Lesson 2: Internet Skills
Internet skills are essential in order for you to be successful in school or career. Think about the many
ways you may use the Internet weekly in education or on the job force. For example, in a course like this
one, you may register on the school’s website. You may then receive an email confirmation with the
details of the course. You then can log into the learning management system (LMS) to view course
materials and communicate with other students. Lastly, you may take your exam online or submit
graded material using email or the LMS.
At your job you may be required to take care of many tasks online, especially if you work in an office
setting.
In this section, we will discuss the following topics:

Search engines for research

Email

Online communication

Online security and safety
Lesson Objectives
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:

Describe necessary precautions to remain safe and secure online.

Explain the “cloud” and describe the ways it can be used.

List resources for online collaboration.
Using Search Engines for Research
With the Internet, you can search right from your computer, tablet, or smartphone, to find information
that you need. Whereas people once had to go to the library to search for information, much of that
information is now available online. But how do you find the information you need for a paper, work
presentation, or for personal needs? It is important to know how to efficiently use search engines to find
the data you need.
A search engine is a software
application that allows you to
search the web. When you enter
keywords or phrases, the search
engine analyzes its index to find
results that best match your query.
The search engine accomplishes this
using an automated browser (called
a web crawler or spider) to analyze web content and note how they should be indexed.
One of the most popular search engines out there is Google. Google has become so well known that the
brand itself has become a synonym for searching for information. Has someone ever told you they
“Googled it” or told you to “google” something? Google is such a powerful search engine that online
marketers concentrate on getting their products or services highly ranked by Google so that they appear
higher in search engine results—because users are more likely to follow results that appear in the first
page or two of results.
Although you can simply enter terms or phrases into a search engine like Google, you can also use more
advanced searches to target more specific information. For instance, in Google you can restrict your
search results to images by clicking the Image link in the top of the Google search engine page. You can
search only news pages by clicking News at the top of the page. You can also use the Advanced Search
feature to further refine your search results by date, language, region, or a number of other parameters,
such as domain.
However, Google is not the only search engine out there. Many other search engines exist, and people
choose to use them for a variety of reasons. Here is a list of currently popular search engines:

Bing

Google

Yahoo

Ask

Aol
If you find you prefer another search engine, access the main page of the search engine to find tips on
the best ways to use the tool.
As you search, if you find a page you would like to return to, you can use your browser’s bookmarking
feature. When you add a bookmark, you add a link to your bookmarks list so you can quickly find the
page again.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind when using search engines.

Think about the terms and/or phrases that you enter.

Use unique terms if possible.

Use simple and advanced search to help locate your results.

Enclose terms or a phrase in quotation marks if you need a specific phrase.

Once you access your results, use the Find feature in your browser (pressing Ctrl+F keys or
Command+F keys) to locate the term or phrase on the page.

Use the Boolean search terms AND, OR, or NOT, in between keywords to further refine your
results. (Boolean terms specify the search type to search engines.)
If you want to learn how to search more effectively on Google, follow this link.
Other Resources
Other tools are available to help you track and organize your data. One such tool is Evernote. You can
store notes, websites, images, to-do lists, and more in Evernote and access it from your devices, such as
your laptop, tablet, or smartphone. For more information on Evernote, visit the Evernote site.
To read an article on how you to use Evernote in education, visit this site.
Using Email
Email is a way of exchanging digital messages with other people. “Email” is short for electronic
messages, and email is typically sent over the Internet or a local computer network. One person sends
an email to another person and the message stays on the recipient’s email server until that person logs
in to retrieve it. The recipient can then reply, forward, save, or delete these messages from their
account.
Emails typically include the following parts:

A header showing the email address of both sender and recipient as well as the date and time of
the message

A subject line, which shows what the message is about

The message body, where the content of the message can be read
Web-based email services, such as Gmail or Yahoo, can be accessed anywhere you can reach the
Internet via a web browser. You can access web-based email services on an Internet-connected
computer, smartphone, or tablet device.
Some web-based email providers are listed below. Your school or employer may also give you an email
account associated with that institution. However, if you use their service, be sure to follow their
guidelines for using email. Many employers in particular have specific rules about sending and receiving
personal email at your work account.

Gmail (Google)

Hotmail

Yahoo
Email Etiquette
To use email effectively, keep the following tips in mind:

Do not type in ALL CAPS; this is the electronic equivalent of “shouting.”

Keep messages brief.

Stick to one subject per email.

Be professional and courteous.

Check your spelling and grammar before sending.

Understand the differences between To (main recipient), CC (also copied), and BCC (blindly
copied; other recipients cannot see BCC recipients) and use them appropriately.

Use group emails courteously; nobody wants their Inbox filled with numerous unnecessary
emails.

