The week of the 25th – 29th of March focuses on a key area for the individuals, communities and nationals alike – digital skills. On the 26th EAVI was invited to attend an event with our friends at All Digital and the Lifelong Learning Platform exploring how to enable citizens to take full advantage of the digital transformation.
In framing the conversation, it was highlighted that 43% of the EU population has insufficient digital skills and are not able to take full advantage of the opportunities at hand in society (DESI, 2018). This of course has wider implications and negative effects such as social exclusion, cybercrime, hate speech, disinformation and unemployment to name just a few.
Member of Commissioner Tibor Navracsics Cabinet, Rodrigo Ballester, highlighted that we are asking the right questions when it comes to tackling these issues, but we have not found an all-encompassing solution yet.
What is crucial is that we have clear idea of the problem. The only way to do this is to measure skills. However, this highlights another contention in the speed of digital transformation and technologies. This speed makes it not only hard to adapt it also presents problems in gaining a comprehensive view of just how skilled individuals are. Its also seems we may fall into the trap of feeling we are better than we think with 67% of the Swiss population overestimating their skills and competence (ECDL Foundation, 2015).
So clearly our mindset needs to change too. In both how we view our skills and in how we conduct ourselves online. It was rightly pointed out that we need to learn to conduct ourselves online they way we behave offline. We need to ensure that social media is not a dividing platform.
Media and digital literacy skills is one way of attempting to achieve this.
We could look at education in four points:
- Media literacy
- Critical thinking
- Inclusive education
- Citizenship
These should be focal points in the curriculum at schools as an early starting point. This must be implemented equally across member states to take the ‘digital divide’ that is not only dividing ages but also countries. We must also be aware that this divide is among social classes and even geographically. Cities seem to be hubs of activity and the more rural areas are forgotten. The spread needs to reach all and policies need to encourage more territorial cohesion.
Lara Orlandi Policy Officer at the European Commission at DG Connect, stated that today ‘’you have the world at your fingertips’’. This opportunity applies to everyone and that needs to be recognised.
On a positive note, we must also recognise that there are efforts underway and they are making a difference. During the first EU Media Literacy Week beginning on the 18th of March, 320 media and digital literacy events took place. And during All Digital Week, there were 900 events with around 65,000 participants. These events covered coding, robotics, cybersecurity and privacy to women and STEM to name just a few.
One problem highlighted by Ilona Kish of Public Libraries 2030, was that while there might be many projects, they are not replicable across national levels. It seems that many countries are not willing to take on that which has been developed by another. So, while there might very good ideas out there already, they are not being adopted and are then replicated. So, we are seeing the development of lots or initiatives that are not new. This highlights the need to better share ideas. Projects can be then adapted to better represent the state in question.
We must not forget that tools are important but implementing them isn’t enough. Context and social impact are crucial things to consider and the why and the how needs to be answered!
In tacking these problems in reaching people the general the general consensus was ‘think European, act local’. We must remember here that the 43% is an EU average and does not represent the average of each individual member state.
A key question is how to reach people that are not digitally active? Putting an advertisement on Google or Facebook will not help. We are reaching people that already active in this sphere. We are trying to sell something that WE think is important, but that doesn’t mean that people will share our views. How do you sell the importance of media and digital skills if it is not something they see as important in their lives?
Fiona Fanning, Director or European Affairs at Centiport, highlighted a strategy in reaching people. It must focus on four main characteristics. It must be:
- Easy – should not be difficult to access or overly difficult in theory.
- Attractive – it should be appealing for individual to want to do it. Why would it be good for them?
- Social – make it a social activity and not something to do individually.
- Timely – it needs to be targeted to people at the right time. Is it topical right now?
Finding new networks and locations to communicate with people is one route. One such way is to focus on libraries. These are present in most areas from small towns to cities. If rural areas are harder to reach, libraries present an attractive location to present people with information and courses. Libraries are locations that attract people of all ages and backgrounds. In taking this forward, librarians need to be equipped with the knowledge and skills to educate and help people.
In conclusion we can reiterate the fact that basic digital skills are important. However, where will we be in five years’ time? Is it still enough to be focusing on the society we have now and not the one we are moving towards?
We cannot fall into the same patterns we are experiencing now with the same mistakes. When will it be too later to start teaching people AI, ethics, coding?
References:
The Digital Economy and Society Index, 2018. Available at URL: https://ec.europa.eu/digital-single-market/en/desi
Perception and Reality, ECDL Foundation, 2015. Available at URL: http://ecdl.org/media/perceptionandreality-measuringdigitalskillsineurope-ecdlfoundationpositionpaper1.pdf
Related Posts
The week of the 25th – 29th of March focuses on a key area for the individuals, communities and nationals alike – digital skills. On the 26th EAVI was invited to attend an event with our friends at All Digital and the Lifelong Learning Platform exploring how to enable citizens to take full advantage of the digital transformation.
