Digital Literacy for the 21st Century

• In Event: Roundtable Session 6
  In Refereed Roundtable Session: Future-Proofing Education: The What, Why, and How of Building a Digitally Intelligent Generation

Proposal

As digital technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) in everyday life become commonplace, digital literacy must evolve to meet the new demands of education and society. This presentation traces the evolution of digital literacy from its focus on technical skills to its expanded definition to include AI literacy, media literacy, critical thinking, and ethical reasoning.

This research builds on existing literature in educational technology, media literacy, and AI ethics, expanding the traditional notion of digital literacy. The proposed conceptual framework for digital literacy in this presentation addresses the urgent need to enable learners to become critical thinkers, consumers and producers of content in a world shaped by AI and media. It demands that students understand how it affects them on a variety of levels. For instance, as consumers, students are subjected to algorithmic personalization, where their online activities are tracked, and their data is continuously collected to influence search results and targeted ads. Similarly, as students, this same monitoring can be used to tailor educational activities, entire lessons, and even comprehensive courses. As citizens, it can selectively curate their access to entertainment, social media, and news outlets.

The proposed framework also considers the diverse factors that influence digital intelligence education, particularly access to tools, cultural contexts, and the digital divide to various degrees. It recognizes that while digital intelligence is essential globally, the mechanisms through which we build it must be adapted to the unique needs of different regions and socio-economic backgrounds.

The originality of this work lies in its emphasis on the holistic evaluation of digital literacy. By viewing digital literacy as a multifaceted construct influenced by numerous factors, this presentation provides a fresh perspective from which to explore how it should be fostered. It also calls for education reform to mainstream the evolved understanding of digital literacy, ensuring that students are prepared not just to use digital tools but to also have the capacity to be empowered by them.

Author

• John Richards, Consulting Services for Education, Inc.