Introduction
In developing the draft Digital Literacy Global Framework (DLGF), the project team found that the specific digital literacy competences and proficiency levels that are important to adults depend importantly on their specific country and economic sector contexts. Furthermore, their priorities for advancing their digital competence also depend on the broader developmental priorities they found themselves in. Hence, in order that the DLGF can be a useful resource to guide digital literacy development and assessment for diverse country and sector developmental contexts, the project team has developed a pathway mapping methodology to guide countries, sectors, groups and individuals to develop strategies and plans for advancing their own digital literacy development goals and pathways. Here, we provide a brief description of the methodology.
A pathway for digital literacy development can be developed through comparing use case examples for specific targeted contexts to identify the difference in digital literacy competence required for adequate performance between the popular current use example and the use example to aspire to. The ability to advance the use of digital technology to enhance social and economic development depends not only on the availability of the necessary infrastructure and technology access in the community, but also a higher level of digital literacy. Using this mapping methodology, stakeholders at different levels of the system in different country/sector/personal contexts can customize their own digital literacy development plan.
Use Case Example Comparison Tables for Two Economic Areas
Tables 1 and 2 compare the dimensions, competences and proficiency required for adequate performance for use cases. Table 1 compares three use case examples in agriculture, showing different levels of sophistication in the deployment of technology to enhance the productivity and profit of farmers. Table 2 compares two use cases in government, showing different levels of sophistication in the deployment of technology to enhance the productivity of entrepreneurs and bidders in government systems. The examples in both tables are numbered for a progression or pathway.
Table 1 shows the pathway of progression in competences required of the farmer if he/she wants to move from a less to a more sophisticated use of technology in the farming case examples. We can see a pathway in terms of digital technology used, from a basic mobile phone, to a smart phone, to an automated watering system that can be remotely monitored and activated. We can also see a pathway in software required from user-end software to back-end software.
Table 2 shows the different competences required of a person if he/she wants to move/extend his/her business from one country to another, in order to be able to use the relevant e-government services. E-government systems differ in terms of the nature of the services offered, the connectivity of the system across different government departments, and whether specific digital devices are needed for identification verification. We can see a pathway in terms of the complexity of the task, from registering to have a login to use a government service to using a specific government service, which includes the registering and signing into the service. We can also see a pathway in terms of the complexity of the software features and functionalities provided by the e-services portal.
Table 1. A comparison of three use case examples in agriculture
| Use case example | 1. A farmer in India makes better farming and trading decisions using a mobile phone service. | 2. A farmer in Uganda conveniently buys and sells product through a smart phone app. | 3. A farmer makes a data-driven irrigation system through Arduino | |
| Economic area of use case | Agriculture | Agriculture | Agriculture | |
| Role(s) of the person(s) using the digital technology | Farmer | Farmer | Farmer | |
| Digital technology used | Mobile phone with voice call and SMS capability | A smartphone with Internet connectivity | Arduino program; USB plug; moisture sensors; wires and transmitters; power supply; (water) tank supply sensor; relay; clock; LCD display; laptop | |
| Software applications (if applicable) | Not applicable | Agro Market Day | Arduino program | |
| Competence area | Competences | Adequate performance level | Adequate performance level | Adequate performance level |
| 0. Devices and software operations | 0.1 Physical operations of digital devices | The farmer can input a simcard, charge his mobile phone and turn it on. The farmer can carry his phone while working. | The farmer can input a simcard, charge his smart phone and turn it on. The farmer can carry his phone while working. The farmer knows how to take a picture with the smart phone camera. | The farmer can properly power the system and read its setting on an LCD display, or on a laptop. The farmer can plug in Arduino into a powered laptop via USB. The farmer can place sensors at appropriate depth in soil and locations in field, and place watering devices at appropriate height and location. |
| 0.2 Identifying software to operate digital technologies | The farmer can set up the smart phone operating system settings and is aware of Internet connectivity. | |||
| 1. Information and data literacy | 1.1 Browsing, searching and filtering data, information and digital content | The farmer can receive four to five personalized SMS messages each day about weather, market prices and farming practices. The farmer can navigate the mobile phone interface to find relevant messages. | The farmer is able to search for and download the Agro Market Day app from the Android store. The farmer can search for a particular product in the app and view listings. The farmer can also browse agricultural news and access prices from several markets. | |
| 1.2 Evaluating data, information and digital content | The farmer can compare prices in different markets and decide on a market to sell his product on a particular day. | The farmer can compare prices in different markets. A farmer can evaluate recommendations for where to buy genuine agricultural tools and inputs (herbicides; pesticides; fertilizers; etc.) and make purchase decisions. | The farmer can compare Arduino and clone specifications to deterime which type to purchase. | |
