Nielsen says schools should teach life-long computer skills

In the latest Alertbox from Jacob Nielsen, he tells that schools should be teaching kids life-long computer skills, not just the kinds of things they can learn from a manual. He emphasizes the need to learn concepts as opposed to features, the kinds of things kids won’t necessarily learn on their own.

His list includes skills such as search strategies, information credibility, dealing with information overload, writing for the web, and how to make effective presentations.

An interesting end note to the Alertbox (bold by me):

In their book, The New Division of Labor: How Computers Are Creating the Next Job Market, Frank Levy and Richard J. Murnane highlight three key skills that are less likely to be offshored or automated in the future. Those skills are problem solving, understanding the relation between concepts, and interpersonal communication. The life-long computer skills I’ve outlined here can similarly prepare students for the type of careers that will be sustainable as globalization intensifies.