"...to access, manage, integrate, evaluate and create information..."

Technology is used for an ever-increasing range of purposes to accomplish many different kinds of tasks. This phrase is meant to reflect that range as well as to define five critical components of ICT literacy. The five components represent a continuum of skills and knowledge and are presented in a sequence suggesting increasing cognitive complexity. After discussions regarding the kinds of tasks represented by each component, the panel agreed to the following definitions:

  • Access—knowing about and knowing how to collect and/or retrieve information.
  • Manage—applying an existing organizational or classification scheme.
  • Integrate—interpreting and representing information. It involves summarizing, comparing and contrasting.
  • Evaluate—making judgments about the quality, relevance, usefulness, or efficiency of information.
  • Create—generating information by adapting, applying, designing, inventing, or authoring information.

"...in order to function in a knowledge society."

This phrase reflects the range of contexts in which individuals will be able to apply their ICT literacy-from defined ones such as graduating from school or functioning on a job to those which are less defined and less concrete but which can extend and enrich one's personal life. The phrase "in order to function" is meant to acknowledge the fact that ICT literacy will provide individuals with a means of contributing to and benefiting from economically developed or developing societies. We believe that ICT literacy skills are becoming increasingly important not only for nations to maintain or improve their standard of living but for the well being of individuals as well. The phrase "in a knowledge society" refers to the changing nature of cultures in the 21st century- an age in which ideas and information are increasingly the drivers of progress. The expanding roles of technology and access to information on a global scale have the potential to change, and hopefully improve, the way we live, learn and work.