Digital literacy and why it matters

University of Derby

5 Nov 201402:54

Summary

TLDRDigital literacy is crucial for navigating modern life, encompassing more than just tech skills. It's essential for employment, education, and accessing information, with 90% of new jobs requiring high ICT skills. It also involves evaluating online content, understanding online safety, and embracing the evolving digital world.

Takeaways

🌐 Digital literacy is increasingly important as it affects how we communicate and access information in various digital environments.
💻 Beyond basic tech use, digital literacy involves navigating and communicating through digital platforms, such as completing online applications.
🤔 The level of digital literacy varies based on personal needs for information and opportunities provided by the digital world.
📈 High-level Information and Communication Technology (ICT) skills are crucial for 90% of new graduate jobs, emphasizing the importance of digital literacy in employability.
🏢 The competitive and dynamic job market demands that individuals possess digital literacy skills to enhance their employability.
🎓 Students are expected to have digital literacy skills in addition to their academic qualifications to improve their chances of employment post-graduation.
📚 Learning methods have evolved, with instant access to information and research via the web, and multimedia content being used in teaching and assignments.
🖥️ Assessed work and feedback are increasingly being submitted and provided electronically, highlighting the need for digital literacy in educational settings.
🤝 Online platforms facilitate communication and collaboration on content, which is a new requirement and responsibility that comes with digital literacy.
🔍 Evaluating the authenticity and validity of information is a critical aspect of digital literacy, as is understanding online safety and etiquette.
🌟 As technology advances, digital literacy will become even more necessary, particularly in a global context where cultures, languages, and communication modes intersect.

Q & A

What is digital literacy and why has its importance grown in recent years?
-Digital literacy refers to the ability to navigate, locate, evaluate, and communicate information using digital technologies. Its importance has grown due to the increasing reliance on digital environments in communication, work, and education.
What are the basic skills required for digital literacy?
-Basic skills for digital literacy include knowing how to use a computer, locating and completing online tasks such as job applications, and understanding how to evaluate the authenticity of digital information.
How does digital literacy impact our social lives?
-Digital literacy impacts our social lives by enabling us to use social media to keep up with friends, arrange social events, and engage in online communities, though some people may choose not to engage with social media at all.
Why are digital literacy skills crucial for the modern job market?
-Digital literacy skills are crucial because 90% of new graduate jobs require high-level Information and Communication Technology (ICT) skills, making them essential for employability in a competitive and changeable jobs market.
How does digital literacy affect the educational sector?
-Digital literacy affects education by necessitating that students acquire these skills alongside their qualifications to become employable upon graduation. It also influences how information is accessed, taught, and assessed, with an increasing move towards electronic submissions and online feedback.
What are some of the new ways to learn that have emerged due to digital literacy?
-New ways to learn include instant access to information and research via the web, the use of video, audio, and images for teaching and assignments, and the facilitation of communication and collaboration through various online platforms.
What responsibilities come with the new opportunities provided by digital literacy?
-Responsibilities include understanding how to evaluate the authenticity and validity of information, ensuring online safety, managing one's online identity, and being aware of the etiquette of online communication.
How will the development of technology affect the necessity of digital literacy skills?
-As technology develops, particularly with the overlap and intersection of cultures, languages, and communication modes, digital literacy skills will become even more necessary to navigate and understand this evolving digital landscape.
Why is it important for everyone to be prepared to embrace the new digital landscape?
-It is important because being prepared allows individuals to confidently and competently guide future generations through the complexities of the digital world, ensuring they are equipped to succeed in an increasingly digital-dependent society.
What are some of the challenges that come with the advancement of digital literacy?
-Challenges include staying updated with rapidly changing technology, ensuring privacy and security in online interactions, and adapting to new forms of communication and cultural nuances in the digital space.
How can individuals ensure they are developing the necessary digital literacy skills?
-Individuals can ensure they are developing necessary skills by engaging with digital environments, seeking continuous education and training, and staying informed about best practices in online safety and communication.

