Digital Literacy

21st Century Competences for Our Age

The Building Blocks of Digital Literacy
From Enhancement to Transformation

April 2015

Department of eLearning
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Purpose 4

Objective 4

Towards Transformation 6

Digital Literacy 7

Definitions 7

European Commission 8

Digital Literacy and Citizenship 12

Technology in the classroom 12

The cognitive and the infrastructure 12

Reflecting on the foundation blocks 12

Competence and Process 15

Conclusion 16

References 17

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“
Learners are entitled
to be digitally literate.

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Purpose century competences: collaboration, communication,
critical thinking, creativity, citizenship and character
The purpose of this document is to raise awareness of education.
the importance of digital literacy within the education
framework in Malta and a chance to reflect and This Digital Literacy document is written for all levels from
introspect on the teaching and learning process.   Kindergarten to Year 12 teachers and education leaders.
The 21st century competences are skills, knowledge and
attitudes that citizens needs in life beyond school, in
their lifelong learning journey.
Objective
As we make our way into the second decade of the 21st
The objective of the eLearning Department (eLD)
century, our society is increasingly becoming a digital
within the Directorate for Quality and Standards in
culture. Learners who are born into this culture are
Education (DQSE) in the Ministry for Education and
entitled to understand and profit from this environment
Employment (MEDE) is to help educators make the shift
which is new to us born in the 20th century. They are
from traditional teaching and a traditional pedagogical
entitled to be digitally literate.
approach to a 21st century learning environment. Our
objective is to support and guide each teacher to make
“Digital Competence is both a requirement and
that shift. This setting is embedded in an interconnected
a right of citizens, if they are to be functional in
and technology-driven world which has widened the
today’s society.”
learning place to the virtual, online, remote and anytime
(Ferrari, 2012)
conditions. The eLearning Department is committed to
progressively show what this environment looks like and
This entitlement or right puts upon educators the
how schools can teach 21st century skills as processes.
responsibility to nurture and develop a number of
competences in students so that they can take part in
The eLearning Department in collaboration with the the social, cultural, economic and intellectual life. Thus
Curriculum Department within DQSE aims to shape the becoming active citizens. In this environment, the
pedagogy since we touch literacies which have mainly teacher’s role becomes challenging and increasingly
been brought about through the digital environment. If more important.
a simple, starting definition of digital literacy had to be
inserted at this point it would be: Every educator must understand that digital literacy is
essential if we want our citizens to participate in today’s
“Digital literacy is literacy via technology.” modern world. Mark Surman, Executive Director of the
Mozilla Foundation, in an interview for the November
However things are not that simple. Literacy is not only 2013 editorial in The Telegraph said that digital literacy
the ability to read and write, but rather the ability to is as important as reading, writing, arithmetic and other
put these skills to work in shaping the course of one’s traditional disciplines.
own life. The educator Paulo Freire says that literacy is
“reading the word and the world.”1 This adds to the
“Becoming literate in how the technical world
complexity since technology is continuously changing
works is equivalent to reading, writing and
the environment we live in. maths. We need to look at this fourth literacy
as mainstream.”2
The eLearning Department believes that changing
the way we teach and understanding how we learn in We know that the technical world is a different place
a technology driven world requires a different mind than it was ten years ago. In 2007 the first smart phone
set, in and beyond the classroom. Thus the first step is was introduced and a new career of app developer was
to help all educators to accept that there is a need for born. How did these first developers get there when
change because the world has changed drastically and is there was no prescribed path for them to take? We can
continuously changing at an alarming rate. The second list numerous new careers that did not exist ten years
step is to continue to help educators understand that ago. A key ingredient in these new jobs is that they
technology can help them achieve easily the heights require people who are digitally literate. In developed
that are unreachable without digital tools. In practical countries, 4 out of the 7 fastest growing jobs directly
terms this boils down to tackling literacy beyond the require technology skills (2 of them being in software
3Rs and as educators start encompassing the 6Cs of 21st development)3.
2 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educa-
1 http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.230 tionopinion/10436444/Digital-literacy-as-important-
7/41405241?uid=3738632&uid=2&uid=4&s as-reading-and-writing.html
id=21106710207423 3 http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/
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“
Digital Competence is both
a requirement and a right
of citizens, if they are to be
functional in today’s society.
(Ferrari, 2012)

