How To Teach Technical Literacy In Online Training
Corporate learners who have a high degree of technical literacy know how to use technology to their advantage. They can find all the information they need by searching the web and using the tech-based resources that are available. These individuals also have the power to overcome everyday challenges and reach their goals with the help of their mobile devices. Technical literacy is essential in our tech-centric society, and these 7 tips can help you facilitate this all-important skill in your online training program.
1. Send Your Corporate Learners On A Virtual Fact-Finding Mission
Some of your corporate learners may need an end goal to build their tech lit skills, such as finding information about a specific topic or task. This can also help them focus their attention on a particular category when they are looking for online resources, so that they aren't aimlessly wandering through sites, blogs, and social media. Give them a topic and ask them to go on a fact-finding mission. If they are tech beginners, provide them with a list of online resources they may find useful. Encourage them to add to the list as they discover new sources of information.
2. Develop Tech-Centric Online Group Projects
Corporate learners are usually less hesitant to dive into technology when they are working with others. They can ask questions, address concerns, and benefit from the experience of their peers when they are in group settings. Develop online group projects that involve tech-related tasks, such as looking for information online and creating a blog or an online training video. Corporate learners must collaborate by conducting online research, summarizing the information, and then producing the finished product. This online training activity can also be modified, based on their level of tech experience. For example, more advanced corporate learners can create interactive online presentations, while beginners can stick to blogs that rely on pre-built eLearning templates.
3. Introduce Project Management Online Platforms
Project Management online platforms give corporate learners the ability to communicate with their peers and collaborate on online training projects, even if they are all over the globe. However, they are also great online tools for solo corporate learners because they can use them to stay organized and store important documents. Think of a Project Management online platform as an online base of operations. Many of them even feature calendars, assignment reminders, and a range of other features that teach corporate learners the value of technology. If they do run into any issues, such as not being able to find viable research for their online training project, they can simply share the link to the workspace to get input and online guidance.
4. Tie Tech To Real World Events
Motivation is an important aspect of technical literacy. If corporate learners don't feel like they need technology or they feel that it isn't relevant, then they probably won't have the drive to become tech literate. Integrating world events, such as news, online articles and case studies, into your online training strategy may be the catalyst they require. Let them know about a current event that is interesting or intriguing, and then invite them to research it online. Better yet, have them use their mobile devices to uncover the facts, and give them the ability to learn even when they are on the go through your modern Learning Management System. One of the primary benefits of this online training activity is making technology accessible and relatable. Instead of exploring an abstract concept, they are learning about a real life topic that has some personal significance.
5. Use Technology To Solve Everyday Challenges
One of the most effective uses for technology in the real world is overcoming common challenges. Encourage your corporate learners to brainstorm obstacles that they face on a daily basis, and then have them search video-sharing sites, social media platforms, and blogs to find potential solutions. You can take it a step further by asking them to find online apps and tech tools that can remedy the issue, such as an app that helps procrastinators manage their time. This online exercise gives corporate learners the chance to see, firsthand, how technology can help them in their personal and professional lives.
6. Tap Into The Power Of Social Networking
Social learning activities can help corporate learners learn and communicate in real time. Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram are a great tech literacy tool because they appeal to our social nature. They allow us to interact with our peers and meet experts in the field from anywhere in the world. Teach your corporate learners how to use these social media sites effectively. Create online training tutorials that help them with the sign up process, if necessary, and start their own social media pages so that they can see how it's done. Certain corporate learners may be curious about social networking, but they don’t know where to begin, or may not be aware of the benefits these sites can bring to their lives.
7. Ease Corporate Learners Into Technology With Serious Games
Serious games are the ideal online training activity for corporate learners who aren't quite ready to make the leap into tech. These entertaining and educational games feature traditional game mechanics, such as points and levels, which are combined with interactive online elements. Use a responsive design authoring tool to develop mobile-friendly serious games that corporate learners can access anywhere, and use more basic multimedia content for tech beginners. The goal is to ease them into technology by making the experience so fun and engaging that they forget all about their digital worries. Be sure to focus on one topic at a time so that you don't overwhelm your corporate learners, and always pair the game mechanics with a great story that gets them hooked.
Technology is constantly evolving. As such, you will need to update your online training strategy to accommodate new platforms, devices, and software. What's tech-forward today may be outdated tomorrow. So, stay current with modern technology by attending trade shows, perusing online articles, and joining professional online networks.
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