Levelling Up: The quest for digital literacy

Executive Summary

Community organizations, libraries, and social programs across the country are helping people apply for jobs online, open social media accounts, and learn basic office software. Kids are playing with programming toys in the classroom and competing in robotics competitions. And coding bootcamps and post-secondary programs are training the next generation of digital professionals.

Digital literacy is a fundamental component of 21st-century literacy and vital for civic and social participation, accessing public services, and succeeding in a digitizing economy. There has been an exciting growth of programs across Canada supporting the development of digital literacy at all ages, both within the formal educational system and delivered by non- and for-profit actors working alongside and in partnership with schools, colleges, and universities. However, the landscape of opportunities for learning digital skills remains fragmented and difficult for some learners to navigate. Many people in Canada are at risk of falling through the cracks, uncertain of the skills they are missing, how to develop them, and how to make sure they are not left behind.