Insights on New Literacies in Education

Literacy is defined as the ability to read, write and solve problems. However, as the world evolves, its definition has expanded. But now, according to UNESCO, Literacy is the ability to identify, understand, interpret, create, communicate and compute, using printed and written materials associated with varying contexts. It also involves a continuum of learning in enabling individuals to achieve their goals, to develop their knowledge and potential, and to participate fully in their community and wider society (UNESCO, 2004; 2019). As future Educators, we must be open to changes and development. As we know, technology has expanded the idea of literacy to digital texts and practices from print-based texts. These innovations were made possible by technology and has changed the way we were taught in school. Imagine if we do not adapt to these changes. We will be left behind. We won’t be able to compete in the global arena. One of the many literacies that we must acquire is digital literacy. If we are digitally literate, we can critically use technology. If we possess this skill, we can manipulate technology to solve problems. One good example is its application to Data Science. Data science is the domain of study that deals with vast volumes of data using modern tools and techniques to find unseen patterns, derive meaningful information, and make business decisions. This domain requires knowledge in Statistics and computing tools like Python, R and SQL. If we are digitally literate, then we have the aptitude to learn these skills. To master this skill, Numerical Literacy is needed for us to interpret data. The employment landscape has evolved, hence, needed literacies has evolved as well. One of our goals as Educators is to prepare our students to be competent in their chosen field. How can we achieve that? That is by making sure that we are updated with the latest learnings, and we are open to learning new things. As what Leonardo da Vinci said, “Learning never exhausts the mind. ”