Section 1: Developing Digital Content
Resources on this page
You will find resources related to the following topics:
- Assessing your digital-content-making strengths and weaknesses
- Developing document creation skills; e.g., documents, presentations, spreadsheets
- Learning about common design tools
There is a wide range of digital content that you can create, from simple Word documents to complex multimedia presentations. The following resources can help you identify your strengths and areas for improvement, as well as teach you how to get the most out of popular software tools.
Assessments
If you completed the Digital literacy assessment tools for service providers, you received a snapshot of your digital content strengths and weaknesses. You and/or your clients may wish to participate in more detailed assessments for each type of software to see where you can improve. For example, Northstar provides free interactive assessments on popular tools like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. There are also free basic computer skills learning modules.
Microsoft Learning Resources
Microsoft provides a range of free video tutorials that explain some of the basic and advanced features in Word, Excel, PowerPoint and more. Goodwill Community Foundation also provides free step-by-step tutorials on how to use Microsoft products. Each one culminates in a quiz to test what you have learned.
Google Learning Resources
Google provides free training on its popular tools, such as Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Google Slides. If you or your clients would like to learn more about Google Workspace tools, you can try one or all ten of the video-based lessons in this Applied Digital Skills collection.
Goodwill Community Foundation (GCF) also provides free step-by-step tutorials on how to use Google products. Each one culminates in a quiz to test what you have learned.
Creativity and Design Tools
You don’t need to be a graphic designer to create visual content. A good place to start learning is with Goodwill Community Foundation’s tutorials on creativity and design, which include lessons on general design principles as well as on specific software such as Canva and Photoshop.
Ready to try videos? Powtoon and Vyond both offer simple ways to create animated videos that can be used by your workplace for a variety of purposes, including training or marketing your program(s).
Powtoon
Vyond
https://youtu.be/tR50jRU7KZc
References & Resources
GCF Global. (n.d.a). Creativity & design. https://edu.gcfglobal.org/en/topics/creativity-and-design/
GCF Global. (n.d.b). Google. https://edu.gcfglobal.org/en/topics/googleapps/
GCF Global. (n.d.c). Microsoft. https://edu.gcfglobal.org/en/subjects/microsoft-office/
Google. (n.d.a). Applied digital skills: Google Workspace training. Google for Education. https://applieddigitalskills.withgoogle.com/c/en/workspace
Google. (n.d.b). Explore the Google Workspace Learning Center. Google Workspace. https://workspace.google.com/training/
Microsoft. (n.d.). Microsoft 365 training. https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/training
NorQuest College. (2022). Digital literacy assessment tools for service providers. https://www.norquest.ca/about-us/research-and-innovation/research-projects/empowering-newcomers-to-succeed/digital-literacy-assessment-tools-for-service-providers.aspx
Northstar Digital Literacy. (2022). Home page. https://www.digitalliteracyassessment.org/
Powtoon. (2022). Home page. https://www.powtoon.com/?locale=en
Powtoon. (2014, March 25). Learn how to make an animated video in under 10 minutes [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyB1Y9xkSec&ab_channel=Powtoon
Vyond. (2022). Home page. https://www.vyond.com/
Vyond. (2018, May 6). Vyond tutorials: How to make a video [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tR50jRU7KZc&ab_channel=Vyond
Any material that is produced and made available in a digital form; for example, blogs, infographics, videos, and podcasts