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Towards Transformation 2014; Boyd, 2014). Learners need to acquire digital
literacy skills, as without any form of formal guidance,
In 2001, Marc Prensky coined the terms “digital natives” they are likely to remain uninformed and uncritical
and “digital migrants” to describe the behavioural users of ICT. A couple of visits to Ask.fm is enough
differences between Baby Boomers and Generation to raise concerns about a generation that is not fully
Z4. Prensky argues that those who have grown with digitally literate, yet deeply immersed in cyberspace.
ubiquitous access to digital technology think differently
to previous generations whose introduction to Mitchell Kapor has remarked that, “Getting
technology came later on in life. Although the terms information off the Internet is like taking a drink
have been challenged by many academics, there is from a fire hydrant”. With the Internet approaching
much resonance in Prensky’s assertion that teaching 1 trillion pages, that statement has never been truer.
young people represents a significant challenge for Every day, every minute, more information is added
educators, associating digital natives with: speed, multi- to the Internet, with no sign of slowing down. Being
tasking, and a preference for graphics over text, random digitally literate means being able to sift through
access, social networking, instant gratification, frequent so much information, being able to understand a
rewards, and games over work. message and to communicate it effectively to others
in different formats. It means creating, collaborating,
Today’s generation appears to engage with all things communicating, working ethically and understanding
that are digital without any effort at all. Young people when, if and how technology should be used to reach
are born into an interactive, on demand digital culture efficiently an objective. So digital literacy involves the
where they are used to texting, video streaming, mobile critical use of technology. It involves the awareness of
Internet and social networking to mention just a few. and critical analysis of agendas and possible dangers
However, this description, which may have implanted with which technology invades our daily lives. It
itself in some of us, is a dead metaphor because it veils involves educating students to move from a passive
and conceals a potential problem. While it is true that consumer of information to an active producer both
most of our young people do not need to be persuaded as individuals and as part of a community. If our
to use technology, and the time they spend glued to young generation - indeed all citizens - lack digital
what they love doing most quickly improves their skills, competences, they risk being disenfranchised when
research indicates that learners do not really know how it comes to employment opportunities, democratic
to capitalise on technology (Poore, 2011; Mueller et al., participation and social interaction.

personalfinance/2013/12/08/7-fastest-growing-jobs- Enpowering our students to manage challenges in

in-america/3891571/ (Horizon 2020) today’s modern world and whatever the future will
4 Baby boomers describes the cohort of babies bring is a core objective of the National Curriculum
born from the end of WWII all the way up to the Framework. Digital literacy is envisaged as a transversal
early 1960s while Gen Z are the group born since skill across the traditional subjects. Together with
just before the start of the Millennium. the traditional literacy skills of numeracy, listening,