Remember that what you write is not secure or private; what you write could be accidentally
sent to others or forwarded to others, so be careful before you send.

Use the subject to clearly indicate the purpose of your email.

Avoid forwarding junk mail, jokes, chain letters, and similar messages.

Review your message to make sure your tone will not be misread;
it can be difficult to understand a person’s tone in emails.

Include your contact information in a signature if you want the
reader to have that information.
One of the game-changing advantages of the online world is the ability to
communicate with just about anyone, anywhere, at any time. Think about
the progression of communication over the last century or two. First,
voyages over land or by boat could take days, weeks, or months; people
communicated by letter and had to wait for the letter to be received and
a return letter to be sent. These times were shortened with the advent of
the railroad, cars, and airplanes. Then came the telephone, which gave
people the ability to talk and listen to each other practically instantly.
Now people can log on to a computing device and easily communicate
people
all
over
You can find more resources
on email etiquette at the
following sites:
• Purdue Writing Lab’s page
on email etiquette
Communicating Online
with
Web Resources
the
world.
Unlike
telephones,
Internet
communication allows for the use of video, too!
Video Conferencing
Video conferencing allows two people to both see and hear each other
from a distant location. To use video conferencing, you need a camera,
microphone, and speaker, as well as Internet access. One of the most
popular video conferencing tools is called Skype. Skype is conferencing
software that allows users to talk over the phone or through video. To
learn more about Skype, visit their homepage.
• Microsoft’s page on 12 Tips
for Better Email Etiquette
• About.com’s Email
Etiquette: 26 Rules to
Follow
Web-based Courses
Distance learning has grown so rapidly in recent years that many students (like you!) have chosen to
pursue their education online or take online courses to supplement traditional classroom work. Think
about the course you are taking now. Distance learning appealed to you for one reason or another, such
as flexibility, convenience, or the ability to pursue schoolwork around other aspects of your life.
Web-based courses can take many forms, depending on the school and format of the learning
management system. Some instructors may post videos for students to view. Others may include links
to online information that applies to the learning. Most schools offer ways for the community to have
online discussions. Others may use the online course component for course management, such as
posting the syllabus and course assignments and allowing students to take exams and submit
assignments online. Instructors will use whatever combination of tools works for a particular course.
Online Meetings
With online meetings, you no longer have to travel across the country to have a meeting with another
person. You simply can create a meeting online. You can even share your desktop with the other person
so you can communicate on a particular project or assignment in real time. Say you are working with a
distant colleague on a spreadsheet. One of you could open up the spreadsheet on your screen and invite
the other person to view the screen. You could also post slides or a presentation that you want to
present to others.
For more resources on setting up meetings online, see Lifehacker’s guide to the five best tools for online
meetings.
The five best resources listed include:

