New Commerce Department site serves as a hub for teaching web skills

A new Commerce Department website aims to give schools, libraries, and job training centers the tools to help teach computer and internet skills to Americans who are new to the web. The site, DigitalLiteracy.gov, offers links to federal government resources covering everything from basic web surfing tips and online banking tutorials to resume-building services and resources on combating cyber bullying. It is part of a push by the Obama administration to ensure that all Americans have access to high-speed internet connections and the skills needed to use them to compete in today’s digital economy. The site was created by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, an arm of the Commerce Department that has awarded roughly $4 billion in stimulus funding to pay for new high-speed internet networks and other broadband programs. A section called “Find Educator Tools” allows users to search for resources by skill, topic, or keyword; a search for “Child Online Protection” turned up 14 resources, including video from a White House conference on bullying earlier this year and the Department of Health and Human Services’ StopBullying.Gov website. http://www.digitalliteracy.gov ^[1]