The State of Digital Literacy: A literature review

Our response to a growing recognition worldwide about the importance of digital literacy for students, workers, and citizens in an increasingly digital economy
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The State of Digital Literacy: A literature review
Tea Hadziristic
Research Assistant

About this Report

This literature review informs the Brookfield Institute for Innovation + Entrepreneurship (BII+E)’s research on the state of digital literacy in Canada, grounding it in existing research.

It focuses on digital literacy as it pertains to the changing nature of work, drawing upon Canadian and international research and best practices in order to define digital literacy, the skills it comprises, and its importance. These sources have pulled insights mainly from educational and pedagogical research and work on technology and the economy.

Read this report to help you:
  • Existing definitions of digital literacy and the skills it comprises.
  • The digital economy and the changing nature of the Canadian workplace.
  • How digital literacy can address and exacerbate existing social divides and exclusions.
  • Emerging research questions and gaps in existing research.

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Key findings from the report:

Based on this scan of literature on digital literacy, we can identify several areas where further research is necessary. Research is needed to:

  • Adequately understand the state of digital literacy in Canada.
  • Understand and identify the precise digital skill needs in various sectors of the economy.
  • Map the current landscape of digital literacy policies and programs and understand what forms of digital literacy are best taught within the formal education system and which are best taught outside it.
  • Quantify and examine the digital divide in Canada along key demographic characteristics, particularly in terms of race and socioeconomic status.
  • Explore how digital literacy can be taught to older workers, particularly through cost-effective re-training and rapid upskilling programs in digital skills.
  • Examine the links between computational thinking, other cognitive factors and digital literacy.

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Feb 25, 2019

As we move into our second year of the pilot, find out what we’re learning along the way in our latest quarterly update, from female participation rates to flexible learning practices, and more
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Oct 1, 2018

With several successful cohorts behind us across our 5 sites, find out what we've learned so far and where our digital literacy + coding pilot is headed
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Apr 10, 2017

Digital literacy is going to be a central part of preparing for the future of work
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