The education sector needs to keep up with the dynamic nature of the technological landscape. Students need to be equipped with 21st-century skills and digital literacy to adapt to the digital-focused workplaces.
Technology has become an integral part of our daily lives; hence, it is crucial to learn digital skills. There is a lack of quality ICT (Information Communication Technology) education in most educational institutes. Traditional education has faced some downfalls to no one’s surprise.
The younger generation is at risk of being out of touch and rigid in the dynamic information-focused world. Resorting or sticking to the old school curriculum will leave students stunted technologically. Hence, digital literacy is of the utmost importance.
What is digital literacy?
Digital literacy means being digitally sound. That is, learning skills that are necessary to navigate through digital systems. To be digitally literate means you need the following skills:
Critical thinking: Developing critical thinking skills is crucial when we are surrounded by information in many forms. Media and information literacy is one of the most basic competencies that people should learn.
Communication and collaboration: Our medium of communication is heavily aided by digital tools and digital literacy developed in childhood. Therefore, childhood training helps individuals, later on, to navigate and adapt to these forms of communication easily.
Content creation: Using digital tools to create original and compelling content such as blogs, web designing, newsletters, podcasts, and videos, among others, is integral to content creation and marketing in today’s world.
Data collection: In a digitally focused environment, it is necessary to sift through different forms of information available on digital platforms and collate data. Developing the skills to collect data is key to data management.
What are the key benefits of digital literacy?
Being digitally sound is not just about developing tech skills, but also respecting the dignity of other users on the internet. Here are some key benefits of being digitally literate:
- Being responsible and ethical digital citizens
- Being cognizant of others’ privacy and individual well-being
- Creating purposeful content on web platforms
- Increased social interaction and collaboration
- Lifelong skills that are adaptable to the ever-evolving digital landscape
Importance of cultivating digital literacy in students
Employability through digital literacy:
The role of schools in developing students’ characters and in preparing them for the real world has been recognised and given due credit. However, job markets nowadays are digitally focused now, more than ever, due to the dynamic digital environment. The technology space is rapidly evolving, but the same cannot be said of the education curriculum.
Jobs at all levels require candidates to have at least basic digital skills. Companies nowadays are seeking digitally inclined professionals now more than ever. Institutions around the world have transitioned from commodities and labor to being grounded in knowledge and digitalization.
Half of the global professionals will require reskilling. In 2020, the WEF (World Economic Forum) published a study entitled, ‘The Future of Jobs’, in which it predicts that workplaces globally will witness a groundbreaking shift in terms of which skills are employable and which are not. Technological advancement and innovation are the driving forces behind hundreds of employees reskilling and upskilling themselves.
Digital advancements have been revolutionary in the fields of healthcare, finance, and communication. Due to the pervasiveness of digital tools in our lives, it’s time we promoted digital literacy in the younger generation. Increasing the digital competency of students so they become career ready should be the focus of educational sectors going forward.
Digital literacy in the era of algorithms and AI:
AI-powered tools could help overcome some barriers to digital literacy. More and more services such as customer service, virtual assistance, and workflow optimization, amongst others, are being automated. If used as intended, students can leverage AI to enhance their digital skills.
With newer forms of digital innovation on the horizon, we need to rethink digital literacy for students in the age of AI and algorithms. The advent of AI has led to data automation and widespread surveillance. Being digitally literate now extends to being aware of AI and developing an understanding of algorithms.
Being AI literate could include:
- Understanding how data-driven automated systems function around us.
- Working with AI and algorithms to enhance our skills.
- With new technological inventions, surveillance, and unethical usage, concerns are rising globally. AI literacy could help in safeguarding one’s privacy and well-being.
In conclusion, the development of digital skills is crucial in the new data-information-focused world. We will be putting the younger generation at a great disadvantage if we don’t include digital literacy within the standard education curriculum. With newer forms of technology on the horizon, being digitally sound is especially of more significance now.
