Digital Literacy Webinar Series: Empowering Educators to Bridge the Gap

Join the Digital Literacy Webinar Series – a 5-part program to help you empower your students with essential digital skills! Whether you’re looking for practical strategies or expert advice, this webinar series is your guide to integrating digital literacy into your teaching practice.

Over the past 17 years, 60,000 Australian students in Years 6 and 10 have participated in the National Assessment Program for ICT Literacy (NAP-ICTL). The results, however, paint a challenging picture: little to no improvement in ICT proficiency standards has been recorded from 2005 to 2024, despite significant investments in education.

The latest data from 2022 shows that only 46% of Year 10 students and 55% of Year 6 students reached ICT proficiency standards. This stark reality challenges the assumption that younger generations, often labelled as “digital natives,” are inherently skilled with digital tools.

The Digital Literacy Disconnect

There’s a widespread belief that social media savvy translates into digital literacy, but let’s not confuse the two. Using TikTok, Instagram, or YouTube doesn’t mean students are equipped to organise files, analyse data, or critically assess online information.

Teachers across Australia consistently report that many students struggle with fundamental digital tasks. Some Year 11 students have never opened a spreadsheet, even though skills like data interpretation and visualisation are introduced in Mathematics, Science, and HASS from as early as Year 3. The Australian Digital Technologies Curriculum explicitly expects students to use spreadsheeting software – yet the gap persists.

What Is Digital Literacy?

True digital literacy is about more than using apps or consuming content. It’s the ability to:

Organise and retrieve information through effective file and folder management.
Use tools like mind maps, spreadsheets, and presentation software to develop and showcase learning.
Critically evaluate digital content, including identifying biases and inaccuracies in AI-generated information.
Create engaging outputs like infographics, animations, and videos to communicate ideas.

Digital literacy is vital for navigating today’s world, and educators play a crucial role in fostering these capabilities.

Why Join the Digital Literacy Webinar Series?

The Digital Literacy Webinar Series is a 5-part program designed to support educators in embedding digital literacy skills into their teaching practice. Whether you’re just starting or looking to enhance your current strategies, this series offers:

Practical tips and tools to develop students’ digital literacy.
Expert advice on integrating these skills seamlessly into the curriculum.
Supportive discussions to answer your questions and share ideas.

📅 The journey begins in January 2025! Register now to secure your spot in the Digital Literacy Webinar Series.

Can’t attend the live sessions? No problem! You’ll receive access to all webinar recordings and can continue the conversation in our dedicated Q&A virtual space with Anna and Paula.

Let’s ensure students move beyond being social media users to becoming confident, capable, and critically aware digital citizens. Together, we can build their digital futures – one skill at a time.