COMPUTER SKILLS: PROSPECTS AND CHALLENGES

Abstract: The 21st century computer education skills refer to the use of computer Microsoft Office skills,Internet skills,social networking and media skills, and digital skillsfor teaching, learning, research andcommunication. These skills are important because an increasing number of organizations and institutions oflearning are moving their services such as interview, admission, registration, payment, teaching andcommunication online thus expecting their consumers, citizens, workers, researchers, administrators andstudents to have sufficient skills to use them to succeed. Students and teachers of the 21st century should usethese skills for collaboration, communication, creativity, critical thinking, feedback, innovation, presentation,problem solving, productivity, reflection, and interactions with students, parents and with their colleaguesglobally. These skills are most relevant, useful, in-demand, and universally applicable skills for students,teachers and educational administratorsto competitively succeed in this knowledge-based society. Integratingthese skills into the curriculum of computer education and teaching students these skills shouldplacethem at thecompetitive advantage ofthis information-age, technology-driven economy and information society.Amongother challenges facing computer education in Nigeria include:inadequate funding, inadequate ICT resourcesand insufficient computer education skills which make several services unavailable, redundant andunproductive. This paper examinesthe computer skills, prospects and challenges inNigeria. The followingrecommendations among others are made for improvement in line with the global best practice ofmakingadequate fundingto education, massive training and retraining of teachers and students, provision ofinternet connectivity and electricity as well as provision of functionalone laptop per child (OLPC).

Keywords: computer education skills, ICT skills, 21st century skills,Microsoft Office skills, students andteachers in Nigeria.