Mondays and Wednesdays from February 8 – March 4 ENP staff members Suzzy Pinal and Angie Conde led ENP’s first Spanish digital literacy class. COVID-19 has highlighted the need for basic training in computers and technology, especially among our Spanish-speaking neighbors. For 4 weeks, 12-30 students met over zoom to learn basic computer skills. The excitement as new skills were learned was palpable and the instructors enjoyed watching the students’ eyes light up as they understood new things.

All of the participants said they would recommend the course to a friend and many are eager to re-take the course to become more comfortable with their device. Some participants even bought a computer after going through the session, feeling more comfortable in their ability to navigate it. Below is some of the feedback from the post-course survey.

• The class gave me confidence in knowing how to use email and what we learned.
• I learned a lot, excellent class.
• I feel more comfortable when browsing and looking for information.
• I have learned to improve my passwords and to use my fingers when using the keyboard, and the functions of the computer.
• I feel safer using the computer and surfing the internet.
• My computer skills improved.
• For me it is a great help because I did not know how to turn on the computer and I learned that in this class.
• It gave me more knowledge about the icons on my ipad and computer.
• I have more knowledge of the computer that will help me to better manage my business and also to search for information.
• I feel more confident because now I know things that I didn’t before and I am ready for the next course.
• They taught us very important and basic points that we should know.
• This class helped us see what our children see and help them with homework, virtual classes, and surfing the internet. Sometimes we do not know how to help them on the computer.
• I would recommend this class because nowadays it is necessary to know a little more about technology.
• I would recommend this class because it is necessary and it actually helps us. Thanks for the support and I hope we have another opportunity to learn more. Thanks to the teachers because they are very trained and are very friendly and approachable. Thanks to everyone who made it possible, it was really very good and I look forward to more classes. I’m from Bakersfield but I was happy to meet people who even from a distance made me feel welcome and confident. Thank you.
• I have already recommended a support group of women and mothers of special children, because I think it would help them to find help and information for their children since most of them live in rural areas.

Suzzy shared what teaching this course meant to her: “For me, it was an unbeatable experience. I learned about myself, I discovered things in myself that I believed I did not have or that I was unable to do. I discovered that I have gifts and a huge heart that loves to teach, that is patient and does not give up, that in this great opportunity I not only taught the basics of digital literacy but also I woke in the participants the desire to continue learning. Additionally, all of the participants ask to be invited to all the programs and classes that ENP offers.”

The next course will be April 6-30. For the best interactive experience and participant support, the class is limited to 30 participants.