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speaking, reading and writing, whose main objective these past 20 years. We are not just consuming what is
is to develop active thinkers who can engage in society happening on the web and digital spaces but we are also
in effective and meaningful ways, the digital society producing, which requires a sharper level of complexity.
requires a larger set of competences (Combes, 2010). So literacy today means much more than the reading
of text, which is its original meaning. If you could write
At different stages of their time spent in school, students your name and you could consume, read directions and
will be expected to create audio recordings, add visual read books, you could make sense of the world. But
elements to clarify ideas, thoughts and feelings, and to today the production part is as important if not more,
use technology to interact and collaborate with each than the consumption part. Reading is changing as well.
other. They will also be expected to collaborate on, Online reading is different from reading from a book, but
produce, peer-edit and publish their writing online. They the material that we are reading is also changing. The
will be taught how to select their own tools to interact infusion of the visual into texts gives a new dimension
on a wide variety of projects and content areas. to literacy. Literacy needs to encompass understanding
and interpretation of the visual symbols of all kinds and
Digital literacy is not a luxury that can wait. images.
“We know that the nature of literacy has
changed in the digital age, but unfortunately,
we do not have decades to catch up to this Definitions
change.”
(Hicks and Turner, 2013) Digital literacy is an emerging concept. In spite of the
seminal work of Paul Gilster, Definitions of Digital Literacy
(1997), which saw a growing consensus about the term
digital literacy the term is still very much contended.
Digital Literacy Gillen (2010) makes the point that definitions are
developed in specific contexts and emerge from
It is important to put the concept of digital literacy in a different historical contexts. Gillen argues that this leads
historical context. It starts with the term literacy which to the creation of working definitions which target
3000 years ago meant being an effective public speaker; specific audiences. Thus different definitions emerge to
being able to use the rhetorical tools of persuasion. address different audiences. On the other hand there are
So literacy in its fundamental sense is the sharing of definitions that seek to provide an overarching definition
meaning through language. With Guttenberg, literacy of digital literacy.
was redefined to include reading and writing. The
portable camera brought about the ease of producing The National Curriculum Framework for All (NCF 2012)
and distributing images - so educators introduced the sees Digital literacy as a cross-curriculuar theme where
concept of visual literacy, highlighting the importance of students will, ”acquire skills that include confident and
how to look at images, and understand the way images critical use of IT for communication, work and leisure.” It
communicate and carry meaning. The emergence is envisaged that students , “Acquire basic skills in ICT
of databases introduced a new wave of powerful organised around four major overlapping strands.”
technologies to shape shape literacy. These technologies
needed a new set of skills, competences and strategies Similarly the Royal Society for DL in the “Shut down or
for searching, finding and evaluating information - restart” report which came out in January 2012 states:
creating information literacy.   Media literacy followed
shortly with hundreds of TV channels to choose from. The “Digital literacy should be understood to mean
microprocessor on our desks created the need for an ICT- the basic skill or ability to use a computer
literate generation and an entirely new set of technical confidently, safely and effectively, including:
skills to maximise the potential of the technology. the ability to use office software such as word
processors, email and   presentation software,
Twenty years ago being literate meant being able to the ability to create and edit  images, audio and
read and write. Richard Lanham (1995, p. 198) claims video, and the ability to use a web browser and
that “literacy” has extended its reach from meaning “the Internet search engines. These are the skills that
ability to read and write” to now meaning “the ability to teachers of other subjects at secondary school
understand information however presented.” We are not should be able to assume that their pupils have,
just preparing students for today with this new meaning as an analogue of being able to read and write.”
of literacy in mind but also for the future with a shift from (Royal Society, 2012)
consumption to production. The Internet, the World
Wide Web, smartphones, Facebook are very recent terms
when compared to what has been going on in schools We need to go beyond a skills based understanding

