St. John Library Celebrates Digital Learning Day

Anita Davis works with a student at 'Code Like A Girl' camp Wednesday. (Photo provided by V.I. Next Generation Network)
Anita Davis works with a student at ‘Code Like A Girl’ camp Wednesday. (File photo provided by V.I. Next Generation Network)

Residents of St. John have can take advantage of free computer training Thursday when the Virgin Islands Next Generation Network hosts a course on “the G Suite.”

Trainer Anita Davis said the Thursday class to be held from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Elaine Sprauve Library is a pop-up workshop. It follows a similar demonstration of personal computer capabilities held at the recent St. Croix Agriculture Fair.

Those who attend the class will have a chance to learn about the different features linked to the popular Google search engine, and hear some basics about how they work.

“Digital Learning Day is going to be on that day, Feb. 28,” Davis said. “We’ve just been trying to get people interested in applying digital learning skills and how to use the Google suite.”

The G-Suite, as it is sometimes called, is a form of cloud computing featuring 10 different software applications, including calendars, email, file storage and GPS.

Davis said one of the most useful apps in the suite is the file manager, known as Google Drive.

Workshop participants will be introduced to video-based instruction on the different features in the G-Suite. One of the most frequent ways the tools are used locally is to help job seekers create resumes.

Through the Department of Labor, the viNGN coordinator said she saw a demonstration of a course called Google Applied Digital Skills. After taking a self-study course, Davis said, she found a wide variety of ways it could be practically used.

“I said to myself, this would be really helpful for children and adults. I’m hoping to set up a learning center, and in it is the resume building and a number of other classes.”

Thursday’s pop-up workshop is one of 70 free short courses viNGN has held to show groups and individuals how computer-based technology can help. They will also be shown how to set up Google accounts, if they do not already have one.

One customized course helped the V.I. Port Authority show its employees how to use a newly introduced time management system using a keyboard and a computer mouse. Children learned more about how to handle cyber bullies in a course called “What Are You Leaving Behind, Online?”

A Computer Smart, Cyber Secure class raised awareness about hackers, malware and thieves. Those wanting to produce material for blogs got the basics in “Introduction to Word Press.”

Anyone who wants to find out more before joining the Thursday session can log in to http://g.co/AppliedDigitalSkills with a Google account and enter the Class Code 23C9DT.

For educators and community groups and others: Google makes this programming available free to anyone that wants to encourage digital learning and track their students’ progress. Those interested can create a curriculum at https://applieddigitalskills.withgoogle.com.