In framing the conversation, it was highlighted that 43% of the EU population has insufficient digital skills and are not able to take full advantage of the opportunities at hand in society (DESI, 2018). This of course has wider implications and negative effects such as social exclusion, cybercrime, hate speech, disinformation and unemployment to name just a few.
Member of Commissioner Tibor Navracsics Cabinet, Rodrigo Ballester, highlighted that we are asking the right questions when it comes to tackling these issues, but we have not found an all-encompassing solution yet.
What is crucial is that we have clear idea of the problem. The only way to do this is to measure skills. However, this highlights another contention in the speed of digital transformation and technologies. This speed makes it not only hard to adapt it also presents problems in gaining a comprehensive view of just how skilled individuals are. Its also seems we may fall into the trap of feeling we are better than we think with 67% of the Swiss population overestimating their skills and competence (ECDL Foundation, 2015).
So clearly our mindset needs to change too. In both how we view our skills and in how we conduct ourselves online. It was rightly pointed out that we need to learn to conduct ourselves online they way we behave offline. We need to ensure that social media is not a dividing platform.
Media and digital literacy skills is one way of attempting to achieve this.
We could look at education in four points:
- Media literacy
- Critical thinking
- Inclusive education
- Citizenship
These should be focal points in the curriculum at schools as an early starting point. This must be implemented equally across member states to take the ‘digital divide’ that is not only dividing ages but also countries. We must also be aware that this divide is among social classes and even geographically. Cities seem to be hubs of activity and the more rural areas are forgotten. The spread needs to reach all and policies need to encourage more territorial cohesion.
Lara Orlandi Policy Officer at the European Commission at DG Connect, stated that today ‘’you have the world at your fingertips’’. This opportunity applies to everyone and that needs to be recognised.
On a positive note, we must also recognise that there are efforts underway and they are making a difference. During the first EU Media Literacy Week beginning on the 18th of March, 320 media and digital literacy events took place. And during All Digital Week, there were 900 events with around 65,000 participants. These events covered coding, robotics, cybersecurity and privacy to women and STEM to name just a few.
One problem highlighted by Ilona Kish of Public Libraries 2030, was that while there might be many projects, they are not replicable across national levels. It seems that many countries are not willing to take on that which has been developed by another. So, while there might very good ideas out there already, they are not being adopted and are then replicated. So, we are seeing the development of lots or initiatives that are not new. This highlights the need to better share ideas. Projects can be then adapted to better represent the state in question.
We must not forget that tools are important but implementing them isn’t enough. Context and social impact are crucial things to consider and the why and the how needs to be answered!
In tacking these problems in reaching people the general the general consensus was ‘think European, act local’. We must remember here that the 43% is an EU average and does not represent the average of each individual member state.
A key question is how to reach people that are not digitally active? Putting an advertisement on Google or Facebook will not help. We are reaching people that already active in this sphere. We are trying to sell something that WE think is important, but that doesn’t mean that people will share our views. How do you sell the importance of media and digital skills if it is not something they see as important in their lives?
Fiona Fanning, Director or European Affairs at Centiport, highlighted a strategy in reaching people. It must focus on four main characteristics. It must be:
- Easy – should not be difficult to access or overly difficult in theory.
- Attractive – it should be appealing for individual to want to do it. Why would it be good for them?
- Social – make it a social activity and not something to do individually.
- Timely – it needs to be targeted to people at the right time. Is it topical right now?
Finding new networks and locations to communicate with people is one route. One such way is to focus on libraries. These are present in most areas from small towns to cities. If rural areas are harder to reach, libraries present an attractive location to present people with information and courses. Libraries are locations that attract people of all ages and backgrounds. In taking this forward, librarians need to be equipped with the knowledge and skills to educate and help people.
In conclusion we can reiterate the fact that basic digital skills are important. However, where will we be in five years’ time? Is it still enough to be focusing on the society we have now and not the one we are moving towards?
We cannot fall into the same patterns we are experiencing now with the same mistakes. When will it be too later to start teaching people AI, ethics, coding?
References:
The Digital Economy and Society Index, 2018. Available at URL: https://ec.europa.eu/digital-single-market/en/desi
Perception and Reality, ECDL Foundation, 2015. Available at URL: http://ecdl.org/media/perceptionandreality-measuringdigitalskillsineurope-ecdlfoundationpositionpaper1.pdf
Related Posts
The week of the 25th – 29th of March focuses on a key area for the individuals, communities and nationals alike – digital skills. On the 26th EAVI was invited to attend an event with our friends at All Digital and the Lifelong Learning Platform exploring how to enable citizens to take full advantage of the digital transformation.