| 1.3 Managing data, information and digital content | The farmer can organize and delete the SMS messages on the phone. | The farmer can organize information on multiple prices for multiple products in multiple marketplaces to buy and to sell. | The farmer can organize code so that others can read it and comprehend it. A farmer can keep track of times and dates of irrigation. | |
| 2. Communication and collaboration | 2.1 Interacting through digital technologies | The farmer can call other farmers and show information to other farmers. | A buyer can call a seller and arrange time, date and location for transaction. The farmer with the smartphone can cooperate with the farmer without a smartphone and a buyer to transact. | The farmer can reach out to the Arduino online community to learn to program and to troubleshoot programs, and to Arduino farming community to learn appropriate ways to physically connect an irrigation system and to program it. |
| 2.2 Sharing through digital technologies | A farmer with a smartphone can cooperate with a farmer without a smartphone to post produce advertisements on the app for the farmer without a smartphone. | |||
| 2.3 Engaging in citizenship through digital technologies | ||||
| 2.4 Collaborating through digital technologies | ||||
| 2.5 Netiquette | ||||
| 2.6 Managing digital identity | ||||
| 3. Digital content creation | 3.1 Developing digital content | The farmer takes pictures of his product, and uploads that with price, location and a phone number to the app. | ||
| 3.2 Integrating and re-elaborating digital content | ||||
| 3.3 Copyright and licences | ||||
| 3.4 Programming | The farmer can define constants on the programming interface, pins, the maximum dryness, and the water delay and water post-delay. The farmer can program a loop to read sensor value, compare it, and to take action with water and delay if the soil is too dry. The farmer can reprogram the system to irrigate based on time, or to irrigate based on fertilizer not water. | |||
| 4. Safety | 4.1 Protecting devices | The farmer is able to register the app and log in with a phone number and password. | ||
| 4.2 Protecting personal data and privacy | The farmer does not disclose password or sensitive information about himself or a fellow farmer. | |||
| 4.3 Protecting health and well-being | ||||
| 4.4 Protecting the environment | ||||
| 5. Problem solving | 5.1 Solving technical problems | The farmer can refer to sample code in Arduino to learn to program. The farmer can reach out to the Arduino online community to learn to program and to troubleshoot programs, and to Arduino farming community to learn appropriate ways to physically connect an irrigation system and to program it. | ||
| 5.2 Identifying needs and technological responses | A farmer without a smartphone identifies the approach to cooperate with a farmer with a smartphone and Agro Market Day to post advertisements of the farmer’s product. A farmer decides on whether to post an advertisement for product or to go to a market based on prices at marketplaces. | |||
| 5.3 Creatively using digital technologies | ||||
| 5.4 Identifying digital competence gaps | ||||
| 5.5 Computational thinking | ||||
| 6. Career-related competences | 6.1 Operating specialized digital technologies for a particular field
6.2 Interpreting data, information and digital content for a particular field |
Table 2. A comparison of two use case examples in e-government
| Use case example | 1. An entrepreneur registers for a Dubai MyID single sign-on to access required government online services to do business | 2. A supplier submits a bid through the Government of Mauritius e-Procurement System | |
| Economic area of use case | Government | Government | |
| Role(s) of the person(s) using the digital technology | Entrepreneur | Bidder for government supplier | |
| Digital technology used | Emirates ID card; kiosk or PC or laptop with smart-card reader; mobile or smart phone; Internet connectivity | PC or laptop; Internet connectivity | |
| Software applications (if applicable) | Internet browser; government service apps | Compatible Windows operating system; Office software; compatible Internet browser; Java; Adobe Acrobat Reader; digital signature certificate; anti-virus software | |
| Competence area | Competences | Adequate performance level | Adequate performance level |
| 0. Devices and software operations | 0.1 Physical operations of digital devices | The entrepreneur can visit a kiosk within the city to register or if the entrepreneur doesn’t want to visit a kiosk, the entrepreneur can turn on a computer, and attach a smart card reader. The person can insert the Emirates ID into the kiosk or the smart card reader. He/she can place finger on sensor for scanning. | The bidder can turn on a computer. |
| 0.2 Identifying software to operate digital technologies | The entrepreneur can respond to prompts for Emirates ID card insertion and fingerprint scanning. The person is aware of Internet connectivity, proper and successful card insertion and appropriate and successful fingerprint scanning. | The bidder can check the prerequisite hardware and software system requirements against the bidder’s hardware and software system. The person can respond to the website and web browser prompts and to unblock content, to allow pop-up windows, and to install a Java utility on the bidder’s system. He/she is aware of different file types, and can decompress a file comprising documents. The person recognizes required personal information on the form. | |
| 1. Information and data literacy | 1.1 Browsing, searching and filtering data, information and digital content |
The entrepreneur can open a web browser, and input the registration webpage address in the appropriate box in the browser. The person can identify and interpret icons and buttons, input boxes and forms on the interface. He/she can advance to the next screen in the registration process. The person can browse and select relevant government services. At a government service login, he/she can click on the MyID icon. |