Outlines

00:00

💻 The Importance of Digital Literacy

This paragraph introduces the concept of digital literacy and its growing significance in our daily lives. It explains that digital literacy is not just about operating technology but also about effectively navigating and communicating in various digital platforms. The paragraph emphasizes the necessity of digital literacy in different aspects of life, such as work, social interactions, and education. It highlights the importance of these skills for employability, especially with the increasing demand for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) skills in the job market. The paragraph also touches on the impact of digital literacy on education, the new ways of learning, and the responsibilities that come with it, such as evaluating information authenticity and maintaining online safety and etiquette.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Digital literacy

Digital literacy refers to the ability to access, evaluate, create, and communicate information using digital technologies. It is central to the video's theme as it discusses the necessity of this skill in various aspects of life, including work, social interactions, and education. The script mentions that digital literacy is not just about operating a computer but also navigating and communicating through different digital platforms.

💡ICT skills

ICT skills, or Information and Communication Technology skills, encompass a range of abilities related to using computers, software, and networks for communication and information processing. The video highlights that 90% of new graduate jobs require a high level of ICT skills, emphasizing their importance in the modern job market and the need for students to develop these alongside their academic qualifications.

💡Employability

Employability refers to the qualities and skills that make a person more likely to secure and maintain employment. In the context of the video, having the right digital literacy skills is essential for employability, as it directly impacts a graduate's ability to succeed in a competitive and rapidly changing jobs market.

💡Education

Education in the script is portrayed as an environment where digital literacy skills are not just beneficial but necessary. It is mentioned that students need these skills in addition to their qualifications to become employable upon graduation. The video also touches on how digital literacy affects the way students learn, research, and submit assessed work.

💡Online platforms

Online platforms are digital environments that facilitate communication, collaboration, and the sharing of content. The script discusses how these platforms can be used for teaching, student assignments, and providing feedback, indicating a shift towards digital methods of education and the importance of being literate in these spaces.

💡Authenticity

Authenticity, in the context of the video, pertains to the ability to evaluate the credibility and reliability of information found online. As the script mentions, with the wealth of information available, it is crucial for individuals to understand how to assess the authenticity of sources to ensure they are accessing valid and trustworthy data.

💡Online identity

Online identity refers to the digital representation of a person, which can include their online behavior, digital footprint, and the information they share about themselves. The video script touches on the importance of understanding one's online identity, implying the need for individuals to be aware of how they present themselves in digital spaces and the potential implications of their online presence.

💡Etiquette

Etiquette in the video script refers to the customary code of polite behavior in society, specifically in the context of online communication. It suggests that as we navigate digital environments, it is important to be aware of and adhere to the social norms and expectations that govern interactions in these spaces.

💡Competence

Competence, as discussed in the video, is the ability to do something successfully or efficiently. The script emphasizes the need for individuals to be confident and competent in their digital literacy skills to effectively navigate the digital landscape and to guide future generations.

💡Cultural overlap

Cultural overlap in the script refers to the intersection of different cultures, languages, and modes of communication in the digital world. It suggests that as technology develops, the ability to understand and adapt to these overlaps will become increasingly important for digital literacy.

💡New opportunities

New opportunities in the video script relate to the various ways in which digital literacy can enhance learning and communication. Examples from the script include instant access to information and research via the web, the use of multimedia in teaching and assignments, and the ability to collaborate through online platforms, all of which are facilitated by digital literacy.

Highlights

Digital literacy is crucial in our workplaces, social lives, and educational settings.

Digital literacy involves more than just using technology; it's about navigating and communicating through various digital environments.

Different digital skills are required for tasks ranging from turning on a computer to completing an online job application.

Participation in digital environments is shaped by personal needs for information and opportunities.

Some people use social media for social interactions, while others may not engage with it at all.

High-level Information and Communication Technology (ICT) skills are required for 90% of new graduate jobs.

Having the right digital literacy skills is essential for employability in a competitive and changeable job market.

Digital literacy is becoming increasingly important in education for employability after graduation.

There are new ways to learn, such as accessing information and research instantly via the web.

Video, audio, and images can now be used for teaching and student assignments.

Assessed work is increasingly submitted electronically, with feedback provided online.

Online platforms facilitate communication and collaboration on content.

It's essential to evaluate the authenticity and validity of the vast information available online.

Understanding online safety, identity, and communication etiquette is crucial.

As technology develops, digital literacy skills will become more necessary, especially as cultures and modes of communication intersect.

We must be prepared to embrace the new digital landscape and guide future generations through it.