Digital literacy should be integrated into primary and high school education from a young age. The early exposure to technology will give learners an advantage when they enter the workplace steeped in digital mediums of all descriptions.
So said Myles Thies, head of Strategic Services at educational technology company Eiffel Corp, adding that panel members at a recent HR influencer session, agreed that digital literacy should be part of general literacy along with numeric and language literacy.
The panel, which looked at the impact of digital literacy on the workforce, brought together leaders in the HR industry and dealt with a number of questions related to the preparedness of school leavers and students for the workplace when it comes to digital literacy.
"Digital literacy just isn't optional. It's a requirement for success in the 21st century workplace," said Thies.
He said if digital literacy doesn't take place in the early learning stages students will find themselves unable to cope in today's environment that is increasingly dominated by technology. "It's a requirement for success in the 21st century workplace."
Thies added that primary schools are focusing on numeracy and literacy, while high schools are focused on maths and science and there is very little time for the acquisition of complementary digital skills.
"Many educators themselves are not comfortable with the use of technology in a classroom and school leavers are largely digitally illiterate when trying to get employment," he explained.
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