Dominating Digital Skills: Why Digital Literacy is Important

Digital Literacy and Digital Skills

With each passing day, technology continues transforming our world, and how we work is no exception. Today, navigating the digital realm isn’t just a convenience—it’s a necessity for most working professionals. And that is why digital literacy is important because it servs as the foundation for thriving in our tech-driven workplaces.

In this blogpost we will look at what Digital Literacy is and why is it so important. We will also look at what all digital skills are included in digital literacy. So let’s start.

What Is a Digital Skill?

But what exactly are digital skills? Think of it as a new-age literacy extending beyond basic computer skills. To understand digital skills better, let’s look at how UNESCO Institute of Statistics defines them:

“…a range of abilities to use digital devices, communication applications, and networks to access and manage information.” ¹

Basically digital skills can be understood as the someone’s proficiency in using technology while primarily dealing with digital information.

What is Digital Literacy?

Digital literacy can be seen as an umbrella term that includes a continuum of meanings extending across the ability to use digital devices or software, to being capable of consuming and producing digital content, to meaningfully participating in digital communities. ²

The UNESCO International Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training defines digital literacy as:

“… the ability to access, manage, understand, integrate, communicate, evaluate and create information safely and appropriately through digital technologies for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship. It includes competences that are variously referred to as computer literacy, ICT literacy, information literacy and media literacy.”  ³

So digital literacy can be thought of as a more comprehensive term that deals with the entire subject of computer and ICT literacy, not just limited to skills. It includes competencies and is an amalgam of cognitive and technical skills.

Therefore, we understand that with digital literacy, you can develop a range of digital skills and a host of other competencies and cognitive processes, that enable you to become digitally literate in the modern working environment.

Power of Digital Literacy

Now that we understand the concept of digital literacy, let’s look at how it empowers us in harnessing the full potential of technology. It helps us develop the following core competencies:

• Communicate instantly and effectively across digital platforms.
• Solve problems creatively and efficiently using modern technologies, including hardware and software.
• Manage, store, and secure information responsibly and ethically.
• Make informed decisions based on volumes of information from different avenues of either hardware, software, or both.

Importance of Digital Skills

Now thinking one-step down, let’s look at how digital skills are so important to the modern office space:

• Enhanced Productivity & Efficiency: From utilizing collaboration platforms to managing projects and from collecting data and leveraging data analytics to make informed decisions, digital skills empower us to work smarter, not harder.
• Globalized Communication: In an increasingly interconnected world, digital tools are the backbone of effective communication across borders, cultures, and time zones. Understanding these tools allows you to build strong relationships and collaborate seamlessly with international colleagues or clients regardless of the location or time zones involved.
• A Prerequisite for the Job Market: As more and more businesses adopt newer technologies and systems, there is a growing need for people who understand the application and limitations of such tech. Therefore, employers are increasingly seeking candidates with strong digital skills. From marketing and customer service to construction and healthcare, basic digital literacy is practically a prerequisite for many positions these days.
• Innovation and Content Creation: As technology, such as AI and VR, gets more sophisticated, it has become easier for creators to harness the power of different platforms to assist them in creating new content and innovating new ideas. Digital skills can complement and enhance productivity and creativity, thereby serving as an extension of the creative process.
• Staying Ahead of Automation: As automation continues to reshape the workforce in the form of manufacturing and line processes, among others, the ability to work alongside technology and adapt to new tools for working professionals will be crucial. In effect, these digital skills allow us to embrace automation as collaborators and not competitors.
• Adaptability: As the digital landscape constantly evolves with each new technology, having the ability to learn, unlearn, and relearn new skills by adapting to newer technologies will remain vital in maintaining a competitive throughout one’s career. This adaptability will be instrumental for any professional using constantly changing digital products.

Digital Literacy Skills

Digital literacy isn’t a one-size-fits-all concept. As we’ve covered before, it encompasses a wide range of abilities, from the essential to the advanced. It’s a stairway that elevates your professional impact by using new-age technologies and resources as you progress. Here’s a breakdown of some critical areas which digital literacy focuses on:

• Essential Digital Skills (EDS): These are the fundamentals everyone needs, regardless of profession, to operate in the increasingly tech-oriented modern workspace. It includes simple stuff like using email effectively, navigating the internet, basic troubleshooting, and managing digital files.
• Information & Data Literacy: Since we live in an era of information overload, being able to find, evaluate, and utilize information effectively is a crucial skill. This ‘data literacy’ also includes understanding how to search for reliable sources online, discern biases, and protect your privacy and data. It inevitably translates into your overall responsibility in the digital workplace.
• Communication & Collaboration: With the internet practically a given for any working environment these days, tools that help in collaboration and communication take on a whole new dimension. Video conferencing, project management platforms, online collaborative tools, and social media are essential for building relationships, making decisions, and collaborating virtually across the globe.
• Problem-Solving & Critical Thinking: With the flood of information now available to us from myriad devices and technologies, the ability to analyze situations based on them, troubleshoot technical problems, and come up with creative solutions is indeed a key digital skill for any decision-maker.
• Cybersecurity Awareness: As more and more work takes to the internet and the cloud, protecting yourself and your information is critical. Employees and workers are now responsible for defending their data and that of their companies, clients, etc. Therefore, understanding basic cybersecurity principles and best practices is essential.
• Advanced, Tech-Based Skills: Depending on one’s skill set as a remote worker and career, one may need to develop specialized digital skills like coding, video editing, graphic design, data analysis, or digital marketing.

Should You Improve Your Digital Skills?

In conclusion, digital literacy has become indispensable in today’s technology-driven work environment. As discussed above, the spectrum of digital skills required extends far beyond basic computer proficiency, encompassing areas such as data literacy, cybersecurity awareness, and advanced problem-solving using digital tools. For professionals across all sectors using technology, cultivating these competencies is beneficial and essential for career advancement and organizational success.

The pervasive nature of technology in modern business operations underscores the critical importance of continuous learning and adaptation in the digital sphere. By prioritizing the development of comprehensive digital literacy, individuals and organizations position themselves to leverage emerging technologies effectively, enhance productivity, and remain competitive in an increasingly digital-centric global economy. As we move forward, the ability to navigate and harness the power of digital technologies will undoubtedly remain a key differentiator in professional efficacy and career growth.

Red our blog to learn more about the digital tools that can help you increase productivity.

References

1. Guide to Measuring Information and Communication Technologies (UCT) in Education, The UNESCO Institute for Statistics Retrieved from https://digital-skills-jobs.europa.eu/en/latest/briefs/digital-skills-deep-dive ↩︎
2. Nascimbeni, F., & Vosloo, S. (2019). Digital literacy for children: exploring definitions and frameworks. ResearchGate. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.33394.94407 ↩︎
3. A Global Framework of Reference on Digital Literacy Skills for Indicator 4.4.2, UIS. (n.d.). The UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved from https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000265403.locale=en ↩︎