7
of digital literacy. It is erroneous to associate digital
literacy with basic computer skills. Such association
European Commission
would be akin to saying that literacy is merely the ability The European Commission, which represents the
to read and write which is of course a part of literacy but general interests of the European Union (EU), has funded
our understanding of literacy is much more. It is about work on the concepts of e-Competences5 and Digital
the understanding of meaning and the conveyance of Competences6. Further more, in response to a call for
meaning rather than simply reading and writing skill actions on “digital literacy”, one of four key strands in the
on their own. The emergence of Web 2.0 technologies context of the eLearning Programme of the European
must be reflected in the definition where the distinction Commission, the DigEuLit project was proposed. The
between consumer and producer virtually disappears. DigEuLit project declared that the ability to use ICT and
This development is addressed in Futurelab’s definition the Internet has become a new form of literacy – “digital
who have a subtle and situated understanding of digital literacy”. They proposed a three stage model of digital
literacy. It is largely about understanding and conveying literacy and refer to the following three levels:
meaning just like literacy but this time mediated through • digital competence that is the skills, concepts,
a digital domain. approaches and attitudes;
• digital usage that refers to the application of digital
“Digital literacy refers to the more subtle and competence within a specific context such as a
situated practices associated with being able to school; and
create, understand and communicate meaning • digital transformation which involves creativity
and knowledge in a world in which these and innovation in the digital domain.
processes are increasingly mediated via digital
technologies.” Digital literacy has become a prerequisite for creativity,
(Futurelab, 2010) innovation and entrepreneurship and without it citizens
can neither participate fully in society nor acquire the
The British Computer Society took a slightly different skills and knowledge necessary to live in the 21st century.
tack to how digital was to be understood. Much more (European Commission, 2003: 3)
about the implications of technology for an individual’s
life in society. They argue that the word critical is
extremely important and that it is not just accepting In another working paper, the European Commission
these things but the user must have an understanding (European Commission, 2008) defines digital literacy as:
of how a document has been created. “the skills required to achieve digital
competence. It is underpinned by basic skills
“Digital literacy provides a critical understanding of in ICT and the use of computers to retrieve,
technology’s impact on society and the individual, assess, store, produce, present and exchange
including privacy, responsible use, legal and ethical information, and to communicate and
issues.” participate in collaborative networks via the
Internet”.
(British Computer Society/ Royal Academy of
Engineering, 2012)
The definition indicates that digital literacy is comprised
of basic ICT skills, which lead to digital competence.
Finding things on the Internet matters, but an awareness
However, in the academic field, digital literacy is used as
of how a search engine like Google puts those results in
a synonym for digital competence.
order and a basic understanding of Google’s business
model is important in our understanding of technology’s
Further research carried out by European academics
impact on our everyday lives. Similarly the Norwegian
operating within the wider international sphere, talks of
Ministry of Modernisation (2005) emphasises the critical
how technology affects our daily lives and says that:
element in its definition of digital literacy:
“To participate and take advantage, citizens
must be digitally literate - equipped with
“Digital skills include the ability to exploit the
the skills to benefit from and participate in
opportunities offered by ICT, and use them
the Information Society. This includes both
critically and innovatively in education and work.
the ability to use new ICT tools and the
Digital skills also include the ability to be critical
media literacy skills to handle the flood of
to sources and assess content. Use of digital tools
images, text and audiovisual content that
is a skill the individual must acquire, maintain and
continually develop, if he or she is to be a digitally
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skilled and critical citizen.”
(Cited in Erstad, 2007) 6 https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/sites/default/files/lb-
na-26035-enn.pdf
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“
Digital literacy

refers to the
more subtle and
situated practices
associated with
being able to
create, understand
and communicate
meaning and
knowledge.

“
(Futurelab, 2010)

Digital skills
include the ability to
be critical to sources and
assess content. Use of
digital tools is a skill the
individual must acquire,
maintain and continually
develop, if he or she is to
be a digitally skilled and
critical citizen.
(Cited in Erstad, 2007)
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 constantly pour across the global networks.” knowledge and content; to produce creative
(Europe’s Information Society Thematic Portal, expressions, media outputs and programming;
2007) to deal with and apply intellectual property
This definition considers Digital Literacy and ICT literacy rights and licences.
to be one and the same thing. The text goes on to explain 4. Safety: personal protection, data
how digital literacy is part of the EC i2010. Furthermore protection, digital identity protection, security
the Director General Enterprise and Industry 7uses the measures, safe and sustainable use.
term eskills and focuses on skills at the workplace while
differentiating among three groups of users: 5. Problem-solving: to identify digital needs
1.   the ICT practitioner; and resources, to make informed decisions
2.   ICT user; on most appropriate digital tools according
3.   eBusiness or eLeadership. to the purpose or need, to solve conceptual
One of the outcomes of this policy is the reference problems through digital means, to creatively
framework for ICT practitioners already mentioned use technologies, to solve technical problems,
above: the eCompetence framework. to update own and other’s competence.
This sample of international definitions shows that
This Digital Literacy document avoids equating
there is considerable discussion on terminology,
ICT with Digital Literacy but embraces the Digital
interpretation and representation. While acknowledging
Competence framework as approached from a lifelong
the differences and similarities between definitions, and
perspective by the European Parliament based on the
the rapid changes associated with the virtual word, the
Communication of the Director General for Education
Department of eLearning is adopting a definition of
and Culture who defined Digital Competence as
digital literacy that includes, but goes beyond, simple
one of the 8 Key Competences. In order to create a
technological skills. Thus digital literacy will be seen as
consensus at the European level about the components
including the more complex skills of understanding and
of Digital Competence, the DG Education and Culture
analysis which lead to deciding and selecting the proper
launched a study with the aim to contribute to a better
digital tools, be they software or hardware, to create a
understanding of digital competence and to develop a
variety of content. The adopted definition that follows
framework for Europe.
shows that digital literacy requires various abilities and
aptitudes. It entails not just technological skills but also
The Digital Competence framework consists of five
critical, reflective, social and ethical practices.
areas and 21 competences. Competences are detailed in
three proficiency levels. The framework is a matrix which
consists of different dimensions that can be presented “Having the knowledge and ability to
in several ways. In the original framework (Ferrari, 2013), effectively and critically navigate, evaluate
there are examples of knowledge, skills and attitudes and create information using a range of
for every competence and also examples on how the digital technologies. A digitally literate
competence can be applied for two different purposes person can use technology strategically
(namely: learning and employment). to find and evaluate information, connect
and collaborate with others, produce and
Five areas of digital competence were identified and can share original content, and use the Internet
be summarised as follows: and technology tools to achieve many
academic, professional and personal goals.”
(National Lifelong Learning Strategy 2020,
1. Information: to identify, to locate, to
Alex Grech, 2014)
retrieve, to store, to organise and analyse
digital information, judging its relevance and
purpose.

