UNAIR NEWS – Rapid flow of information in Indonesia’s digital world today still have many problems. One of them is about digital literacy. The Information and Library Science Lecturer (IIP) of Universitas Airlangga, Dr Rahma Sugihartati Dra MSi, mentioned that digital literacy affects digital transformation success in Indonesia.
Rahma stated that digital literacy actually refers to two essential aspects. First, about the ability of the community to use digital information and technology in various formats. Second, about the ability to create information and evaluate them critically.
“This second point (filtering and critical about information, ed), often seems to be a problem,” she said.
Dr Rahma assessed that young people are pretty good at digital technological operation. Although, for the skill of evaluating and digesting information critically, the younger generation must learn more.
“For example, it is seen from excessive hoax information, especially around a political event happened. Including hate speech,” she mentioned.
“Some netizen’s action actually project a low digital literacy ability,” added the community and information and the information behavior expert.
Disrespectful
The analysis, said Dr Rahma, is strengthened by Microsoft’s Digital Civility Index (DCI) Research 2021, which Indonesian netizens is considered more disrespectful during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The low digital literacy due to the creation of less productive information eventually also impacts the achievement rate of Indonesia’s digital literacy strengthening program. One of them is Talenta Digital Indonesia.
“We have a gap around 600.000 per year between talented teenager and the demand from the technology sector. We are still lacking in digitally talented personnel that became the key for digital transformation,” she explained.
Government’s effort
Although, said Dr Rahma, some national government agenda regarding the increase of digital talent is quite strategic and sound. But specifically, there is still homework for the governments, especially in making sure that digital literacy education is provided early.
Not only for technical skills, Dr. Rahma also emphasizes the importance of digital literacy in academic curriculums at all levels of education, from elementary school to higher educations. It is very important to instill digital literacy early on.
“In the era of digital society, inevitably we need to prepare adequate digital literacy skills. The younger generation must start to have more awareness and be critical of information in order to emerge as a positive and productive thing,” revealed Dr. Rahma. (*)
Author: Intang Arifia
Editor: Feri Fenoria
