But a group of researchers would like to add another to the list - digital information literacy.
In an increasingly digital world, those without the ability to access, understand, manage and evaluate digital information literacy would be left behind, project leader Bronwyn Hegarty, educational developer at Otago Polytechnic, said.
"If you are not able to work with the internet and computers, it is becoming increasingly difficult to study at tertiary level, for one.
But other important aspects of our lives also require some use of the computer: internet banking, for example, plus the many industries or professions for which we prepare students which all use computer-based systems."
Ms Hegarty and five other women - Merrolee Penman, Dawn Coburn, Jenny McDonald, Lynn Jeffrey and Oriel Kelly - have just completed a two-year, Ministry of Education-funded study looking at what digital information literacy is and how adult New Zealand learners acquire the digital information literacy skills they need.
All are involved with tertiary education.
Working with a small number of staff and students from four institutions - Otago Polytechnic, the University of Otago, Massey University and Manukau Institute of Technology - they organised a series of small group workshops where participants were supported and encouraged to learn in a relaxed, non-threatening way.
Assessing the participants at the beginning and end of the 10-week programme revealed 95% of them increased their digital information literacy.
With encouragement, participants felt comfortable about exploring their computers and trying new things, the women said.
"Books are seen as authoritative sources of information.
"We need to encourage computer users to become `informed risk takers' with digital information," Ms Hegarty said.
"Play is usually associated with children, but it's also relevant for adults.
"When people are given time and space to try out technologies, they develop confidence and become less fearful.
"But there's the attitude that doing that is not doing work and there is no time," she said.
Ms Penman, the lead researcher and academic leader of Otago Polytechnic's occupational therapy programme, echoed that view.
"Books, pens and paper have been with us for a very long time, while the digital era accessible through personal computers has only been around for about 10 years.
"The digital age is very, very new, so it is not surprising that many of us have struggled to gain mastery over technology."
An attitude shift was also required for those who thought they were computer literate, Ms Penman said.
They needed to "get over themselves" and realise that however much they thought they knew about computers and electronic resources the digital climate was changing so rapidly there was always more to learn.
Learning from others proved to be a major benefit of the workshops, Ms McDonald, a staff member at the University of Otago's higher educational development unit, said.
"You don't know what you don't know.
"If you see your neighbour at the next computer doing something, it might spark your interest in learning about that [technique] too.
"That was a trend we saw emerge."
While the study was not predictive, Ms Hegarty said she was "fairly confident" the small group/informal learning model could be transferred to others outside the tertiary sector and be successful.
However, the learning had to be flexible, former University of Otago staff member and now PhD student Dawn Coburn said.
"It can't be a prescriptive course.
"Participants have got to want to learn and be personally involved.
"They also need peer support.
"Something like the SeniorNet model would be most similar."
SeniorNet, which offers low-cost computer instruction to over 55-year-olds, began in the US in 1986.
It started in this country in 1992 and now encompasses 88 learning centres.
With the encouragement of senior managers, Ms Hegarty and Ms Penman said they have tried to encourage polytechnic staff to participate in similar workshops in their own departments.
However, not everyone thought it was a good idea.
"The uptake wasn't good.
"It seems people want `just in time' help and can't make the time for courses," Ms Hegarty said.
"But you don't know when `just in time' is going to come.
"We are trying to get staff prepared before they need the information," Ms Penman added.
Workshop findings
- 95% of participants increased their digital information literacy
- Workshops provided supportive environment where participants able to experiment and make mistakes
- Participants helped each other out informally
- Participants learned at their own pace
- Participants more involved if skills acquired seen as relevant to workplaces or personal lives