Digital literacy in the 21st century : fact or fiction?

The world is becoming increasingly digital and this is affecting the way in which we learn and live. Learners who do not have access to technology and are unable to make use of technological resources are thus at a distinct disadvantage. Many South African school-leaving students who enroll for an ICT course at a university in South Africa struggle to bridge the gap between secondary and tertiary level. This results in a number of students failing to pass ICT courses at tertiary level. In this study, 266 students were asked about their access to and use of technology. Data was collected from 91 first year students enrolled for an ICT course at a university in South Africa in 2012 and then compared to 175 students who completed the same survey in 2008. The results portrayed varying levels of access to and use of most technology. Although digital literacy has improved over the last 4 years it is still not optimal. To this end, a teaching-and-learning intervention may be necessary to reduce the gap