The bidder can open a web browser, and go to the Government of Mauritius e-Procurement System website. From the landing page, the person can scan and skim the content in the How to?, FAQ, Help Desk, and Standard Bidding Docs sections of the website to find relevant information on successfully making a bid. He/she checks an email account, including its SPAM folder, to find an email from the e-Procurement system. The person opens the email and clicks on a link to confirm the registration. He/she can interpret action icons in the IFB interface. The person can search for, and select relevant invitations for bids (IFBs) from the user account dashboard. He/she can click on Proceed to go to the next screen in the IFB preparation page sequence. The person can identify drop down menus, text boxes, adding rows and importing data on forms. |
| 1.2 Evaluating data, information and digital content | The bidder can preview invitations and bid templates. | ||
| 1.3 Managing data, information and digital content | The entrepreneur can note down his Emirates ID PIN to register for MyID. The person can note down hi MyID username and password to access government online services. | The bidder uploads specific file types and multiple files from his system into an e-Procurement system field. The person can prepare a bid by downloading IFB documents individually or in a compressed file to a location on the person’s system. He/she can receive and read email updates on the IFB. The person identifies and notes down applicable fees for the IFB. | |
| 2. Communication and collaboration | 2.1 Interacting through digital technologies | ||
| 2.2 Sharing through digital technologies | |||
| 2.3 Engaging in citizenship through digital technologies | |||
| 2.4 Collaborating through digital technologies | |||
| 2.5 Netiquette | |||
| 2.6 Managing digital identity | |||
| 3. Digital content creation | 3.1 Developing digital content | ||
| 3.2 Integrating and re-elaborating digital content | |||
| 3.3 Copyright and licences | |||
| 3.4 Programming | |||
| 4. Safety | 4.1 Protecting devices | An entrepreneur can keep a physical Emirates ID card and set and recall a PIN to access information from the card. The person can enter username and password in a form on a separate page to access a government service, and then close the sign on page. | The bidder inputs personal information and security information, including Captcha and security questions, on the form through single text boxes. The person logs in with a username and password. |
| 4.2 Protecting personal data and privacy | The entrepreneur can register a new account by selecting and inputting an existing email address and a password twice in text boxes. The person can select and input an existing mobile phone number and Emirates ID number in the form. The entrepreneur can select and input personal information, including physical address, and fingerprint scan. | The bidder can read the Terms of Use and accept the terms by clicking a check box. At the user account dashboard, the person registers his organization by first clicking on My Registration. He/she identifies required information on a form and decides whether or not to input optional information on the form. The person saves the form and encrypts data. He/she can choose and attach digital certificates to the template. The person submits the bid and identifies and notes down the hash values of the bid. The He/she can revise the bid application until the closing date for bid submission by clicking on decrypt. | |
| 4.3 Protecting health and well-being | |||
| 4.4 Protecting the environment | |||
| 5. Problem solving | 5.1 Solving technical problems | The entrepreneur can follow and meet format input requirements for the password, mobile phone number and ID. | The bidder can meet the type or format of acceptable input by clicking the information button beside the input field and seeing a green check mark or a red check mark beside the field. |
| 5.2 Identifying needs and technological responses | On the registration webpage, the entrepreneur can identify the options to change language and to find more information, including kiosk locations through Google maps, and contact information telephone number and email address. | The bidder can search the system website and other websites to find and follow relevant information on how to navigate the system interface. | |
| 5.3 Creatively using digital technologies | |||
| 5.4 Identifying digital competence gaps | |||
| 5.5 Computational thinking | |||
| 6. Career-related competences | 6.1 Operating specialized digital technologies for a particular field
6.2 Interpreting data, information and digital content for a particular field |
Three possible types of progression in competences are observed in pathways of increasing sophistication in technology use:
- Increasing proficiency level for adequate performance within the same competence. This could arise from the use of more sophisticated digital devices. In the three examples of Table 1, under competence 0.1 concerning the physical operations of digital devices, the farmer in example 1 needs to use a mobile phone, which may have fewer physical features and pairing possibilities with other digital devices than a smartphone which the farmer uses in example 2. The use of the data-driven irrigation system in example 3 requires the farmer’s organization and use of many individual parts. Increasing proficiency level for adequate performance within the same competence could also arise from the use of more sophisticated software on digital devices. In the two examples of Table 2, under competence 0.2, while the entrepreneur in example 1 uses more digital technologies, the bidder in example 2 uses a software system with more sophisticated requirements and capabilities, including interacting with different types of files on the e-Procurement System and the bidder’s system.
- The need to develop new competences. For instance, in Table 1, example 1 does not require competences 0.2 (basic knowledge of account management), 2.2 (sharing information on the internet), and 5.2 (identify needs and technological responses that are immediately useful).
- The immediate importance of specific competences may be less important because of the application area, and necessarily because of the sophistication of the technology used. For instance, in Table 1 example 2, since the application focus is to help the farmer make more efficient and profitable sales, competence 3.1 (developing digital content) becomes an immediately important competence. In Table 2 example 2, since the application focus is to help the bidder make bids within the e-procurement system, competence 1.2 (evaluating data, information and digital content) becomes an immediately important competence.