Developing Technological Fluency
Developing technological fluency skills can be challenging, especially since they are not always covered in the course. You most likely need to use a learning management system (LMS) at college or university such as Blackboard, Canvas, and Brightspace/D2L. There are many different functions you will need to be able to do in the LMS (e.g. submitting an assignment, recording an audio file, contributing to a discussion board). You might need to give a presentation using a virtual conference tool such as Zoom or MS Teams. Your professor might ask you to create a video for an assignment or a narrated PowerPoint. You might even have your own projects in mind: creating a website for your portfolio or setting up an online store.
Some of these tasks that require the use of technology may be unfamiliar to you, but learning new technological skills is a vital part of being a successful student in today’s world. However, developing technological fluency can be difficult, frustrating, and complex.
What can you do when you are unfamiliar with a computer program or a digital tool that you need to use at school?
Use a Strategic Analysis Approach
1. Identify the Problem
The first step is figuring out what you need to do. Your problem may be specific, “How do I submit my assignment in Brightspace?” or it can be general, “How do I edit a video?”. One of these problems is worded in a helpful manner, but the other is not.
Try Googling both questions below and look at the top couple of results for each.
How do I submit my assignment in Brightspace?
How do I edit a video?
Look at the results of each Google search and ask yourself the following questions:
1. Were the results helpful?
2. Could I solve the problem (submit the assignment or edit the video) from the information in the first few Google search results?
The results for the first question about ‘submitting an assignment in Brightspace’ actually answer the question. You can follow these instructions to submit your assignment.
However, the results for the second question ‘How do I edit a video are not helpful.
Why? See the explanations below.
| How do I submit my assignment in Brightspace? | The first phrase takes a specific function (function: submit an assignment) and puts it into the context of a specific program (program: Brightspace). The way you submit an assignment changes depending on the program you are using. The first step in identifying the problem is to determine the function and place it in the context of a program. |
| How do I edit a video? | The second phrase “edit a video” is too vague. “How to add text to a Flipgrid Video” is more specific and the Google search results for this phrase will most likely be helpful to you. The function is add text to a video and the program is Flipgrid. |
Practice
Compare the Google search results for the following phrases. Are the search results helpful or not?
- Assignments in Brightspace
- Uploading an assignment in Brightspace
- Screensharing
- Screensharing in Zoom
Remember!
Identify the function you need to learn. Computer programs and digital tools have a variety of functions. Successful use of a program or a digital tool involves learning how to use different functions to achieve the results you want. Identifying the function you need to learn for a specific program or digital tool will help you find more specific and helpful resources.
2. Finding Resources Online
When searching online for help, the more specific the function you can identify, the more specific the resources you will find, which means that there is a higher chance you will find the help you need online. Getting specific is a matter of practice, so don’t feel bad if you are not there yet.
Use YouTube, Online articles, or Screenshots
When searching for information, look for YouTube links if you would like to see a video tutorial, and look for text articles if you prefer to see screenshots and instructions. Both are helpful, and the choice is yours.
Check the Version
Whenever you see a resource, ensure that the visuals or instructions match your own version. It is possible that a video or article was created using an older version of the software, and the appearance or functions have changed.
3. Finding Resources on Campus
One of the first sources of help is your professor. E-mail them to ask for help; it is what they are there for. Sometimes, your professor is really helpful and can help solve the problem or connect you to appropriate resources. Other times, they do not know the answer, and you need to look outside of class.
Outside of class, there are a lot of other campus resources such as:
- The Library
- The IT Department
- Student Services
- The Tutoring Centre
Not all of these resources are helpful for learning new technologies, but some of them are. Check out what workshops the library offers, or if the tutoring centre offers lessons and resources for what you need. If you do not know where to go, start with student services. That is their job: connecting students to services.
4. Practice – Trial and Error
Once you have some resources, you will need to try them out.
When connecting to college resources or any form of help in person, bring your phone or laptop if you have one so you can try it out right there. That way, if you run into problems, someone is there to help.
When online, find a resource and try it out. Did it work? If not, what problem did you run into? Do you need to look for a different resource? Or did you run into a different problem and need to change your search? Keep searching for resources and trying things out until you succeed. Sometimes, the function is straightforward (e.g. submitting an assignment); other times, it’s much trickier (e.g. blurring someone’s face in a video). Start with the easiest-to-follow resource and try it out. If it works, great! If not, see if you can find another resource.
Remember!
Be nice to yourself. You are going to get it wrong sometimes. While your first video, podcast, poster, or website might not be the best, the next one will be better. You might not produce something as well as you imagined, but as you develop your technological fluency, your digital creations will improve.
- Give yourself time. The first time you do something, it takes a long time. The second time, it will take less time. Eventually, it becomes easy. When you are learning things for the first time, give yourself enough time in case things go wrong. In fact, plan for things to go wrong.
- This means you should not wait until the day your project is due to edit your video essay. Give yourself time so that you are not staying up all night the day before it is due to finish it.
- Resources (especially in-person meetings) take time to schedule and get going. Your professor might not email you back for a day or two, or the next workshop on presentation design might not be until next week. Plan ahead. Give yourself extra time to complete the task.
Key Takeaways
- Technological fluency is a vital part of being successful in today’s world.
- To solve a problem you are facing with technology or a digital tool,
- identify the specific program or digital tool that you need to use and
- identify the specific function that you need to learn.
- Be patient. Developing technological fluency takes time and is a matter of trial and error.
- Get help from campus resources, your professor, the IT department, student services, the library, and/or the tutoring centre.
Explore Further
For more help with technology, visit the Navigating Technology module in The Learning Portal by College Libraries Ontario.
Attributions
Text Attributions
- This chapter was adapted from “Technological Fluency” in Liberated Learners by Terry Greene et al. Licensed under a CC BY NC 4.0 licence.
