Introduction
Choosing to pursue higher education online becomes more and more frequent because of its efficiency. However, some specific tools and devices are required for online learning. Online students can access their courses from any part of the world via their mobile phone, tablet, or laptop – these are the primary digital tools needed for studying online. Using a cellphone can be convenient in cases when there is no other choice of digital devices, it is handy when it comes to watching videos, however for completing assignments it may appear uncomfortable to use it.
Tablet, on the other hand, is a more suitable device for apprehending new information and making notes, but typing up any assignments usually becomes a challenge. Therefore, the most effective digital tool for accessing online classrooms is a laptop with the help of which students can complete all the necessary work for the courses. Moreover, that is the reason why this is the preferred device that I am planning to use to access my online courses.
Main body
Among Ashford resources, Microsoft Office is one of the most used tools during the educational process. All online work, presentations, essays are made with the help of Microsoft Office; therefore, it is an essential tool for achieving high academic goals. A digital tool like Quizlet is a practical application that helps in learning. It makes it easier for a student to learn the material wherever it is possible, which is handy if a person is always on the go.
Such digital tools help enhance academic knowledge in any possible environment. Lastly, a digital tool that helps achieve educational goals is Prezi. It might seem rather complicated at first; however, with Prezi, the presentations are not dull anymore. Such a tool helps the learning process because it engages more attention than regular presentations do; therefore, the overall impact is more effective.
With modern technology, everyone has a wide range of data storage types. Among the most common and efficient are external hard drive storage and cloud storage. An external hard disk drive is popular among people who work with a large amount of data that cannot be stored on the computer. It is detachable, which is efficient for purposes of using it on multiple devices where a USB port is available. An external hard drive is a backup device that can save one’s data in case of a computer crash. It is a great way to secure files from any internal damages to the computer. The most critical drawback of external hard drives is that any password cannot protect it; therefore, if it gets stolen, the valuable data on it can be easily accessed by someone else. The second type of data storage is cloud storage, and it is the most used type of storing files and information.
Its convenience is defined by the fact that the cloud can get connected to all your digital devices; therefore, one could access the same data on any of their digital gadgets. The usage of cloud storage increases the security of one’s files on a single platform as the password can protect it. The main drawback of such a service is that it continually requires an internet connection in case of a slow network a person is deprived of the opportunity to access the files. My data storage of choice is cloud storage because I can access all my data from any device that I have.
Conclusion
I can say that in digital literacy, I have sufficient effective searching skills. I have no problem with researching information as I know various portals and resources with academic information. I want to explore more the ability to understand digital footprints as it is vital in the modern world to know who and how others can access your information, as by creating any profiles on websites we make it potentially viewable for others (“What is digital literacy?”). Moreover, I would like to improve my knowledge about protecting personal information online, so I could be aware of how to secure myself from any potential hacker threats.
Reference
What is digital literacy? (n.d.). Web.