Tapio Varis Professor of Vocational Education, with special reference to global learning environments, and UNESCO Chair in Global e-Learning University of Tampere

abstract

The challenge is to provide needed skills and competences to people who are already now in working-life, aged, or outside the scope of learning institutions. Information and communications are becoming ubiquitous. By 2015, virtually all people living in industrial countries will have access to multimedia services based on mobile or other terminals. The same trend will take place in the developing countries. Services based on ubiquitous telecommunications and information retrieval seem to develop very rapidly over the next ten years. The key words are real-time information, multilingualism, location awareness, targeting and personalisation. Government functions and services are increasingly moving online. Internet shopping is also increasing. Furthermore, business companies and public administration are working to develop and introduce more automated and self-service solutions. Data, sound and images are transmitted over the same networks, and the same terminals can be used for the use of different types of contents. These changes will increase digital contents and demand for those contents, which in turn will open up new kinds of global markets. We are facing a third major educational invention in technology. The first was the phonetic alphabet, the second printing, and now the third is telematics, which means computers connected to networks. There is a need for a new global strategy for promoting the role of information and communication technology (ICT) in different fields of the working life of the emerging knowledge societies and developing educational and training approaches on how to learn the use of ICT and become digitally literate in the spirit of sustainable development. Traditional alphabetical competencies include basic operational competencies related to texts, psycho-cognitive competencies related to alphabetic signs, basic reading and writing, basic mathematical and textual comprehension, and socio-communicative competencies. Digital competence include basic operational competencies related to screens and computers, psycho-cognitive competencies related to computer signs, basic computer competence, interactive media and on-line competence, and global socio-communicative competence associated to cyberspace. A rich new interplay of disciplines and schools of thought is possible through such electronic cooperation and interchange. By bringing many minds together through computer networking and conferencing, our "collective intelligence" can be brought to bear in exploring fresh approaches to global issues. The philosophy of eLearning focuses on the individual learner although it recognizes that most learning is social. In the past training has organized itself much for the convenience and needs of instructors, institutions, and bureaucracies. Now eLearning is the convergence learning and networks, the Internet. New university systems are being developed to new global needs (Utsumi – Varis – Knight – Method – Pelton 2001). The experience and critical function of the traditional universities is central in the efforts to create new eLearning environments. The concept of digital literacy can also be understood as complementary to the concept of media education and even synonymous with media literacy. Digital literacy as media literacy aims to develop both critical understanding of and active participation in the media. Digital and media literacy is about developing people’s critical and creative abilities. Using a computer requires diverse and complex previous knowledge. It also introduces the individual and humanity to new contexts, which demands mental, intellectual, profound and complex changes. In essence, digital literacy is a complicated process that consists of acquiring a new tekne, ability of art or craft. Creativity and culture become essential raw materials for the knowledge economy. With the steep rise of multiculturalism, there is an increasing need for people to be able to deal effectively and competently with the diversity of race, culture and ethnicity. In general terms, one’s ability to deal effectively and appropriately with diversity is referred to as intercultural competence (ICC). Digital literacy is a way of thinking - an element of new humanism and new renaissance education. The new renaissance education would combine science and technology with art, humanities and religion, reflecting the diversity and traditions in order to develop meaningful dialogue and cultural literacy with other civilizations. Media skills and competencies are fundamental elements of life and empowerment in the knowledge society.Already in 1923, Albert Schweitzer wrote about the tragedy of the Western world-view. In his view, our philosophy did nothing more than produce repetitively unstable fragments of the serviceable outlook on life which hovered before its mind’s eye. Consequently, our civilization also has remained fragmentary and insecure. Our philosophising became less and less elemental, loosing all connection with the elementary questions which a man must ask of life and of the world. References: Schweitzer, A. (1967). Civilization and Ethics. (London: Unwin Books) Utsumi, Takeshi - Varis, Tapio - Knight, Peter - Method, Francis - Pelton, Joseph: Using broadband to close the digital divide. Intermedia, April 2001/Vol.29, No 2. Varis, Tapio: European and global approaches to digital literacy. Digital Kompetanse – Nordic Journal of Digital Literacy, No 1, 2008. Varis, T., Utsumi, T. & Klemm W. (Eds.) (2003). Global Peace Through The Global University System. (Saarijärvi: Saarijarven Offset Oy)

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