Lack of knowledge

One big contributor to computer phobia is the fear of not knowing enough about computers. Many people are simply overwhelmed the first time they sit down at a system by the thought that they .ire going to have to learn everything about it.
As noted previously, one explanation for this may be found in the various. Opinions people have of what constitutes computer literacy and the levels of knowledge that might be necessary. Another is the widespread belief that to be truly effective requires either a technical education (such as math or engineering), or an ability to program. Colleges and universities that offer continuing education courses in programming and other computer-related skills are seeing increased enrollments as many workers return to the classroom to acquire such backgrounds. Part of what makes people uncomfortable with their level of knowledge is the huge amounts of reference material associated with most hardware and software. Manuals that run 300 to 500 pages tend to be more the rule than the exception, and can be very intimidating to those just beginning. A typical personal computer found in many businesses will probably be accompanied by:
1 Guide to Operations
1 Manual detailing the Disk Operating System
1 Guide to BASIC programming
1 Manual for each of the software packages running on that particular system
For a system supporting only one software package, this already totals four thick sets of reference manuals, and more will be added each time someone wants to do something new. Place all this material next to the machine and you will gain a quick understanding of why people feel uneasy. Most people don’t need to become programmers, nor do they need to understand the majority of what is contained in the reference manuals. For example, the manual that details the disk operating system contains information on how to use well over 80 different commands. An average user will probably never need more than four or five. Those returning to school to learn a programming language, solely because they believe it necessary to use a personal computer, will be disappointed to discover that they will probably never really need those skills. Hundreds of software packages already exist to do just about every kind of task imaginable, and many were designed to be used by people with absolutely no background in programming or computers in general. This isn’t to say that all this education is in vain, or that you can throw away the reference manuals. Computers, after all, do function in a highly logical manner, which they impose on those who use them. Knowledge of programming logic is certainly useful in understanding how computers process information, and the reference manuals can get users through just about any situation, once they know where to look. Unfortunately, a great many people find themselves with a with a system on their desk, five or six manuals stacked next to it, and no idea of where to begin to make sense of it. Left on their own, many quickly develop a sense of inadequacy that can sometimes border on panic. Training can very definitely make inroads on this particular brand of computer phobia by breaking the education process down into manageable units of information. For example:
Material from reference manuals can be extracted and condensed into brief summaries containing the most important facts or most frequently used options.
So-called cheat sheets, which provide a quick guide to functions and commands, can be put together for each software package.
Troubleshooting guides can be prepared to explain what to do when an error message is encountered, and who to contact if a problem can’t be resolved.
A one- or two-page overview describing what the primary reference manuals contain, and where to look for particular information, should accompany each system. Rather than teach entire software packages, some thought might be given to tailoring them to specific audiences. For example instead of teaching “How to use Lotus 1-2-3,” it might prove more valuable to offer a program on “Using Lotus 1-2-3 for Sales Analysis.”Provide a list of recommended readings, or copies of informative or helpful how-to articles.
There’s no getting around the fact that people are going to have to learn new things and develop new ways of thinking through problems as they begin using personal computers. How they go about that process, however, will often determine whether a personal computer ends up as a tool for productivity or an instrument that produces fear and frustration.

 

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Lack of keyboard skills

This particular category applies to a surprisingly large number of people, many of them in management and executive positions, who are being asked to pass judgment on the acquisition and placement of personal computers in their organizations.
Typing skills and knowledge of keyboards have generally been the province of those working in secretarial or clerical positions, dominated primarily by women. Only in the last decade have typing skills become more universally accepted as important to other jobs and careers. A great many managers, executives, and other professionals, particularly those over 40, never learned to type.
Now, they are suddenly being asked to use a technology that nothing in their education or job experience has prepared them for. Many have always had access to secretaries or office typing pools and the thought of typing one’s own letters, reports, and memorandums is somehow demeaning to a large number of these success-oriented males.