Google+ Hangouts

GoToMeeting

Join.me

TeamViewer

WebEx
Security and Safety Online
Although technology has provided a number of advantages to us in today’s world, they also present
some concerns we did not have in the past. One of these concerns is how to stay safe and secure online.
You may have heard stories about someone having their social media accounts or email “hacked” to
send out spam. You may have heard how others have had their computers illegally accessed and their
personal data compromised. You may have heard of data being destroyed through a virus or some other
type of malware. You may have heard other stories about bank accounts being or credit card
information being stolen. You may have even been a victim of one of these acts yourself. So you know
the importance of aiming for security and safety online.
What can you do to prevent this, you may be wondering, when even large corporations can have their
databases breached for thieves to find credit cards? Well, there are a number of ways you can try to
protect yourself online and not make it easy for thieves to access your information.
Most importantly, be extra careful when you are using a public computer, such as at the library, or when
you access a “free” wireless network, such as at a coffee shop or airport. You should avoid accessing
sensitive information, such as your bank, at such places. Additionally, if you access your personal email,
make sure you log out when you are done.
Anti-Bullying/AntiCyberbullying Policy
Our school does not tolerate
bullying or cyberbullying
behavior on the part of
students. To show our
support for anti-bullying
efforts, we have adopted
Georgia’s statewide antibullying policy, as developed
by the Georgia Department
of Education. You can access
this policy, as well as
additional resources, from
the Learning Resource Center
(LRC). Follow the Learning
Resources tab in the Student
Portal, or use this link:
http://community.ashworthc
ollege.edu/community/learni
ng_resource_center/high_sc
hool_center/high_school_gui
dance/antibullying_resources
If you are the victim of
cyberbullying
behavior,
access the Learning Resource
Center to find out what to
do.
Protecting Your System
One of the first things you need to do on any system, whether a laptop,
smartphone, or some other tool, is to download a strong antivirus
program. A virus is a type of computer code that infiltrates your system.
It may be designed to gain access to information or destroy your files. A
virus can replicate itself and spread quickly from one computer to
another.
CNet lists a number of free and paid antivirus software options on their
download security center.
If your antivirus program includes an anti-malware feature, make sure
you install that as well. Malware is hostile software designed to damage,
disrupt, or gain access to your system. CNet recommends an antimalware program such as Malware Bytes, which you can download at
their site.
You also want to install or enable a firewall program. A firewall is a
security measure designed to block intrusions. It can be a piece of
hardware you connect to your system, or it can be software. If you have
a Windows operating system, a firewall is installed and you just need to
activate it. To read more about firewalls or how to turn on a Windows
firewall, visit this page.
Passwords
Another guideline you should keep in mind is to always create a strong
password. When creating passwords, do not use your name or words
that are easy for hackers to guess, such as “password.” Create a strong password by using a combination
of letters, numbers, and symbols, as well as upper and lower case. How are you going to remember
something like that, you may be wondering. One technique is to think of a song title or a phrase and
take the first letter of each word. Put these letters together. If one of the letters is an S, you might use
the $ symbol instead. If one of the letters is an E, you might use the 3 instead, and so on. You can add
random capitalization.
Another technique is to take the same approach above, but tailor your password differently for each
site. For instance, for a LinkedIn account, you might add the letters L and I to your password.
Whatever you do, do not share your passwords. It is too easy for passwords to get into the wrong hands.
Also, do not write then down as that makes it very easy for someone to find and use your information.
Phishing
Another Internet problem is called phishing. Phishing means someone tries to access your personal
information in a variety of ways. Many phishing attempts are made via email. They are written to look
like they come from a legitimate organization, such as your bank. They may warn you about problems
with your account and provide a link to log in and look at the issue. Whatever you do, do NOT follow
such links! These are almost always fake emails created to gain access to accounts. If the email says it is
from your bank or another institution you are doing business with, close out of your email system. Open
a NEW browser window and connect to that institution the way you normally would. Whatever you do,
do not follow the link from your email. Another option would be to call your bank directly and ask about
the email.
Protecting Yourself and Your Family
When you are online, you want to make sure you are not sharing information with the wrong people.
Who are you communicating with? Do they have a legitimate need for any personal information they
are requesting? Is a site safe? Keep these questions in mind before giving information to the wrong
people. To protect yourself from visiting sites known to have malware on them, see if your antivirus
program has a safe search toolbar. If not, you may want to download one. Safe search toolbars scan
sites for malware and note their appearance when your search results are displayed.
If you have children, you want to make sure they are safe online. Make sure they do not download from
sites that could be illegitimate. They could, in fact, be downloading some sort of virus. Make sure they
know not to share their passwords with anyone, not even friends, and make sure they use strong
passwords.
Keep a number of other factors in mind as you safeguard yourself and your family. Although the Internet
is a tremendous resource, it can also be used to harm others. Some of the things you want to be aware
of include the following:

Sexually explicit or violent content

Inappropriate language

Strangers posing as “friends”

Cyberbullying

Sites promoting inappropriate content

Viruses or malware
Google offers a version of its search engine for kids, called Safe Search Engine. It aims to remove harmful
content from kids. You may want to look into it if your family needs it.
Web Exercise and Resources
Cloud-based Computing
In this part of your course, we will focus on the following topics:

Backing up data

Communication

Social media

Twenty-first century skills
Cloud-based and Other Data Backup
If you have ever lost computer data, you already know how important it
is to “back up” your files regularly. Backing up means creating a copy of
data so that you can access it if anything happens to the data on the
original device. Backing up can be accomplished in several ways, making
it easier and less expensive than ever before. Unfortunately, this is a task
that many of us put off until it is too late! Try to be proactive, especially
as you will want to keep copies of your schoolwork in a safe location.
Additionally, think about how much time you would have to spend to
create or update an entirely new set of documents. If you download
music digitally from iTunes or another service, think of how much money
you would have to spend to replace your collection. If you upload your
photos from your phone or camera to your computer, you may only have
those photos in one place. What if something happened to your hard
drive? Poof! They are gone. And it might be difficult and expensive—if
not impossible—to get them back. Take steps to protect yourself!
Visit this website to watch a
short video on creating
strong passwords.
To
keep
your
family
members safe online, visit
Google’s page on family
safety. It contains more
information on having a safe
Internet experience.
Another excellent resource
for staying safe online is Get
Safe Online.
So what are your options? If you have enough space and few files, you can save your files to a flash
drive. Most people have enough files to fit onto one or two flash drives. Another option is save copies of
your files to an external hard drive. An external hard drive can be plugged into your computer or other
device and be used quite easily. Some people go so far as to use two external hard drives; they keep one
with their computer and the other in a different location in case of theft or disaster, such as fire.
Another option that has been growing in popularity is to store files in an online service called a “cloud”
service. For more information on cloud-based services, read this article from PC Magazine.
So, what do you need to back up your files? Think of all the technology you use to store your data. You
should back up that data on a regular basis. Consider backing up the following:

