Digital Literacy Skills

Digital Literacy encompasses the skills and abilities necessary for access once the technology is available. Digital Divide implies a gap — whether based in socioeconomic status, education, geography, age, ability, language, or other factors — between those for whom internet access is readily available and those for whom it is not. Digital Inclusion is, in a manner of speaking, the action plan developed to close the digital divide. It marries internet access and digital literacy in ways that reach various audiences (Jaeger et al., 2012)

There are many ways of measuring digital inclusion. The Tech Partnership Basic Digital Skills framework (cited in Lloyds Bank, 2018) describes 5 basic digital skills that can be used to measure digital inclusion and the activities someone should be able to do to demonstrate each skill. These are:

Managing Information: using a search engine to look for information, finding a website visited before or downloading or saving a photo found online.
Communicating: sending a personal message via email or online messaging service or carefully making comments and sharing information online.
Transacting: buying items or services from a website or buying and installing apps on a device.
Problem solving: verifying sources of information online or solving a problem with a device or digital service using online help.
Creating: completing online application forms including personal details or creating something new from existing online images, music or video.

General Digital Literacy Skills

Microsoft 365

Additional Resources

Technology, Tools and Applications to
make your presentations and other media more interesting and interactive

Get Creative!

What Our Library Users Are Saying...

"Apprentices now have greater access to resources, not only at College or University but in the workplace. The benefits are not solely logistical; the resources and services available to them via the Library & Knowledge Service are current, relevant and varied."

"The library provided me with the evidence base to support a service development of developing a early discharge detox policy. This has improved patient clinical outcomes. This also reduces length of stay and re-attendance at A&E."

"Literature searches carried out by the library staff assisted in the development of a new education program for unregistered staff in response to the Francis report."

"The library carried out a literature search and provided my team with a wealth of relevant information from a variety of different sources that we were able to use within our poster presentation."

"The information I receive has a positive impact in my role as a Non-Executive Director. Over the past year in post I have found the library alerting service to be an invaluable resource it is a great way to be kept informed via the on-line platform that I can access at times to suit."