In our Digital Literacy Center we support the ability of children, young people and adults to find, evaluate, and compose clear information through writing and other media on various digital platforms. Those skills are seen in the context of each learner`s grammar, composition, typing kills and ability to produce text, images, audio and designs using technology. 

Digital literacy is often discussed in the context of its precursor media literacy. Similar to other forms of literacy that recognise cultural and historical ways of making meaning, digital literacy does not replace traditional forms of literacy, and instead builds upon and expands the skills that form the foundation of traditional forms of literacy. 

​In DLC, we consider digital literacy  to be a part of the Path to Knowledge.


Digital literacy requires certain skill sets that are interdisciplinary in nature.

Warschauer and Matuchniak (2010) list three skill sets, or 21st century skills, that individuals need to master in order to be digitally literate: information, media, and technology; learning and innovation skills; and life and career skills.. Aviram et al. assert that order to be competent in Life and Career Skills, it is also necessary to be able to exercise flexibility and adaptability, initiative and self-direction, social and cross-cultural skills, productivity and accountability, leadership and responsibility.

Digital literacy is composed of different literacies, because of this fact there is no need to search for similarities and differences. 


The European Digital Education Action Plan (2021-2027) outlines the European Commission’s vision for high-quality, inclusive and accessible digital education in Europe.  It is a call to action for stronger cooperation at European level to:

  • learn from the COVID-19 crisis, during which technology is being used at an unprecedented scale in education and training
  • make education and training systems fit for the digital age.



The Iconographic above is a sample of the Canadian national Roadmap  for building digital literacy and skills to be used by education, industry, government, individuals and interested stakeholders. The model is intended to be flexible and fluid and areas may cross-over while also offering a continuum. To navigate the tool, it is suggested to start with the “Discover” Stage and work your way through the document to the “Lead” Stage. The “Discover” Stage is the starting point for building the foundation for digital literacy and skills. This tool is intended to be inclusiveness as digital is everywhere.


It outlines 3 Learning Pathways:

  • Education 

This is an education/training development path where individuals will learn and acquire digital literacy and digital skills through some form of formal education/ training. In some circumstances, they may be self-taught.

  • Occupation 

This is a workforce development path where individuals will learn and acquire digital literacy and digital skills either independently or through education/ training or through work experience to utilize these skills in a work setting.

  • Personal 

This is a path for the everyday individual and consumer as technology and digital become pervasive in government and everyday services and as the world becomes more digitally connected (i.e. Internet of things; connected cars and homes, etc.)

The education path introduces digital to learners through education; whereas the occupation path introduces digital to workers and the citizen path introduces digital to individuals and society.


​Aviram & Eshet-Alkalai contend that there are five types of literacies that are encompassed in the umbrella term that is digital literacy.

  • Photo-visual literacy:

the ability to read and deduce information from visuals.

  • Reproduction literacy:

the ability to use digital technology to create a new piece of work or combine existing pieces of work together to make it your own.

  • Branching literacy:

the ability to successfully navigate in the non-linear medium of digital space.

  • Information literacy:

the ability to search, locate, assess and critically evaluate information found on the web and on-shelf in libraries.

  • Socio-emotional literacy:

the social and emotional aspects of being present online, whether it may be through socializing, and collaborating, or simply consuming content