Effective digital inclusion is key to achieving the goal of every adult in Britain having a Britizen account and score. Digital inclusion is also fundamental to the government’s UK Digital Strategy (HM Government, 2017). Digital literacy and digital equality are more complex than having physical access to hardware, an Internet connection and some basic training.
Digital Literacy
Martin and Grudzieki (2006) describe digital literacy as the “awareness, attitude and ability of individuals to properly use digital tools and facilities”. At the most basic level people need to be aware of the existence and how to gain access to media to be able to use it. If they do not perceive digital media to be useful, or are concerned about it having a negative impact they may choose not to use it. Such people can be described as digital refusers; their attitude may seem deviant to others who see digital activity as a core part of life.
Eshet-Akalai (2004)suggest that that digital literacy can be broken down into a set of five skills or abilities: photovisual, reproduction, branching/hypermedia, information and socio-emotional.
The Basic Digital Skills UK Report 2015 (IPSO MORI, 2015) describes a more applied set of ‘basic’ digital skills: managing information, communicating, transacting, creating and problem solving.
Digital Literacy is not only an educational issue; it is closely tied to digital inequality.
Digital Inequality
The UK Digital Strategy suggests that there are four main barriers to digital inclusion, described as
- “access: the ability to connect to the internet and go online
- skills: the ability to use the internet and online services
- confidence: a fear of crime, lack of trust or not knowing where to start online
- motivation: understanding why using the internet is relevant and helpful”
Prensky (2001) described a fundamental difference in attitude and digital competence between Digital Natives who grew up using the Web, and Digital Immigrants who had to learn to use the Web as adults. Sixteen years later the proportion of Digital Natives in the adult population is much higher, and many ‘Digital Immigrants’ are much more competent, having been using the Web for fifteen to twenty years.
IPSO MORI’s research identified populations in differing geographic locations, social groups and age ranges with weaker and stronger ‘digital skills’. The results from this research will inform Britizen into sectors of society who may need extra encouragement and support as well as material access to be able to use Britzen. IPSO MORI do identify a reduction in digital skills in the population aged over 45 (many of whom are Digital Immigrants); but there is a much greater drop between those aged 65+ and the 45+ group.
Britizen and digital inclusion
It is beyond the scope of Britizen to solve the problems of digital literacy and digital inequality.
However, the platform can contribute by
- ensuring that the platform is responsive and accessible on different devices; including both smart phones (used more by younger people) and PCs (more popular with older people)(IPSO MORI, 2015)
- offering benefits which appeal to and are attainable by those at risk of digital exclusion
- encouraging users to increase their credit score by drawing new users onto Britizen. It may be possible to offer a larger benefit to those drawing in people at risk of digital exclusion
- encouraging services and facilities for the homeless, disabled, unemployed, retired and prisons to make people aware of, provide support for and access to Britizen
- Creating intuitive, easy to use applications and apps designed for accessibility
Personas and Use Case Scenarios include users at risk of digital exclusion
The Britizen logo design is intended to appeal as widely as possible.
References
Eshet-Alkalai, Y., 2004. Digital Literacy: A Conceptual Framework for Survival Skills in the Digital Era – ProQuest. Proquest 13, 93–106.
HM Government, 2017. UK Digital Strategy – GOV.UK [WWW Document]. GOV.UK. URL https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-digital-strategy (accessed 4.14.17).
IPSO MORI, 2015. Basic Digital Skills UK Report 2015 | Publications | Digital Birmingham [WWW Document]. URL http://digitalbirmingham.co.uk/publication/2313/ (accessed 4.14.17).
Martin, A., Grudziecki, J., 2006. DigEuLit: Concepts and Tools for Digital Literacy Development: Innovation in Teaching and Learning in Information and Computer Sciences: Vol 5, No 4 [WWW Document]. URL http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.11120/ital.2006.05040249 (accessed 4.14.17).
Prensky, M., 2001. Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants – A new Way to Look At Ourselves and Our Kids. Horiz. 9.