It is easy to understand why this can scare the daylights out of almost an entire generation of decision makers. Many of them not only share the usual frustrations of learning about computers, but have to do so at an agonizing hunt and peck pace. The magical productivity value of the personal computer is lost amidst the jumble of the keyboard.
The problem is further complicated by pride. Many of these people don’t want to be seen by their staffs as not knowing something, particularly something like typing. They view this gap as a weakness that might somehow affect their control of the work, or possibly their careers.
Some of these men and women treat their inability to type in a manner reminiscent of someone who can’t read or write. If given a personal computer, they often try to ignore it as long as they can or ask others to help them do something (“I don’t think this thing is working right. How about trying to get it to do this •. .“). When they do turn it on it is often done behind closed doors where others can’t see them trying to figure out how to use a keyboard. These individuals are among the first to delegate the technology to someone else, or otherwise move the machines out of their offices. This may seem like a small thing to dwell on, since many of these people can easily bluff their way through or simply delegate the computer and its keyboard to someone else. One of the problems, however, is that such people wield a lot of power, which they can use to keep the technology out of their offices or departments and thus avoid any kind of embarrassment at all. (As I have watched personal computers begin the march to the desk tops, I have seen frequent attempts made to stop or divert them. In several of these cases, I believe that the lack of typing skills on behalf of the person or persons making the decisions played a prominent part in the underlying rational for keeping them Out.)The need to learn keyboard skills may not be a pressing priority for a lot of those currently in such high level positions, since the greatest impact of personal computers is still in the future. Many of these individuals will make it through their careers without having to worry about using the personal computer as an integral part of their jobs. The next generation of managers and executives, however, will have to possess a greater knowledge of keyboards than did their predecessors. This has the potential of becoming a sensitive training issue in some organizations, one that will require some tact and perseverance in overcoming. It seems inevitable, however, that typing skills will become a necessity in higher level positions that never required them before. Management may not want to hear this, but it is a subject that will have an effect on how they do their jobs in the future. It is to everyone’s benefit if these issues are discussed and planned for openly. It will also require some special training approaches to meet the needs of such a special audience. Until these things occur, the lack f education in typing and keyboard skills will play a part in the fear people have of personal computers in their offices.

 

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Computer Knowledgeable

This stage consists of:

Learning of vocabulary. Finding out what makes of system unit. Finding out how personal computers fit into an organization’s plans. Reading some basic hooks instructions manuals. Discovering the issues in personal computing. Talking with au experienced user who can share insights and horror stories

Personal Computing:

Getting a feel for what the big picture is in terms of how personal computers will be used

Developing a feel for what the various software programs are, and how they apply to particular jobs

Computer practical:

In this second stage, a person should:

Have a good understanding of how all the pieces of a personal computer fit together and knowing what they do be able to turn everything on and use the operating system (DOS or its equivalent)

Software informed:

This third stage of development sees a user:

Understand how to apply one or more software programs to a particular job. Staying abreast of how programs are being used or developed elsewhere, and also within the user’s organization .Keeping up with new software releases. Remaining well versed in practicing backup, security, and documentation

Applications capable:

The fourth level of development entails:

Knowing the ins and outs of one or more software packages. Having an ability to make the software do what the user wants it to. Knowing where information is and how to access it. Having a basic understanding of common error messages, and knowing how to deal with them

Applications resource:

A person at this level:

Can troubleshoot particular software or hardware problems, and can run the necessary diagnostic programs .Can performs system upgrades (install memory chips, boards, modems, etc.).Stays abreast of the literature and read one or more books or periodicals a month. Can answer other people’s questions, and help match hardware and software to a particular need Knows when not to do something

Computer conversant:

If there is a truly literate stage, this would be it. A person at this level would have mastered each of the preceding stages and added them:

Ability to program in one or more computer languages. The important thing to remember about computer literacy is that technology is changing so quickly that few people will ever truly become literate as we now do not define that word, nor does everyone need to know everything. Managers, for example, will want to know what personal computers are capable of, what types of information can best be processed with them, and how to ask for that information. Managers won't always need to know how to produce that information themselves, and few managers have the time to write their own programs. Computer knowledge should perhaps be viewed along the lines of a classical education, in which people learn a little about a lot, Through such a process they will discover that the key to controlling the future of this technology lies not so much in doing something with it, as in understanding everything it is capable of.

COMPUTER PHOBIA:

When it comes to working with computers, there’s no getting around the fact that some people are just plain scared. Many people are reluctant when they first begin. What causes these apprehensions varies from person to person, but most of these anxieties can be traced to one of the following categories:

A genuine fear of computers. A fear of somehow damaging the system. Lack of typing skills or a general knowledge of keyboards. A fear of not ever being able to learn as much as is needed. Being intimidated by the language (or jargon).Each of these is a valid feeling or concern for the person experiencing it, and will have a definite impact on how well they will adapt to the technology and how quickly they will learn it. In each case, having an understanding of why people feel the way they do can help make the transition easier (though not always successful).

 

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