In framing the conversation, it was highlighted that 43% of the EU population has insufficient digital skills and are not able to take full advantage of the opportunities at hand in society (DESI, 2018). This of course has wider implications and negative effects such as social exclusion, cybercrime, hate speech, disinformation and unemployment to name just a few.
Member of Commissioner Tibor Navracsics Cabinet, Rodrigo Ballester, highlighted that we are asking the right questions when it comes to tackling these issues, but we have not found an all-encompassing solution yet.
What is crucial is that we have clear idea of the problem. The only way to do this is to measure skills. However, this highlights another contention in the speed of digital transformation and technologies. This speed makes it not only hard to adapt it also presents problems in gaining a comprehensive view of just how skilled individuals are. Its also seems we may fall into the trap of feeling we are better than we think with 67% of the Swiss population overestimating their skills and competence (ECDL Foundation, 2015).
So clearly our mindset needs to change too. In both how we view our skills and in how we conduct ourselves online. It was rightly pointed out that we need to learn to conduct ourselves online they way we behave offline. We need to ensure that social media is not a dividing platform.
Media and digital literacy skills is one way of attempting to achieve this.
We could look at education in four points:
- Media literacy
- Critical thinking
- Inclusive education
- Citizenship
These should be focal points in the curriculum at schools as an early starting point. This must be implemented equally across member states to take the ‘digital divide’ that is not only dividing ages but also countries. We must also be aware that this divide is among social classes and even geographically. Cities seem to be hubs of activity and the more rural areas are forgotten. The spread needs to reach all and policies need to encourage more territorial cohesion.
Lara Orlandi Policy Officer at the European Commission at DG Connect, stated that today ‘’you have the world at your fingertips’’. This opportunity applies to everyone and that needs to be recognised.
On a positive note, we must also recognise that there are efforts underway and they are making a difference. During the first EU Media Literacy Week beginning on the 18th of March, 320 media and digital literacy events took place. And during All Digital Week, there were 900 events with around 65,000 participants. These events covered coding, robotics, cybersecurity and privacy to women and STEM to name just a few.
One problem highlighted by Ilona Kish of Public Libraries 2030, was that while there might be many projects, they are not replicable across national levels. It seems that many countries are not willing to take on that which has been developed by another. So, while there might very good ideas out there already, they are not being adopted and are then replicated. So, we are seeing the development of lots or initiatives that are not new. This highlights the need to better share ideas. Projects can be then adapted to better represent the state in question.
We must not forget that tools are important but implementing them isn’t enough. Context and social impact are crucial things to consider and the why and the how needs to be answered!
In tacking these problems in reaching people the general the general consensus was ‘think European, act local’. We must remember here that the 43% is an EU average and does not represent the average of each individual member state.
A key question is how to reach people that are not digitally active? Putting an advertisement on Google or Facebook will not help. We are reaching people that already active in this sphere. We are trying to sell something that WE think is important, but that doesn’t mean that people will share our views. How do you sell the importance of media and digital skills if it is not something they see as important in their lives?
Fiona Fanning, Director or European Affairs at Centiport, highlighted a strategy in reaching people. It must focus on four main characteristics. It must be:
- Easy – should not be difficult to access or overly difficult in theory.
- Attractive – it should be appealing for individual to want to do it. Why would it be good for them?
- Social – make it a social activity and not something to do individually.
- Timely – it needs to be targeted to people at the right time. Is it topical right now?
Finding new networks and locations to communicate with people is one route. One such way is to focus on libraries. These are present in most areas from small towns to cities. If rural areas are harder to reach, libraries present an attractive location to present people with information and courses. Libraries are locations that attract people of all ages and backgrounds. In taking this forward, librarians need to be equipped with the knowledge and skills to educate and help people.
In conclusion we can reiterate the fact that basic digital skills are important. However, where will we be in five years’ time? Is it still enough to be focusing on the society we have now and not the one we are moving towards?
We cannot fall into the same patterns we are experiencing now with the same mistakes. When will it be too later to start teaching people AI, ethics, coding?
References:
The Digital Economy and Society Index, 2018. Available at URL: https://ec.europa.eu/digital-single-market/en/desi
Perception and Reality, ECDL Foundation, 2015. Available at URL: http://ecdl.org/media/perceptionandreality-measuringdigitalskillsineurope-ecdlfoundationpositionpaper1.pdf
