Digital literacy

The International Literacy Day is celebrated each year, on 8 September. This year, UNESCO has decided to implement literacy through digital use. It is true that we are living in a constrant technological fast pace, in our world today. Even in Mauritius, we can notice each of us using advanced mobiles phones or other technological gadgets just to be in the trend of modernisation, our level of literacy is being improved digitally. But competitiveness is high and to be able to vie with it, we need to adapt ourselves to new changes.

As our country is rich in human resources, most of the employers seek for literate staff. Considering the demands of our country, literacy becomes a pillar for economic growth. Literacy might be a vast word, but signifies the ability to speak and write fluently. The only advantage of literacy is that it acts as a survival tool in a fiercely competitive world. It certainly empowers us for education and human development. Nowadays, challenges are levelled up for Mauritius to introduce literacy through technological means. For example, Information Technology is part of school curriculum; pupils nowadays are learning basics of ICT. Even classes are being taught through the use of projectors to save time writing on boards and to give more meaningful explanation through diagrams. Another example is that books are being replaced by e-books, giving accessibility for us to read more leisurely anywhere and save costs of printing on papers. The third point is the aspect of eco green, by saving our trees to be cut down.

On the other side of the same coin, digital literacy produces lazy minds to some extent. In the case of teenagers, most of them will be dependent on technology itself. For example, searching for the meaning of a word can be done instantly on Google. They will no more care for opening a dictionary and search for the word. Another factor is that not many of our people are computer literate; some might know how to use a touch pad or a mobile phone whilst others prefer traditional ways of learning by reading the hard copy or paper back itself. Digital literacy is certainly a beneficial asset but should contain important parameters that are useful for pedagogical development. The government could further seek in its development to reduce the rate of illiteracy in years to come.

Glorine Maloupe