Digital Literacy Skills as Prerequisite for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education Institutions

Abstract

The advent of digital technologies has brought about new opportunities and challenges to the education system globally. The use of digital technologies by educators in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) is a portal for innovative teaching and learning. While there is a gradual increase in the use of these innovative technologies by HEIs in South Africa, there is still a long way to transform the educational system fully. Effective use of digital technologies in teaching and learning needs a certain level of digital literacy. Digital literacy enhances teaching and learning by helping educators integrate and use digital technologies, while equipping students with skills to access the internet effectively. The impact of digital technology has beaconed the need of educators to acquire 21st-century skills. Digital literacy skills are critical in realising the potential and benefits of digital technologies. This paper investigates the importance of digital technologies in education and the impact of digital literacy skills on the effective use of these technologies in HEIs in South Africa. Data collection was primarily based on a critical review of literature relating to the application of mobile technologies in HEIs in South Africa. The results revealed various barriers inhibiting educators from adopting mobile technologies in teaching and learning, including lack of digital literacy skills, time constraints, unwillingness to change, lack of educator confidence, poor technological infrastructure, and lack of digital or mobile devices. The study provides recommendations to enable and inspire educators in HEIs to use mobile digital technologies effectively.