Essential Skills – Using Computers and the Internet

The Essential Skills – Using Computers and the Internet course is designed for learners who need to develop their everyday adult skills in use of computers and the internet in order achieve their educational and vocational goals.

The course document:

• clearly identifies the skills learners need to develop
• states the standards learners must achieve.

On successful completion of this course, learners will be able to:

1. correctly identify digital technology tools appropriate to routine tasks in everyday adult settings, including the workplace
2. correctly interpret routine information and terminology from a range of sources and use such information to access and employ digital technologies
3. correctly follow routine instructions, specifications and/or directions regarding the use of information and communications technology
4. use digital technologies to successfully complete routine everyday adult tasks, including those typical of a workplace
5. apply learning and thinking skills to improve skills in the use of digital technologies
6. review own performance in the completion of routine tasks
7. follow guidelines and procedures relating to the healthy and safe use of digital technologies
8. identify and describe everyday potential hazards in the use of digital technologies
9. follow given principles and practices relating to the use of the internet, email and social media
10. describe safe and unsafe practices in the use of social media and related technologies
11. describe and comply with given principles and practices relating to use other peoples' information, images, ideas or words.

This course has a complexity level of 2.

At Level 2, the learner is expected to carry out tasks and activities that involve a range of knowledge and skills, including some basic theoretical and/or technical knowledge and skills. Limited judgement is required, such as making an appropriate selection from a range of given rules, guidelines or procedures. VET competencies at this level are often those characteristic of an AQF Certificate II.

This course has a size value of 5.

This course has two parts – both are compulsory. Part B may be delivered and assessed within the context of practical tasks undertaken in Part A, as standalone tasks, or a mixture of both approaches.

PART A: Learners will undertake a range of practical tasks in order to develop and demonstrate their knowledge, understanding and skills in:

• identifying routine tasks in everyday adult settings, including the workplace, and identifying appropriate digital technology for a task
• interpreting information and terminology to access and use digital technology
• following procedures, specifications and/or directions and use digital technologies to successfully complete routine tasks in everyday adult settings, including the workplace
• reviewing their performance in completing tasks.

In constructing the range of practical tasks to be undertaken by learners, the provider will ensure that tasks provide opportunities for learners to develop and demonstrate their knowledge, understanding and skills in:

• file types and file management - creating, saving, opening and deleting files, naming and organising files/folders, issues of backup and file damage (e.g. viruses), common file types (e.g. docx, pdf, jpg, png), differences between operating systems (OS), applications and files
• the use of common software tools/applications:
  • word processing – cut/paste, copy/paste, delete text, insert text, use of left, right and full justification, use of different fonts, use of different styles (bold, underline, italics), use of spell and grammar checks
  • spreadsheets – inserting numeric and textual data, use of simple formulas (e.g. addition of rows/columns, averaging, calculating GST), using data to create graphs, tables and charts
  • graphics – cropping, rotating, flipping, image capture (e.g. from internet, clip art and/or digital camera), inserting images into text documents
  • internet – browser features, website navigation and search strategies
  • email – receiving and sending emails, opening attachments (e.g. images or pdfs), sending attachments (e.g. images or pdfs), organisation of boxes/folders, use of Cc and Bcc, sending emails to groups
• the characteristics and use of common hardware tools:
  • desktop and/or laptop computers
  • ‘smart’ phones and/or digital tablets
  • printers
  • scanners
  • audio input and output hardware
  • keyboard, numeric pads and mouse
  • storage devices (e.g. internal/external drives, CD/DVD, USB flash drive)
  • cloud storage
  • touch screens.

While the lists above describe compulsory content, practical tasks may involve the study and use of additional digital technologies and related skills.

In constructing the range of practical tasks to be undertaken by learners, the provider will ensure that tasks are contextualised in everyday adult settings, including the workplace.

PART B: Learners will develop and demonstrate their knowledge, understanding and skills in:

• using digital technologies effectively, safely and productively.

This may be done in the context of the practical tasks undertaken in Part A, as standalone tasks, or a mixture of both approaches.

In constructing learning tasks to be undertaken by learners, the provider will ensure that tasks provide opportunities for learners to develop and demonstrate their knowledge, understanding and skills in:

• identifying and following given guidelines/procedures relating to the access and use of computers and other digital technologies, and the use of ergonomic aids and physical settings (e.g. eating/drinking rules)
• identifying potential hazards in everyday adult settings, including the workplace, relating to the use of digital technologies – trip, spill and electrical hazards, and personal health hazards such as eye/joint strains
• identifying potential dangers in revealing information – personal information (e.g. harassment, identity theft, cyber bullying), financial information (e.g. credit card information theft), workplace information (e.g. impact on business, other staff, self)
• principles and practices in the safe use of social media and related technologies
• principles and practices in the use of the internet and email – ‘netiquette’ and email etiquette, access rules/guidelines, differences between personal and study/work use of digital technologies, unacceptable/illegal files/sites
• principles and practices in the use of other peoples' information, images, ideas or words (i.e. academic integrity, referencing/citation, copyright and ownership).

While the list above describes compulsory content, tasks may involved the study of additional issues related to the use of digital technologies.

In constructing tasks to be undertaken by learners, the provider will ensure that tasks are contextualised in everyday adult settings, including the workplace.

