Welcome to the Course “Foundations of Being Digital”. This is the first course in the CSOD INTRODUCTORY program that seeks to empower youth with the practical skills for today’s Digital economy. These courses are designed to address competency profiles in Digital literacy and Data skills that have become essential for the job markets of today and the future.
Participants in this course “Foundations of Being Digital”, will acquire the essential baseline competencies for a skills profile referred to as “Digital Learner” that will equip them to effectively use the internet, as well as navigate the remainder of the courses in this program.
This foundational course is designed to equip students with the basic essential Digital Literacy – knowledge, skill and awareness – to enable them to understand and appreciate the Internet, it’s various components and services, and the benefits that can derive from using it effectively. Techniques are learned to use the Internet for browsing, searching and filtering data, information and digital content, as well as evaluating data and information for specific purposes. Students also learn to communicate, collaborate and share information through the Internet using mobile devices, while exercising safe, ethical practices.
By the end of this course, students should be able to:
- Describe the Internet and distinguish between key Internet services such as the World-wide-web, Social Media and Electronic Mail
- Understand the benefits and risks associated with using the Internet effectively and various means and devices of connecting to it.
- Effectively use the Internet for browsing, searching and filtering data, information and digital content, as well as evaluating data and information for specific purposes
- Effectively communicate, collaborate and share information through the Internet using mobile devices (Tablets and phones)
Who is this course for?
This course was developed for the participants in the CSOD INTRODUCTORY program and is designed for Youth between the ages of 16 and 25 who may (or may not) have prior knowledge or skills in using the Internet and other digital tools.
The course will provide a virtual community to work in, that includes other participants like yourself, your course facilitator, and potential mentors that will be an invaluable source of information, knowledge sharing, and creative ideas. We encourage you to participate in the discussions and activities which will be one of the most valuable things this course has to offer.
What do I need to know?
As this is the foundational course, no prior knowledge is required. However participants in the program are expected to have at least a high school education.
All students should also have completed the digital skills profile survey to establish their baseline digital skills.
How long is this course?
The overall CSOD INTRODUCTORY program is organized over 12 weeks and 5 courses. The courses are self-contained, but together they create a learning journey focused on getting you ready for the Digital economy. We’ve designed the courses to be as interactive as possible. Each self-directed course will take approximately 1.5 – 3 hours per module to complete, and you should be able to complete each course within 2 weeks.
You can study the course at your own pace and we’ve designed each course to be flexible so it fits with your schedule, and you can move ahead if you have time or catch up when you need to. You should expect to spend approximately 5 – 8 hours per week for best results.
The structure of the course
The four modules in this course “Foundations of Being Digital” are illustrated below:
Module 1: Learning About the Internet – introduces the The Internet is one of the most transformational technological innovations in human history and helps you with being able to use it effectively as an essential part of everyday life
Module 2: Using the World-Wide Web Securely – focusses on browsing, navigating, searching and filtering data and information on the world-wide-web, as well as retrieving and evaluating digital content as an essential digital competency.
Module 3: The Mobile Internet – introduces the ability to accesses the internet by using a portable or mobile device, and how it enhances your professional and personal effectiveness through functions such as communicating, staying informed and networking.
Module 4: Personal Safety and Security in Cyberspace – highlights a variety of threats that you are exposed to when online, and identifies some basic common-sense things that you can do to protect yourself while online.
You will complete the modules in sequence as you work through the course. Please note that all modules are locked, until the previous one is completed, so you have to completely finish each module and the related assessments in order to progress through the course.
Navigating the course
Progressing through the course
Each module is presented as a combination of topics and lessons, and the main method of progressing through the module is to click to move to the next piece to information.
Once you have covered all lessons (i.e. all the information and completed all activities) within a topic, you will be presented with a “Mark Complete” button. This will trigger your advancement to the next topic. When you activate the “Mark Complete” button on the final topic within a module, you will be taken to the “Final Quiz” for that module.
- Next (>) will take you to the next topic/lesson in the course
- Prev (<) will take you back to the previous topic/lesson
- Home takes you back to the main course menu.
Assessments / Questions
Each module in the course has an Assessment section at the end with a series of questions that enable you to test and validate your learning on the topics covered.
