Digital literacy: definition, skills and examples

Digital literacy helps individuals and communities understand and know how to use digital technologies so that they can succeed in information societies.

Thus, developing digital literacy skills provides people with the necessary tools and capabilities to manipulate computers, and cell phones, surf the Internet, and interact in social networks, among a myriad of daily activities.

The pandemic has accelerated digital communications and with it the digital divide between literate and non-literate groups of people.

Because of its growing relevance, in this article we are going to talk about what digital literacy is, the basic information technology (IT) skills it is desirable to develop, and all illustrated with examples so that you can understand its implications.

What is digital literacy? 

Digital literacy is the ability to find, organize, create, communicate and evaluate information using technology, and encompasses a set of competencies included in information literacy, Information Technology and Communication (ITC) literacy, and media literacy.

Finding a job, surfing the Internet, keeping in touch on social networks, finding out about current events, and checking your bank account are just a few examples of how technology is present in virtually every area. 

In an increasingly digitized society, it is essential to acquire the necessary skills and competencies to receive and transmit information, but also to make responsible use of technology and take appropriate security measures to avoid becoming a victim of cyber-attacks.

Thus, digital literacy must be inclusive, open, accessible and secure, as it is built on two pillars: capacity and security:

• Capability. This is all the technical knowledge and skills needed to use all types of digital devices and services. 
• Security. Includes digital hygiene guidelines to avoid and detect cyber threats and techniques to counter disinformation.

Digital literacy skills

When we talk about literacy, foundational abilities like reading, writing and arithmetic serve as essential skills upon which the entirety of knowledge acquisition is built and developed throughout a person’s lifetime. 

Similarly, if we transpose this concept to the digital world, we would be talking about basic digital literacy skills, increasingly necessary. 

Basic skills 

Basic digital literacy skills are those needed to use devices and services to perform simple tasks such as turning a device on or off, typing with a keyboard, using a touch panel, using a computer mouse, etc. 

This group of skills also includes knowing how to create, edit, save and search a digital document, use e-mail, maps and calendars, or perform searches in Internet browsers.

Intermediate and advanced skills

Intermediate skills are those that comprise competencies related to professional environments that require more specific training, such as knowing how to create content in different formats or how to automate tasks. They are generally linked to digital marketing and desktop publishing activities, for example. 

Advanced digital skills are those that require significant specialization in areas such as Big Data, the Internet of Things (IoT), cybersecurity or Artificial Intelligence (AI). 

Common to all types of digital skills, training in digital hygiene should be present from the first exchanges of any person, especially the most vulnerable such as children or the elderly.

Examples of digital literacy

As you are discovering throughout this article, digital literacy is more complex than it may seem, as it involves numerous skills, competencies, and knowledge needed to accomplish different levels of tasks. 

Here are some examples according to their scope of application: 

• Education. Use of digital learning environments such as Learning Management Systems (LMS), researching on the internet and knowing how to evaluate sources, creating presentations with platforms and software, etc.
• Communication. Manage emails, participate in video calls, create profiles in social networks, interact and manage information. 
• Online shopping and dating. Create accounts and know how to purchase products on websites, request medical appointments on patient portals, perform banking operations, etc.
• Security. Know how to protect your digital security to avoid being a victim of phishing, extortion, data theft, etc.
• Troubleshooting. Updating software, recovering passwords, configuring a Wi-Fi network, etc.

Importance of digital literacy for students

As you can guess after all the information we have been discussing, digital literacy is very important for students. 

Not only will they acquire tools to access information, surf the Internet, or create digital content, but they will also learn how to function in digitalized societies.

To create realistic programs adapted to the needs of students, it is necessary to have processes for digital literacy assessment that are capable of identifying knowledge gaps, fostering digital inclusion, and promoting online safety and ethics. 

In assessment processes, a good online monitoring system is the ideal complement to meet technical and privacy requirements.

Our proctoring plans meet these requirements to help you create safe environments for your students. Ask for a free demo, so we can explain each of the solutions that can take your assessments to the next level.