore will not reach the audience.
These results are the difference between a published piece being successful or not.
Knowing such things is vital when distributing work on the internet, whether it be an online business or having a blog audience.
Help is very much at hand, as there are endless tutorials, blogs and courses.
In fact there is so much help, that it is quite bewildering at times.
Obviously preparation is important.
INTERNET AROUND THE WORLD:
PREPARATION:
The world of the internet and search engines is vast.
Most sensible people will have either been educated to a certain level of IT literacy, or will have pursued it as further education, but at the very least will have enrolled in a few courses to get the basics right.
Then there are people like me, whom you will have gathered lived a life free of computers, and did everything the long way.
Slowly the magic internet was introduced. What was this thing?
Could you really send a message to someone and they would immediately receive it and reply straight away?
How does that work?
For me that is how it started. Just dealing with emails, both in my working and personal life.
This was followed by asking Google questions and receiving answers!
ASK GOOGLE:
My experience has evolved from there, and I am completely self taught.
I often think of someone from another planet, landing alone in a vast foreign country, without knowing anything about it, not knowing anyone, and not able to speak the language, would they have the same feelings?
Given a few years however, and that same person will have overcome many of these obstacles and will have found ways to communicate and integrate.
I am constantly learning. Every day I try to discover and achieve something new. It is very rewarding and is confidence building.
I have a lot to say about various things, and so I enjoy writing and finding out the opinions of others.
BEGINNERS GUIDE TO DIGITAL LITERACY, by AVERY M. KENSAAL,
is a book which I wish I had discovered at the beginning of my journey.
It deals with most aspects of the internet, and would prove very helpful for a beginner. It is available through Amazon.
My aim is not to be an internet expert, but to be able to articulate and maximize my interests, using the vast array of helpful tools available, as my brain is gradually beginning to "process" in a different way, and I am appreciating this new freedom.
The next obvious step is stepping into the world of AI, which we have all been doing for a while.
Perhaps it is time for me to approach it with a bit more strategy than that of my internet journey?
The internet is a very busy thoroughfare, requiring its own Highway Code, and just as on the highways, there are those who abuse the rules.
It is a difficult area to police, as everything exists in invisibility, but safety must be at the forefront both for individuals and for countries. Perhaps it has a bit further to go in that direction?
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