2. Communication: to communicate in
digital environments, to share resources
through online tools, to link with others and
to collaborate through digital tools, to interact
with and to participate in communities and
networks, cross-cultural awareness.

3. Content-creation: to create and edit new

content (from word processing to images and
video); to integrate and re-elaborate previous
7 e-skills/index_en.htm
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“
Having the knowledge and ability to
effectively and critically navigate, evaluate
and create information using a range of
digital technologies. A digitally literate person
can use technology strategically to find and
evaluate information, connect and collaborate
with others, produce and share original
content, and use the Internet and technology
tools to achieve many academic, professional
and personal goals.
(National Lifelong Learning Strategy 2020, Alex Grech, 2014)

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Digital Literacy and Citizenship the curricular objectives or learning outcomes that we
are looking for in what ever way that speaks to them.
Digital literacy can be approached from at least two For some students that may be using pen and paper, for
different standpoints: one is from a conceptual point of some students that may be producing a video while for
view and the other is from an operational standpoint; others it may be creating a presentation. It should be
each comes with its own definitions. Eshet-Alkalai quoted up to the students to determine the best way for them
by Bawden (2008)  says that there are those who see to communicate. Irrespective of the technology in the
digital literacy primarily concerned with technical skills classroom the real question to be asked is, “Are you on
and those who see it as focused on cognitive and socio- task with that?” Whether you are on task with a pencil or
emotional aspects of working in a digital environment. on task with a mobile digital device the question is the
While the technical aspect must not be ignored, it same.
should be considered as only a small part of a number of
building blocks but certainly not the focus of attention.
This Digital Literacy document takes the stand claimed The cognitive and the
by Gilster (1997), Pool (1997), and Lankshear and Knobel
(2011) that digital literacy involves “mastering ideas, not infrastructure
keystrokes.“
We need to make a very important distinction; many
Further more the eLearning Department is looking at people think that when we start talking about 21st century
Digital Literacy and Digital Citizenship as a hand in glove learning and education we are talking about technology
relationship. Although the two are different they should and the infrastructure. We are not. When we talk about
be done together because improvements in one create problem solving, critical thinking, communication,
improvements in the other. Digital literacy is about collaboration, creativity or any of the other competences
knowledge; it is a package of skills that is related to the we are talking about the cognitive and not about the
digital world. This includes the ability to search, to tell hardware. These 21st century competences are thinking
the difference between an advert and a scholarly result, skills and have been nicknamed by some as “headware”
between a biased and an impartial, fair result. These all (not hardware) competences. None of the 21st century
fit into the digital literacy portion. competences are computer skills or hardware skills. It is
not about teaching a PowerPoint but about teaching how
Digital citizenship is about action. It is about the way one to communicate. The technology can be an engaging
treats and respects other people. In a way digital literacy and interesting part of the environment but the goal is
leads to digital citizenship. When teaching students how certainly not to teach technology. The goal is to teach
to critically engage with the web one actually empowers how to think which is applicable across every year and
them to do the same in their relationships on the web. every subject and is not directly related to the amount
Digital literacy is the essential skills required to consume, of technology that we have in schools or to the discrete
synthesise and create. Students may look at something subjects of ICT or Computing. The tools only help us
and ask whether it is biased or current, who is writing it reach easily what is unreachable without technology.
and why is it being written. Then the students can take
those pieces of information, understand how they are
contextualised and ask further questions to see where
else and what else is required to fill in gaps. Finally
Reflecting on the foundation blocks
the students come to a point where they will need to
The foundation building blocks for digital literacy are
formulate an opinion either as as a group who assums
the infrastructure and access to the tools. Infrastructure
different roles or as individuals.
in schools and beyond has been improving steadily.
However, investment in infrastructure alone does not
bring about the changes promised by ICT. It is only when
Technology in the classroom we change our mindsets to use them reflectively and
strategically, that teaching and learning processes can
Every piece of technology, whether it is a mobile phone, be deepened. So investment in training on how to use
a PC, tablet or a pencil needs to have its academic ICT, and working towards a vision of transformation,
potential considered. Mobile phones are currently a creative thinking and innovation becomes the focus
banned device in our schools. It is not just the mobile of what needs to be done. The first steps to take in the
phone’s role that needs to be re-examined but any journey towards transformation in the way we teach and
digital device. For that matter it could also be a textbook, learn is to understand the foundation blocks of digital
a pencil, a rubber or a ruler. It is important to make a literacy. The SAMR model (figure 1) is a gradual step by
shift to a learning environment in which we challenge step progression that can be followed in order to change
our students to communicate their understanding of teaching and learning happen in class.
12
 Henry Jenkins (2006) identified a series of new literacies
that are needed to be literate in the 21st century. Among
these are simulation, visualisation, collective intelligence
and distributed cognition.  It is important to emphasize
the plurality of digital literacies because of the sheer
diversity of specific accounts of digital literacy that exist.
The digital literacy document will continue to focus on
digital literacy, and retains the term used  in the NCF but
is to be understood as digital literacies – in the plural.

