FUNCTIONAL SKILLS IN IT

Functional Skills in Information Technology Area



Functional Skills in Information Technology Area

Introduction

Functional skills are described as the core competency skills elements of English, Mathematics, and ICT (Information and Communication Technology). Functional skills provide the knowledge, skills, abilities, and enhance the competency of a person to work effectively and independently in life. Functional skills enhance the capability of a person to work effectively in their specializing domain, life and at work.

Command over functional skills enhances the confidence of a person that provide significant benefits in daily life activities related to professional competencies (White 2010, 31). Functional skills enable the person to apply understanding and knowledge in everyday life, communicate effectively, and confidently with others, solve complex problems through their intellectual capacity that are enhanced through functional skills development.

Contemporary functional skills aim at enhancing the problem solving capacity of an individual. It also enhances their capacity to process complex information knowledge in fields of English, Math, and ICT (Harrison 2008, 91). Role of functional knowledge in Information Technology specialty is very essential. In IT field, people face challenging situations; requiring concentrated information processing related to a particular problem, and assessing the appropriate solutions needed (White 2010, 63).

Difference between Functional Skills and Other Skills

Basic skills are limited to the formation of basic building blocks of literacy, numeracy, and language qualifications. In contrast to that, key skills are a subjective approach towards enhancing the communication and information processing capacity specifically related to application of number. Key skills are referred as integrated learning having vocational context in different learning methods. This leads to basis of functional skills, which are related to functional area expertise in English, math, and ICT. Skills for Life assess the basic skills of speaking, listening, reading, writing, ICT and Mathematics (Harrison 2008, 94). They are concerned with improving the literacy, language, and numeracy skills of adults through innovative teaching and learning.

Embedding Functional Skills in Information Technology Specialty

Functional skills can be embedded discretely, partially embedded, mostly embedded, and fully embedded. In IT specialty, mostly embedded mechanism is suitable for functional skills development in learners. This will be taught by functional skills specialists with reinforcement and application through a range of purposeful contexts developed and applied across the programs (Harrison 2008, 118).

Overlapping skills model is most appropriate to embed functional skills development in IT specialty area. In IT area, it is necessary to encourage effective listening and ...