21st-century readers: developing literacy skills in a digital world
Javier Suárez‐Álvarez
Abstract
Literacy in the 21st century is about constructing and validating knowledge. Digital technologies have enabled the spread of all kinds of information, displacing traditional formats of usually more carefully curated information such as encyclopaedias and newspapers. The massive information flow of the digital era demands that readers be able to distinguish between fact and opinion. Readers must learn strategies to detect biased information and malicious content like fake news and phishing emails. This report examines how students' access to digital technologies and training on how to use them vary between and within countries. It also explores how 15-year-old students are developing reading skills to navigate the technology-rich 21st century. It sheds light on potential ways to strengthen students' capacity to navigate the new world of information.