Desktop computer

Laptop

Tablet

Smartphone

Music on iPod/MP3 or other music player

Photos and videos shared with your social networks

Other electronic or online devices
Cloud Communication
You read about cloud services above as a resource for backing up your data. Another useful feature of
cloud-based systems is for communication. You can use these services to share files with others. You
can even share them so you can collaborate with others on the same file.
For instance, say you are working on a presentation with another student or co-worker. Perhaps you
have drafted an outline and you want to send it to your partner for input. You can use a cloud service
that stores the file online where your partner can access the file. He or she can make edits and upload it
Web Resources
back for you to review. See how easy it is to communicate with others on
a joint project using cloud-based systems? Another benefit to using this
system is that you have backups of your files online as well.
Some examples of cloud-based systems include the following:

Google Drive

Dropbox

iCloud

SkyDrive
However, you are not restricted to the services mentioned here—or even
to using just one service. Some people use more than one system,
depending on their needs. Many other options are available if you are
interested in a cloud-based system.
Social Media
Social media is one of the advances in technology that has exploded in
recent years. Social media includes websites that allow and encourage
people, businesses, and organizations to connect, communicate, and
interact. Social media is being used in education much more frequently
as a way to encourage research opportunities and communication and
collaboration among groups.
Some of the most well-known social media sites include social
networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, where people connect and
share content with each other. However, other types of social media
exist as well. For instance, a “wiki” website such as Wikipedia encourages
According to experts, you
should back up your files
every day. To remind people
to back up their data, World
Backup
Day
is
now
“celebrated” on March 31
each year. Read the short
article on USA Today about
World Backup Day.
You should also check out
the World Backup Day site to
read more about why you
should back up and how to
do so.
For a comparison of three
main
cloud
services—
Dropbox,
SkyDrive,
and
Google Drive—review this
article from GeekInsider.
ZDNet also has an article:
Dropbox, SkyDrive, Google
Drive: which one is right for
you?
For a comparison of the
cloud-based
systems
mentioned above by cost,
review this article on
TechRadar.
Lifehacker also has a chart
outlining the costs of each
service.
Go to PCMag for information
on using more than one
service for an added layer of
security.
people to share information on individual topics. A content community such as YouTube allows people
to share videos. Those are just two examples of social media sites.
Types of Social Media
Social media can take many forms, as outlined
below.

Blogger, WordPress, and other blogging
tools – used to create a weblog, or
blog, which allows users to create an
interactive journal online

Facebook/Google+/MySpace – social
networking sites

Foursquare – a location-based social networking site

Instagram – a photo-sharing and social networking site

Twitter – a microblog where users share updates in 140 characters or less

LinkedIn – a social networking site for professionals

Pinterest – a social networking site focused on sharing images and inspiration

Wikipedia – a web encyclopedia; Wikipedia is a type of wiki, or website that allows users to add,
edit, or delete content

Second Life – a virtual social world

YouTube – a video-sharing site

Internet forums –online discussion sites

Podcasts – a digital episode broadcast through audio, video, slides, or other type of media.

Vlogs – video logs

Web Resources
Virtual games – users can play games together, such as
World of Warcraft
Here are some sites you
should check out before you
jump into the world of social
media. If you are already
using social media, you
should still read these tips
and guidelines to make sure
you are protected.
Guidelines for Effective Use
Microsoft’s Tips for Using
Social Networking Wisely
jobs for something they have posted online. If you are going to use
Social Media Gone Awry: Tips
for Teens to Stay Safe, from
Huffington Post
social media, you need to do so appropriately and responsibly.
Although social media offers a wealth of information and a means of
communication, you must think about the proper ways to use it. You
may have heard stories of students being expelled or people losing
There are many things to consider when sharing information online,
such as privacy and security. Do you know the person who has sent
you a friend request on Facebook? If not, you might not want to
accept the request, because the stranger would access personal
details about you. Before you post a photo online, think about
whether you want it out there for the public to see. Anything you
post online could be out there permanently.
Here are a few quick tips, but be sure to check out the web
resources below for more ways to protect yourself online. After
completing this self-activity, complete your lesson examination.

Use caution when clicking links or downloading apps.

Use strong passwords. For instance, use a combination of
upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.

Accept requests to connect only from people you know.

Think about whether you should use social media at work or in school. Your employer or school
may have guidelines to follow.

Review the privacy settings for each program. Learn how to limit who can see your profile,
posts, and more.
Complete the examination for Lesson 2 before moving on.