Why is Digital Skills Literacy in South Africa Important?

Digital literacy is no longer an add on, it's a core part of education.

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With the rise in online schools in South Africa, children will have to be digitally literate to be able to reap the full benefit of online schooling if that's the schooling option that their parents have chosen for them. Even children who attend traditional schools will have to become digitally literate, as many schools have already started introducing digital textbooks, using virtual reality glasses, and advocating the use of iPads and tablets in class to allow students to do their own research on certain complex topics.

More so now, digital literacy skills have become essential in South African schools, as such skills equip learners with the ability to thrive in our rapidly changing, technology-driven world. With the country working towards reducing inequality and improving access to opportunities, digital skills have become all the more crucial. If learners do not learn the necessary digital literacy skills, they may struggle to compete in the job market in the future and may thus find it difficult to contribute meaningfully to the economy.

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Looking at Digital Literacy Examples in the Classroom Settings

Since South Africa is a country with its own socio-economic challenges, digital literacy has come in at a time when inclusion is becoming all the more necessary. If teachers in private and public schools in South Africa start integrating technology into classrooms, schools can assist to curb the digital gap that exists between urban and rural communities. In this way, learners who wouldn't otherwise have access to digital devices can gain access to online resources, research tools, and global knowledge networks that expand their understanding beyond traditional textbooks. In turn, the exposure can encourage critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills.

Before we attempt to define what digital skills are, we need to look at how digital literacy can be advocated in the classroom setting so that we can somewhat deduce what digital skills are already. With Artificial Intelligence (AI) transforming education, teachers can rely on powerful tools to enhance learning and even personalise learning.

Here are some examples of how teachers having digital literacy skills can assist in promoting digital usage in the classroom setting:

When using AI tools and systems in the classroom, teachers can also advise learners on how to use these tools in an ethical and responsible manner. When teachers themselves use AI more ethically and responsibly, they can create inclusive and efficient classrooms.

Here are the top 5 recommended AI tools for teachers in 2025:

Digital Literacy Skills Definition

Teachers are realising how important it is for children to be digitally literate. Artificial intelligence (AI) seems to be rapidly transforming the education landscape, and one of the main aspects of digital literacy in the 21st century is seeing where AI fits into the grand scheme of things. In fact, UNESCO's Media and Information Literacy (MIL) framework empowers citizens to gain access to and create information across all formats, while fostering civic participation as well as digital safety.

In today's digital world, digital literacy extends beyond merely knowing how to operate a device. When learners are digitally literate, they are able to search for reliable information online. Students can identify legitimate sources, and they can automatically spot misinformation. Digitally literate students can roam online, creating digital data and communicating efficiently, all whilst protecting their personal data.

With the number of online schools growing in South Africa, it is becoming more important that students know how to distinguish between accurate and inaccurate information. Students who are digitally literate:

Why is Digital Literacy Required for Integrating AI into the Classroom?

Kids are growing up on a digital playground and noone is on recess duty.

Kevin Honeycuff (educator)

As has been put by the educator, Kevin Honeycuff, kids find themselves on this digital playground, and with much of their digital interactions going unobserved, these children must have the necessary digital literacy skills to find their own footing in the digital realm. Although unpacking AI in South African schools is important, AI can be incorporated into the classroom effortlessly if the student is digitally literate, as then the students will be able to:

AI is here to stay, and it certainly enhances learning, but with the right digital literacy skills, students will be empowered to use AI systems wisely. This is where educators and tutors come into place. They need to teach digital literacy skills and AI together. By combining these concepts, educators prepare learners to understand their responsibilities in the digital world.

How Teachers Can Advocate Digital Literacy Skills

Digital literacy skills expand beyond basic computer usage and extend to critical online navigation, reliable evaluation of online resources, and cyber safety. If teachers are digitally literate, they will realise that teaching digital literacy skills to children goes beyond teaching them how to use a computer or a smartphone. When teachers teach children digital literacy skills, they will have to focus on:

• Teaching information literacy skills – children will need to know how to search for information online, identify misinformation, and evaluate sources for their credibility.
• Imparting the necessary technical skills – teaching children how to use devices, software, apps, and online platforms confidently and well.
• Working on children's communication skills – ensuring that children interact appropriately via email, social media, video conferencing, and collaborative tools.
• Establishing critical thinking skills – getting children to analyse digital content and question information thoroughly without believing information blindly.
• Fostering a digitally safe environment where ethical consideration is important – learners will need to understand privacy settings, and will need to know how to protect personal data, all while avoiding cyberbullying, and respecting copyright rules.
• Assist learners with content creation – learners must be able to produce digital materials that they can be proud of, including presentations, videos, documents, and multimedia projects.

Teachers and their learners cannot escape the pull towards a digitally literate future, as having these skills is becoming essential in every sphere, including education, employment, and societal participation. With digital literacy skills, individuals can solve problems using technology and adapt well to any new technology that emerges.

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Current Approaches to Boost Digital Literacy in SA

We have what is called the South African Digital Literacy Day, which is celebrated every year in October in an attempt to highlight the need for digital skills. Along with these yearly celebrated days, South Africa has involved local libraries and the government to promote digital literacy. Concrete examples of such initiatives include:

What Can Digital Literacies Teach You?

The percentage of digitally literate South Africans¹ is lower than in other regions, which shows that the digital divide is still ripe in our country. When South African teachers and tutors introduce digital literacy skills in their classrooms, they are somewhat bridgingthis digital divide. They are ensuring that children of the future have the skills to navigate the fast-moving digital world with confidence.

If you are promoting the adoption of digital literacy skills in your classroom, you will find that as a teacher or tutor, you also need to have a solid understanding of how to find and evaluate information. With so much content online, you also need to become more critically aware of what information you share with your learners.

In terms of in-person communication and online communication, you become more aware of how to communicate effectively and responsibly. Whether it be sending emails, participating in online discussions, or collaborating through digital platforms, digital literacy skills can help you to understand tone, etiquette, and appropriate online conduct. You will also interact with parents and your students more professionally in an online setting.

By being digitally literate, you become more aware of the importance of privacy and digital safety. You become more protective of your personal information and avoid online risks.

As a teacher or tutor, the main benefit you will derive from being digitally literate is knowing how to create content. You will be empowered to create fabulous presentations, worksheets, and other multimedia projects that communicate your ideas clearly and creatively.

Lastly, all digitally literate teachers know how to problem-solve and adapt well. With technology constantly evolving, you will be able to learn new tools quickly, and you will be able to implement these tools in your classroom effectively.

By using technology ethically, wisely, and confidently, you can ensure that your classroom becomes a place where modern teaching principles are valued and accepted, and one where you are granting digital access to all students.

Practical Ways Tutors Can Teach Digital Literacy

There are some ways that tutors can teach digital literacy skills, and these include:

• Collaboratively working with students on digital platforms: Guided exercises on platforms like Vodacom eSchool can be rather useful.
• Starting with mini projects first: Before giving students bigger digital projects, tutors can guide students through mini projects like working on blog posts or creating a simple digital presentation to boost digital skills.
• Making sure students understand basic cybersecurity: Recapping or revisiting cybersecurity rules and rules regarding passwords, or providing details about scams, are important when navigating learners through the digital realm.
• Encouraging information evaluation: Getting learners to check the credibility of sources is important, and tutors should show learners how to evaluate sources.

The role of teachers and tutors in assisting students to become digitally literate and digitally safe is of utmost importance and should not be taken for granted.