Cultivating Digital Literacy
AdobeEducation

Cultivating Digital Literacy

How can colleges and universities teach essential skills for success in the age of automation and digital transformation?

Technology is changing everything, but the rapid pace of change may be reshaping the future of work more than anything else. As technological disruptions continue to eliminate jobs across industries, the jobs that are surviving and thriving have a key characteristic in common – they can’t be easily automated.

As the World Economic Forum reports:

“Over the past 50 years, the U.S. economy…has witnessed a steady decline in jobs that involve routine manual and cognitive skills, while experiencing a corresponding increase in jobs that require non-routine analytical and interpersonal skills.”

Current research shows that, in order to get hired and succeed in jobs that are less likely to be impacted by automation, graduates need a particular set of soft skills – creativity, critical thinking, creative problem-solving and collaboration.

 

Ben Murden
Ben Murden

Ben has over two decades in the IT industry, delivering both online and offline campaigns across all platforms to meet business goals and objectives. Joining Phoenix in 1999 as a graphic designer, Ben has evolved over the years into a fully-rounded marketing professional, before being promoted to Phoenix Marketing Manager early in 2018, reporting directly to the MD. With his background in creative design, Ben takes projects from inception to execution and can identify the correct strategy based on the subject, audience, and goals – while increasing the brand profile and revenue. His passion for digital marketing is evident in everything he does, and both vendors and strategic partners often comment on his incredibly positive attitude to ‘make things happen’.

See all posts by Ben Murden
The student of the future is what we call a maker, somebody who not only understands the problem, but also produces solutions to it.
Dr. Jan Holmevik, Associate Professor of EnglishCo-Director for the Center of Excellence in Next-Generation Computing and Creativity Clemson University

Four essential soft skills for students in the age of automation and digital transformation:

 

Creativity
The ability to make new things or generate new ideas and approaches

Creative problem solving
The ability to redefine problems and opportunities, come up with innovative responses and solutions, and then take action

Critical thinking

The ability to analyse and evaluate information in order to form a reasoned judgment

Collaboration

The ability to work in partnership with others to create something new or achieve a goal

 

Using Creative Cloud across disciplines

Here are just a few examples of how institutions are integrating Creative Cloud into assignments campus-wide to teach digital literacy and essential soft skills:

Business Classes

Create a podcast exploring a current topic in marketing or finance using Adobe Audition CC.

Psychology Classes

Create a multipanel brochure in Photoshop, Illustrator or InDesign.

Biology Classes

Use Adobe Illustrator CC to create an infographic explaining the impacts of a public health issue.

Chemistry Classes

Design a mobile app that teaches principles of chemistry in the form of a simple game using Adobe XD CC.

History Classes

Use Adobe InDesign CC to write, design and publish a magazine exploring events from a particular period in history.

English Classes

Use Adobe Premiere Pro CC to script and produce a video essay that offers a critical response to a work of literature.

86% of educators

 Worldwide think students who excel at creative problem solving will have opportunities for higher earning jobs

97% of educators

Believe that creative problem solving is important for students to learn in school.

 

91% of educators

See creativity as essential to students’ future careers.

Our high-impact practice courses promote experiential learning to actively engage students in their coursework. By embedding Adobe Creative Cloud in three of these courses - English 101, First Year Experience and Business Administration 300 - we’re increasing digital literacy and making progress toward our goals of improving retention, closing the achievement gap, enhancing learning and raising the graduation rate.
Amir Dabirian Vice president for IT and CIO California State University, Fullerton

How students can further differentiate themselves with digital skills

In addition to helping students develop essential soft skills, digital literacy education gives them powerful technical communication skills. Students in every discipline need to be effective storytellers who can communicate in modern ways using digital media. When they know how to use Creative Cloud tools to make graphics, interactive PDFs, websites, videos and more, students can build strong personal brands, create impressive ePortfolios to showcase their work and attract the attention of hiring managers. In short, they can set themselves apart from their peers in a competitive job market.

Give your students the digital skills they need to succeed

To learn more about Adobe and how Phoenix can assist, talk to the team by contacting us on 01904 562200 or email [email protected] or fill in the short form below:


About Phoenix

Phoenix enables digital transformation in the workplace, empowering UK organisations to innovate and transform with cloud and hybrid infrastructures data, AI, security, and collaboration tools. By understanding the individual goals of its customers, Phoenix delivers remarkable, outcome-focused IT solutions and services that allow UK organisations to make a difference to the lives of their employees, service users, and communities.

Phoenix is a signatory on the Race at Work Charter, and a Disability Confident and Living Wage employer. The company is also actively involved in encouraging more women into the IT industry.

 

How we handle data  |  Unsubscribe

Recent Blog Posts

  • 04-04-2024 - As we innovate, QR codes are becoming commonplace. From accessing restaurant menus to event tickets, QR codes offer convenience and...... Read more
  • 03-04-2024 - From 15 July 2024, Adobe will no longer be selling Acrobat Standard 2020 and Acrobat Pro 2020 licences in the...... Read more
  • 25-03-2024 - As organisations worldwide become more aware of their environmental impact, the concept of green technology has emerged as a simple...... Read more

Sign Up

Please enter your details below to opt-in for the latest news, events and industry updates from Phoenix.

©2024 Phoenix Software All Rights Reserved. Phoenix Software Limited is a company registered in England and Wales, with company number 02548628 and VAT number GB 755 3490 15. Registered Address: Blenheim House, York Road, Pocklington, York, YO42 1NS