Figure 2 is based on models described by various

researchers in the field of digital literacy and shows
Figure 1 Image by Dr Ruben Puentedura how digital literacy incorporates numerous interrelated
skills that range from basic awareness to more complex
The SAMR8 model is more about mindset than technical creative and critical literacy and outcomes.
competence. This model is likened to a “swimming pool”
where teaching and learning with technology happens.
One starts at the shallow end with a comfortable wade
before stepping out of the comfort zone and venture
into the deep part.

Figure 2 Adapted from Belshaw (2011), Digital Canada 150, Futurelab and European framework for Digital Literacy.

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 1 2

4 3

Figure 3 Adapted from Hobbs (2010)

Renee Hobbs describes another model for digital
literacy (figure 3) and in her research, published in
2010, she offers a plan of actions to bring a number of
competences in focus. In her report, she defines digital
literacy as a constellation of life skills that are necessary
for full participation in a media-saturated, information-
rich society. These include the ability to:

1. analyse and evaluate; (understanding issues of representations) Analyze messages in a variety of forms by
identifying the author, purpose and point of view, and evaluating the quality and credibility of the content

2. create and collaborate; (authorship and creative competences) Take social action by working individually
and collaboratively to share knowledge and solve problems in the family, workplace and community, and
by participating as a member of a community

3. use and share; (tool use and access skills) Create content in a variety of forms, making use of language,
images, sound, and new digital tools and technologies

4. apply ethical judgment; (online social responsibility & digital citizenship) Make responsible choices and
access information by locating and sharing materials and comprehending information and ideas.  Reflect on
one’s own conduct and communication behaviour by applying social responsibility and ethical principles

