Most important computing skills for a child to learn

[brong]

So cuddlefairy asked at pub last night - "what do you think are the 5 most important computing skills for a child to have coming out of school".

subtle-eye and I discussed this backwards and forwards for a while. In the end we settled on the following list (in order of agreeing on them). Keep in mind that we're trying to be pretty technology agnostic here, so we're

Comments

[dcrisp]

Communication: The fact that it provides access to the most powerfull communications system every invented, and that you need to communicate clearly forit to be effective. eg: no sarcasm, your humour wont be obvious etc..

[diz_beth]

being able to generalise their skills - ie having exposure to different programs, operating systems etc etc so that if/when faced with one they're not familiar with they have the confidence to learn it.

Under document management, the importance of backups!

They all sound good. And important :-). I think point 4 is particularly important

Hello

[anonymous]

I'm new here, just wanted to say hello and introduce myself.

[pyrrha17]

You forgot using email: being able to write/send/receive communications in that medium, plus using attachments, etc. Or is that included under the broad thing of 'internet'?

Or is email so commonplace now that it's not even classed under "computer skills"?

Also, the "coming out of school", was that referring to primary or high school? Because honestly, I wouldn't include your point four if it is a reference to primary school. High school, then yes.

Include mp3s in the multimedia skillz.

[pyrrha17]

I'm saying that for grade six kids, programming might have been introduced as "something you can do with computers", but I certainly wouldn't expect it to be a skill that they have actually gained by then.

[traeemery]

I agree on the email. So many employers (for lower level/first jobs) want to see that email is on the CV. (Yes, these guys prob don't get Gen Y can deal because email wasn't invented when they were that age.) The other ones I would have said is Spreadsheeting and basic end user database concepts. It's really hard to get an "unskilled" office job without these and even a lot of blue collar jobs require people to use PCs to interact with a database.
I think that programming is a nice to have. I started programming at age 7 or 8. It is a concept that comes more easily at a younger age when language is still being learn so the change in syntax isn't a big deal. In reality, most peole don't program. Install and configuration though should be something that everyone has concepts of.

[pyrrha17]

I am taking this question from the assumption that cuddlefairy meant "skills kids should have on leaving primary school", given she's a primary teacher. So hopefully skills learned in primary school wouldn't really be making an appearance on someone's CV!

[aunty_del]

I'd put emailing in the list in preference to programming.

I'm 40 and was therefore educated pre-computers (when I was in year 11 & 12 my high school had a few Commodore 64s), so all my computer experience has been as an adult. Of your list, I can comfortably tick off the first three; the fifth I can do a bit of; but with the exception of a few basic Excel calculations and totals, the fourth has me fleeing in terror.