All chapters in this track
Chapter 4 of 5
4. Digital Literacy
Frameworks & Models
UNESCO Digital Literacy Global Framework (DigComp 2.2)
European Commission / UNESCO
Five competence areas:
- Information & Data Literacy
- Communication & Collaboration
- Digital Content Creation
- Safety
- Problem Solving
Six proficiency levels, ranging from Foundation to Highly Specialized. The most widely adopted institutional framework globally — used by 30+ national governments for policy and curriculum. Best-in-class because it is comprehensive, leveled, and continuously updated.
SIFT Method
Mike Caulfield / University of Washington
- Stop
- Investigate the source
- Find better coverage
- Trace claims to origin
The leading evidence-based framework for online information evaluation. Replaced the outdated CRAAP test because research showed SIFT produces faster and more accurate credibility judgments. Adopted by Stanford, the News Literacy Project, and multiple national media literacy programs.
SAMR Model
Ruben Puentedura
- Substitution
- Augmentation
- Modification
- Redefinition
Classifies how technology transforms tasks. Used in education and enterprise digital transformation. Valuable because it distinguishes superficial digitization from genuine capability transformation.
NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF 2.0)
- Govern
- Identify
- Protect
- Detect
- Respond
- Recover
The global standard for organizational cybersecurity posture. For individuals, it translates into a personal digital security mental model: know your assets, protect access, detect anomalies, have a recovery plan.
Data Literacy Framework
Bernard Marr / Gartner
- Read Data
- Work with Data
- Analyze Data
- Communicate with Data
As AI and analytics become ubiquitous, data literacy is now considered a subset of digital literacy. Gartner identifies it as a top-3 organizational capability gap through 2027.
Mental Tools
| Tool | Use Case | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|
| Lateral Reading | Source verification | Open new tabs to check what other sources say about a claim, rather than evaluating the page itself. Expert fact-checkers use this; novices don't |
| The Zero-Trust Mental Model | Digital security | Assume no link, attachment, request, or identity is legitimate until independently verified. Mirrors the zero-trust architecture used in enterprise security |
| Signal vs. Noise Filtering | Information overload | Before consuming content, ask: "Will this change a decision I'm about to make?" If not, it's noise |
| Version Control Thinking | Digital work | Treat all digital work as iterative and reversible. Maintain versions, backups, and audit trails. The mental model behind Git, but applicable to all digital workflows |
| Automation Audit | Productivity | Periodically ask: "What am I doing repeatedly that a machine could do?" The habit that separates digitally fluent professionals from digitally literate ones |