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Computer Literacy Basics


This post is going to be a quick break down of important computer literacy components. 

First things first: What is the internet?
The internet is a digital network of information that can be used for anyone with access. You gain access to the internet through internet providers. There are 2 types of access. Wired and wireless. Most of the connections to the internet you will see is wireless. This means that you have no cords going from your computer or your phone to your modem (more on modems later). Think of it like when telephones used to have those long springy cords that hooked into the phone jack. That's a wired connection. And think of your cordless phone or a cellphone. This is a similar idea to wireless internet.

A modem is the tall box that sits in a corner with flashing lights on it. Most modems still use a cord to connect to the wall. You can connect your computer to the modem with a cable called an Ethernet cable. This allows you to have a wired connection to the internet. When you want to be able to use your computer in different part of the house or have several people accessing the internet at the same time then you use a router. The router and the modem are usually built into one but a router transmits the signal from the modem that allows multiple people to be on the network and accessing the internet concurrently.

Internet service providers vary from where you live. There are big name brands and a some less known brands. Internet providers charge you a monthly fee to use their hardlines to access the internet. Each provider offers different speed choices of internet. The speed of how fast you send and receive data will vary on what your internet activity looks like. Gaming and watching movies will require a faster connection.

Now that you are all hooked up to the internet you need to select a Web Browser. Web browsers offer different features and just like the internet service provider it will come down to personal choice and preference for what you want to use. Browsers are your gateway to the digital world. This is where you find websites and can information.

When you don't use the cloud to store data you use your computer's memory. There are two types a short term memory called RAM and a long term memory called a hard drive. RAM is gone after you shut your computer down like a calculations or working on a document without saving it. Once you save it the information is stored in the hard drive. The hard drive is always accessible when the computer is turned on. This is a long term storage but often has strict limits to how much information can be stored. This is often where people use the cloud.

The cloud is a digital network of information. Imagine a filing cabinet but it is digital. The cloud can be accessed through a browser, to share emails, pictures, music, and documents. You can access the cloud at anytime. While there can be limited storage the limit is much higher than a computer's. Users can often pay for unlimited cloud storage.


Source from:

Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Development. (2018). Computer Basics. Utah Broadband. Retrieved from https://broadband.utah.gov/digital-literacy/computer-basics/

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References

Stoyanov, S.R., Hides, L., Kavanagh, D.J., Zelenko, O., Tjondronegoro, D., & Mani, M. (2015). Mobile app rating scale: A new tool for assessing the quality of health mobile apps. JMIR mHealth and uHealth 3(1), 27. doi: 10.2196/mhealth.3422

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. National Health Information Center. (2015). Support Groups HealthFinder.gov. Retrieved from: https://healthfinder.gov/FindServices/SearchContext.aspx?topic=833

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. National Health Information Center. (2012). What is a patient portal? HealthFinder.gov Retrieved from: https://www.healthit.gov/providers-professionals/faqs/what-patient-portal

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. National Institutes of Health. (2018). Finding and evaluating online resources. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Retrieved from: https://nccih.nih.gov/health/webresources

Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Development. (2018). Computer Basics. Utah Broadband. Retrieved from https://broadband.utah.gov/digital-literacy/computer-basics/