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With the current ICT curriculum now under consultation, Richard French, director of educational policy, BCS Learning & Development Ltd - part of BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT - has been examining the importance of digital literacy and how it impacts not only on IT, but also on our ability as a society to access government services; and how it enables our children to become employable and to fully contribute to society. "For many years as a profession, we have been desperately trying to search for the green 'advantages' within the myriad of processes, techniques and policies that exist or are being created within the IT profession. There is some good news that has been staring us in the face, which we may have been too insular to see.

First, let's consider, at a macro level, how much we still use paper when communicating. The classic example is 'form filling'. This is still not a lost art, even today, and by no means has it become an exclusively online activity - whereas it could well have been.

"As I board yet another train, to yet another destination, under the often-quoted 'you can't beat face-to-face meetings', perhaps we need a paradigm shift in that attitude, rather than a relentless charge to keep pushing for people to accept this unproved measure as a successful form of communication.

"We are now seeing government realise the benefit of online activity, including online access to its services, albeit a financial benefit. In the current economic climate, this will always carry the public and political tide of support, often without a look beneath the surface for implications - good, bad, real or perceived.

DIGITAL LITERACY
"As the Chartered Institute for IT, we believe that all students should leave school with the necessary digital skills to operate in our information society. We have been campaigning over the last few years to spread this message far and wide, and the government has recently taken action to review the ICT curriculum, with part of the proposed 'Programme of Study' requiring digital literacy to be included for all children in maintained schools.

"So why do we believe that this is so important? A number of reasons: with digital literacy, the ability to operate a PC, laptop, tablet, smart phone etc. (and safely), is the life skill of our modern age. Digital skills are as essential as literacy and numeracy, in terms of enabling people to fully participate in society today. It's important that all children learn digital skills from an early age. Remember, we have already identified where government is placing all of its services and access to them???????online!"

VITAL SKILL
Digital literacy, French argues, is a vital skill that enables so much and provides students with the skills to function in our digital society. Whether it is continuing in further education, taxing a car, shopping, checking what's on at the local cinema or even finding a job; online is now the way to go.

"In the Booz & Co report, This is for Everyone - The Case For Universal Digitisation', it clearly highlights the requirement for digital skills: '???????this means reaching out to individuals and organisations that are not online to ensure they have easy access to digital technologies, are aware of the benefits of being online, and have the basic digital literacy skills needed to engage with the digital world.'

"However, it's not just in our social lives where IT has an impact. By ensuring that students have digital skills, we are also preparing them for future employment by meeting the needs of the modern workplace where more than 77% of jobs require digital skills. Think back to those journeys I spoke of that we all make without much thought to the digital alternatives that the world now offers. There is simply no escaping the fact that technology devices are all around us in the workplace. Having the aptitude and basic skills to work effectively, utilising technology, is most definitely a bonus when applying for a role. Equally, employers have much to gain from a workforce that is appropriately skilled for the 21st century workplace.

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