What is technological literacy?

In order to be a fully functional part of society in the 20th century individuals needed to be both literate and numerate; that is to say that the needed to be able to both read and compute at a basic level that allowed them to participate in everyday activities. While this definition of literary held true for over a century, the changes in our society brought about by technology now require a new kind of literacy. This new literacy is being referred to as technological or 21st Century literacy. This sentiment was summarized by the 21st Century Workforce Commission by saying, “In the 20th Century, the benchmark for literacy was meeting a basic threshold of reading, writing, and mathematical computing ability. This literacy level was sufficient for the Industrial Age, but today’s jobs require these basics kills as well as a higher level of academic, workplace, and technical skills. The literacy bar was raised decade by decade during the last century, and continues to rise.” (p 22). But what exactly is technological literacy and what does a person who is technologically literate look like?

Technological Literacy can be, and is, defined in many ways. However despite the differences in language all definitions seem to agree that in order to be considered technologically literate an individual must be able to access and interpret digital information, use digital tools in ways that are efficient and appropriate the situation, and evaluate and synthesize digital information (Jones-Kavalier and Flannigan, 2006; ITEA, 1996). Jones-Kavalier and Flannigan (2006) digital literacy as “…a person’s ability to perform tasks effectively in a digital environment, with “digital” meaning information represented in numeric form and primarily for use by a computer. Literacy includes the ability to read and interpret media (text, sound, images), to reproduce data and images through digital manipulation, and to evaluate and apply new knowledge gained from digital environments.”

In defining Technological literacy, a picture of the capabilities of a technologically literate individual is also formed. The technologically literate person has the skills necessary to interact with all the different forms of Information Communication Technologies (ICT) that we are bombarded with on a daily basis. Additionally, according to the 21st Century Workforce Commission (2000), technologically literate persons “…are skilled in the safe use of the technological processes that are lifelong prerequisites for their careers, health, and enjoyment.” Technological literacy is fast becoming a requirement in the 21st century as our live become more ever more permeated with ICT. While “Literacy, in any form, advances a person’s ability to effectively and creatively use and communicate information (Jones-Kavalier and Flannigan, 2006),” being numerate, literate as well as technologically literate is essential in this 21st century digital environment.


References:

International Technology Education Association (ITEA). Technology For All Americans: A Rationale and Structure for the Study of Technology. Reston, Virginia. International Technology Education Association, 1996. Retrieved from: http://www.iteaconnect.org/TAA/PDFs/Taa_RandS.pdf

Jones-Kavalier, Barbara R., & Flanigan, Suzanne L. (2006). Connecting the Digital Dots: Literacy of the 21st Century. EDUCAUSE Quarterly, 29(2), Retrieved from: http://www.educause.edu/EDUCAUSE+Quarterly/EDUCAUSEQuarterlyMagazineVolum/ConnectingtheDigitalDotsLitera/157395

U.S. 21st Century Workforce Commission (2000). A Nation of Opportunity: Building America's 21st Century Workforce. Federal Publication; Washington, DC. Retrieved from:
http://digitalcommons.ilr.cornell.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1003&context=key_workplace