ECDL Foundation Blog
They Say that you Should Never be Taught How to Drive by Your Parents
December 07, 2012
Similarly, parents shouldn’t be taught how to use a computer by their children.
Mobile Technology Even Changes How we Formally Acquire Knowledge
November 05, 2012
For many, mobile technology is indispensable – to the point that they feel a serious degree of separation anxiety when their smartphone is not within arm’s reach. As more and more services are moving online, the providers of those services are also required to make them available for mobile platforms. Whatever about social media platforms, which – due to their reliance on immediate participation – are almost now wholly dependent on users’ mobile access, it is not at all uncommon to see people selecting their television viewing for the weekend whilst commuting to work on a train.
Keeping Personal Data Safe – it’s as Much About the User’s Behaviour as it is About Where the Data is Stored
June 28, 2012
In relation to the security of data, much attention focuses on whether the cloud is ‘fit for purpose’, or whether an individual’s data is safer if stored on a local server, or even on local drives. Critics of the cloud raise concerns about the integrity of huge, remotely located servers: once the firewall is breached, an enormous breadth of an individual’s or organisation’s data is potentially subject to exploitation. It is almost impossible to assess the validity of this criticism, but the focus does draw attention away from another, potentially more influential, security consideration – that of the actions of the user.
e-Skills Week 2012 Highlights the Importance of Essential ICT Skills for European Employment
March 29, 2012
e-Skills Week 2012 is a European campaign focused on showing people how to get jobs through e-skills in the digital age. Building on the success of e-Skills Week 2010, the European Commission DG for Enterprise and Industry has again teamed up with a variety of key stakeholders[1] to drive awareness of the need for e-skills and their benefits – with a specific emphasis on driving European employment, and ultimately productivity.
Skills on the Move?
March 15, 2012
The high-profile launch of the most recent tablet has some technology commentators speculating that eventually the home computer (laptop or desktop) will eventually become redundant, on account of the predicted trends in how we interact with technology.
Portuguese Minister Receives an ECDL Foundation Award for Excellence
June 20, 2010
Ten years ago, the Portuguese Minister for Labour and Social Solidarity and other key policy makers saw the need to considerably improve the digital skills and knowledge of Public Sector workers through ECDL Certification. This was a very forward thinking measure – the Portuguese government was already investing heavily in the development of the country’s broadband network and ICT infrastructure (with broadband coverage now nearly at an enviable 100%), yet the Government also identified the importance of training and certification as a means to raise the country’s levels of digital literacy.
Skills Development as a Driver of Economic Recovery
June 07, 2010
All national economies have been adversely affected by the downturn of recent years, and much has been written and said about what can be done to improve the situation. One element of the debate that perhaps is not really discussed in the mainstream media is the importance of the role of e-skills development in driving economic recovery.
European Commission's Digital Agenda for Europe
May 20, 2010
This recently released document outlines the European Commission’s strategy to properly address the current digital issues facing Europe in an effort to create a really competitive, inclusive, and digitally streamlined society for all Europeans.
The Launch of the European e-Skills Association is a Welcome Development
March 04, 2010
ECDL Foundation has a genuine interest in all national and international initiatives that promote digital skills’ development and digital literacy, so it will be unsurprising that we endorse and support the recent launch of the European e-Skills Association (EeSA) – in fact, we are one of its founding members. EeSA was launched at the opening event of the European e-Skills Week, and its reason for being is to highlight the need (and urgency) to further develop and promote e-skills and digital literacy within Europe. We share EeSA’s other members’ belief that e-skills will be the differentiating factor in the creation of new ideas, jobs and services as Europe strives to propel itself into a more economically dynamic, inclusive, and prosperous era.
The European Commission’s e-Skills Initiative is both Relevant and Forward-Thinking
March 03, 2010
All national economies have been adversely affected by the downturn of recent years, and much has been written and said about what can be done to improve the situation. One element of the debate that perhaps is not really debated in the mainstream media is the importance of the role of e-skills development in driving economic recovery.