14
Figure 4. New Vision for education. World Economic Forum & The Boston Consulting Group 2015

The World Economic Forum and the Boston Consulting language that every student, teacher and institution can
Group conducted a meta-analysis of research about share, explain, learn, practise and improve upon.
21st century skills in Primary and Secondary schools and
came up with 16 skills under three broad categories: We do identify this need as educators and say that
foundational literacies, competences and character students need problem solving skills but usually that
qualities. is where it all ends. We need to talk about how to do
that. 21st century competences have to be broken down
The World Economic Forum research reiterates the into processes that can be taught, remembered and
conclusions that have been described earlier in this duplicated. The Global Digital Citizen Foundation9 has
Digital Literacy document. Students need to possess produced a number of tools that define the processes
not only foundational skills, including languages and required to achieve the 21st century competences. So in
mathematics, but they are also expected to be adept at problem solving one starts with defining the problem,
problem solving, and character skills. moving to discovery which determines how the problem
arose, dreaming or looking at the solution in the future,
designing which is mapping out the process for how
Competence and Process the problem will be solved, delivering that is, actually
doing the solution and debriefing which is going back
In the 21st century learning environment we need to and asking how the product or the process can be made
focus on process which does not fade as quickly as better now or in the future. This is a structured process of
content. Educators need to reflect on what competences problem solving.
look like and teach the processes that achieve them.
What is the process for problem solving? What is the The competences can all be broken down into processes
process for creativity? Educators cannot just stand over and there are steps in how this can be done, whether
students and tell them to be creative. We need to give it is creativity, communication, collaboration or critical
the students a skills set and a structured process that thinking.
they can go through in order to cultivate creativity
and the other competences. Thus we need structured
processes that can be thought in a structured manner 9 https://globaldigitalcitizen.org/21st-century-
at every age and every subject area. We need a common fluencies/global-digital-citizenship
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Conclusion
This document has given an overview of different
definitions of Digital Literacy which depend on the
audience they are intended for and the background of
the authors who propose them. While each of these
definitions is valued and weaved into a comprehensive
view of a 21st century learner, the required fundamental
competences emerge and are highlighted in this
document. To be successful in life beyond the school
students need problem solving; they need creativity; they
need critical and analytical thinking, communication and
collaboration skills. To which we need to add the area of
citizenship where people learn how to take responsibility
for their personal health and well-being, learn who they
are and their identity in the world and environmental
responsibilities. If educators turn a cold shoulder and do Figure 5. One of many representations of Bloom’s
not reflect on the requirements of today’s learner, the taxonomy in the cognitive domain.
significant disconnection and gap between school and
the real world will continue to widen. The critical skills These competences can in turn be broken down into
that students need to be successful in the 21st century processes with measureable steps that lead to creativity,
may be categorised into six areas: communication, collaboration or critical thinking.

1. Students need to be able to solve complex problems Every single teacher, at every Year, in every subject
in real time (problem solving); should take responsibility for 21st Century competences.
2. Students need to be able to think differently The implications being that educators need to think
and creatively in both digital and non digital more in a cross curricular, multi-disciplinary way about
environments to create new and useful solutions what they are doing in class. It is a major challenge and
(creativity); making a shift to a 21st century learning environment is
3. There is a significant difference between teaching an uncomfortable place for teachers because it is chaotic
how to learn and teaching content. Often in and dynamic.
schools the focus is on content because it is easy to
measure. It is very easy to test and assess low-level When teachers pose questions and they do not know
factual recall. Assessing the low level recall should the outcomes it’s an uncomfortable place for teachers.
be considered the minimum starting point and not When teachers start to embrace an approach where
the end and final goal. So students need to think the students discover their learning, teaching finally
analytically; comparing, contrasting, evaluating, becomes more a process about guiding as opposed
synthesising in the higher end of Bloom’s Digital to leading the process. This may be an uncomfortable
Taxonomy - figure 5 . (critical thinking and process for the teacher at first but it is a very rewarding
information literacy); one as experienced by thousands of teachers world wide
4. Students must have the ability to collaborate who would never go back to traditional teaching.
seamlessly in both the physical and virtual spaces
with both real and virtual partners. (collaboration ); We need to commit ourselves to change education at
5. Students must be able to communicate but not classroom level. Just imagine how many children will
just with text or speech but in multiple multi-media be impacted over a number of years by just one teacher
formats. (communication and media literacy); at a time who makes the shift to 21st century learning.
6. Students need to act ethically taking personal Training and continuous support will help teachers
responsibility, take calculated risks, being resilient, to move from the shallow end of enhancement to
having a global perspective, understanding other venture out of the comfort zone into the deep part of
cultures, traditions, customs and religions. This transformation. We need to look at what teaching how
category also includes environmental stewardship to learn and assessment will look like in a 21st century
and acting altruistically. (actions, ethics and learning environment which in a few words must be
accountability). relevant, creative and a real world experience.

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