Revelation from ICTC: Have computer good, no computer bad
The Information and Communications Technology Council (ICTC) is warning Canadians that other countries are becoming more knowledgeable with computers, and unless Canadians become "digitally literate," our competitive advantages are going out the window.
What is digital literacy? The ICTC (which is a not-for-profit sector council run by the federal government to “create a prepared, diverse and highly educated Canadian ICT industry and workforce”) defines it as “the ability to locate, organize, understand, evaluate, and create information using digital technology for a knowledge-based society.” Without digital literacy, Canada runs the risk of falling behind other countries like China and India, because the service industry powers two-thirds of the global economy, and two-thirds of the service sector is digital literacy.
So, how do we become more digitally literate? The short answer: get better at computers.
What a revelation! If only the average Canadian could have realized maybe 20 years ago that computers would be an important factor in career success for the next generation and encourage children to learn digital skills. Oh, wait, they did realize that. And not just a few people, I’m talking everyone and their dog. Even people who didn’t know how to use computers knew they would be important.
You’re a little late to the party, ICTC, but welcome to 1992. Hey, have you heard about this new Internet thing? It’s supposed to be pretty big.
Maybe the ICTC shouldn’t be as concerned about the growth in tech jobs in countries like India, but the mismanagement of our own economy here in Canada. Is the growth in tech jobs overseas solely because of improved education in these countries, or are greedy companies here in Canada just giving these jobs away to other countries? Is the service sector in Canada so large because of real growth, or could it be that our manufacturing and resource sectors are so broken and devastated that service is the default backbone of Canada’s economy?
Either way, the ICTC’s startling revelation, “Computers good,” is sure to change the way we think about our economy. For more ingenious insight from the ICTC, click here.
