This week, UNESCO's Digital Learning Week brings together educators, researchers and policymakers to explore what education looks like in the age of AI, under the theme 'Facts, Frictions, Frontiers'. It's a useful moment to think about what digital literacy means when the technologies we use to learn and work are changing so quickly. The World Economic Forum estimates that 39% of workers' core skills will change by 2030, so whatever specific tool or platform you're using today may look different by the time you graduate.
Being digitally literate means more than knowing how to use the latest technology. It means developing the skills, confidence and judgement to use digital tools effectively, make informed choices and adapt when things change. These are skills you can develop and apply throughout university and take with you into the world of work.
So, what does this look like in practice? UNESCO's three themes for Digital Learning Week offer a useful way to think about the skills that can help us navigate an increasingly digital world: questioning what we encounter, making informed choices about technology, and adapting as new possibilities emerge.
Facts: Can I trust this?
We come across a lot of information in our everyday lives, including AI-generated content. Having access to more information doesn’t necessarily make it easier to know what to trust. Critical thinking and information literacy are increasingly important skills as content gets harder to tell apart from authentic information.
Next time you search online or use GenAI, try asking: Where did this information come from? Can I verify it? What might be missing?
Try this: Open a new tab and check what two independent sources say before deciding whether the information is trustworthy. The same applies to an AI-generated answer: if it gives you a statistic, a quote or a source, treat it as a claim to verify, not a fact to repeat.
Developing the habit of questioning and checking what you encounter is a valuable skill you can carry into any workplace.
Frictions: Should I use this?
Digital technologies can make things easier, but they also raise questions about privacy, bias, ethics, accessibility, and appropriate use.
When you're creating or sharing digital content, consider who might be excluded if digital accessibility isn't built in.
Try this: Before sharing a document, presentation, or video assignment, check whether it has meaningful headings, readable formatting, appropriate alternative text and captions.
Privacy and bias are important considerations too. Digital literacy goes beyond knowing how to use digital technologies; it's also about developing the awareness and judgement to understand when and how to use them.
Try this: Before uploading a draft assignment, someone else's data or unpublished coursework to an AI tool, check what its data policy allows. Also, when using a digital or AI tool, ask whether its assumptions, recommendations or outputs might reflect bias or exclude particular people.
Developing digital literacy means being aware of these differences and considering how the technology you use might affect others.
Frontiers: How can I adapt?
The advancement of technology means you have access to lots of different digital tools. However, you don't need to learn every new technology to prepare for the future. Rather than trying to future-proof yourself by mastering every new tool, focus on developing your ability to learn and adapt.
Try this: Choose one digital tool you already use and explore one feature you've never tried. Notice what you learn, what works and what doesn't. Then ask yourself: Could I use this skill somewhere else?
Developing the ability to learn, adapt and transfer your skills is valuable at university and in the workplace, precisely because the tools will keep changing.
Build your skills portfolio
Your digital skills portfolio doesn't have to be a list of tools you can use. It might include capabilities such as evaluating information, communicating and collaborating digitally, using technology creatively and responsibly, making informed decisions about GenAI, and adapting to new situations.
Every assignment, project, placement, job or new technology you encounter can give you another opportunity to develop these capabilities. Try keeping a running note of the digital skills you develop and where you've used them. Over time, these examples become a portfolio of your skills that you can draw on in applications, interviews and the workplace.
Want to develop your digital skills?
The Skills Centre offers workshops, resources and opportunities to build digital and GenAI literacy alongside wider employability capabilities. Develop your Digital Skills on MySkills, find something that suits you.
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