Criterion-based assessment is a form of outcomes assessment that identifies the extent of learner achievement at an appropriate end-point of study. Although assessment – as part of the learning program – is continuous, much of it is formative, and is done to help learners identify what they need to do to attain the maximum benefit from their study of the course. Therefore, assessment for summative reporting to TASC will focus on what both teacher and learner understand to reflect end-point achievement.

The standard of achievement each learner attains on each criterion is recorded as a rating of ‘C’ (satisfactory standard) according to the outcomes specified in the standards section of the course document.

A ‘t’ notation must be used where a learner demonstrates any achievement against a criterion less than the standard specified for the ‘C’ rating. The ‘t’ notation is not described in course standards.

A ‘z’ notation is to be used where a learner provides no evidence of achievement at all.

Providers offering this course must participate in quality assurance processes specified by TASC to ensure provider validity and comparability of standards across all awards. To learn more, see TASC's quality assurance processes and assessment information.

Internal assessment of all criteria will be made by the provider. Assessment processes must gather evidence that clearly shows the match between individual learner performance, the standards of the course and the learner’s award. Providers will report the learner’s rating for each criterion to TASC.

The following processes will be facilitated by TASC to ensure there is: 

• a match between the standards of achievement specified in the course and the skills and knowledge demonstrated by individual learners
• community confidence in the integrity and meaning of the qualification.

Process

TASC will verify that the provider’s course delivery and assessment meet the course requirements and community expectations for fairness, integrity and validity of qualifications TASC issues. This will involve checking:

• Provider standard 1: scope and sequence documentation:  
  
  • course delivery plan
  • course assessment plan, assessment matrix
• Provider standard 2: student attendance records
• Provider standard 3: examples of assessments tools and instruments and associated rubrics and marking guides
• Provider standard 1 and 3: examples of student work including that related to any work requirements articulated in the course document
• Provider standard 4: class records of assessment

This process will be scheduled by TASC using a risk-based approach.

The assessment for Essential Skills – Using Computers and the Internet Level 2 is based on whether the learner can:

• 1. identify digital technology tools suitable for routine tasks
• 2. interpret information to access and use digital technology
• 3. follow procedures to perform given tasks, and review performance
• 4. use digital technologies effectively, safely and productively

Essential Skills – Using Computers and the Internet Level 2 (with the award of):

SATISFACTORY ACHIEVEMENT

PRELIMINARY ACHIEVEMENT

The final award will be determined by the Office of Tasmanian Assessment, Standards and Certification from 4 ratings.

The minimum requirements for an award in Essential Skills – Using Computers and the Internet Level 2 are as follows:

SATISFACTORY ACHIEVEMENT (SA)
‘C’ rating in all four (4) criteria

PRELIMINARY ACHIEVEMENT (PA)
‘C’ rating in three (3) criteria

Learners who gain a Satisfactory Achievement award in this Level 2 course must be able to:

• use a computer and common software (such as a word processor, spreadsheet) effectively, safely and productively
• use the internet and email effectively, safely and productively.

A more detailed and technical account illustrating the meaning of the standard is given in Appendix 3 of the Tasmanian Certificate of Education course document.

The Department of Education’s Curriculum Services will develop and regularly revise the curriculum. This evaluation will be informed by the experience of the course’s implementation, delivery and assessment.

In addition, stakeholders may request Curriculum Services to review a particular aspect of an accredited course.

Requests for amendments to an accredited course will be forwarded by Curriculum Services to the Office of TASC for formal consideration.

Such requests for amendment will be considered in terms of the likely improvements to the outcomes for learners, possible consequences for delivery and assessment of the course, and alignment with Australian Curriculum materials.

A course is formally analysed prior to the expiry of its accreditation as part of the process to develop specifications to guide the development of any replacement course.

The Essential Skills – Using Computers and the Internet course meets the requirements of the unit of competence FSKDIG03 ‘Use digital technology for routine workplace tasks’ from the Foundation Skills Training Package. A learner who gains a qualification in Essential Skills – Using Computers and the Internet with a Satisfactory Achievement award may reasonably expect a Registered Training Organisation with the unit on its scope to grant direct recognition (Recognition of Prior Learning/credit transfer) for ‘Use digital technology for routine workplace tasks’ (FSKDIG03) on the basis of successful achievement in this TASC accredited course.

The relationship between Essential Skills – Using Computers and the Internet and ‘Use digital technology for routine workplace tasks’ (FSKDIG03) is shown in the table below:

The accreditation period for this course has been renewed from 1 January 2022 until 31 December 2025.

During the accreditation period required amendments can be considered via established processes.

Should outcomes of the Years 9-12 Review process find this course unsuitable for inclusion in the Tasmanian senior secondary curriculum, its accreditation may be cancelled. Any such cancellation would not occur during an academic year.

Version 1 – Accredited on 20 June 2013 for use in 2014 to 2018. This course replaces Skills – ICT (ICT205109) that expired on 31 December 2013.

Version 1.a - 22 November 2019 - Addition of cloud storage to Part A content and addition of Pathways information. Accreditation renewed on 22 November 2018 for the period 1 January 2019 until 31 December 2021.

Version 1.b - Renewal of Accreditation on 14 July 2021 for the period 31 December 2021 until 31 December 2023, without amendments.

Accreditation renewed on 22 June 2023 for the period 1 January 2024 until 31 December 2025 without amendment.