During the GroUp Challenge, Beyondo participated in coaching university students to develop a tool which can be used after university studies in order to smoothly enter the job market after graduation. There we met with Bas Baalmans from the University of Groningen and we came to discuss the topic "How digitally ready are our students?" Here, Bas is sharing his insights on how digitally savvy today's youth is.
In today's technology-driven world, digital readiness has become an essential skill for students to succeed academically and after their study also professionally. Digital readiness refers to the ability of individuals to effectively use digital tools and platforms to communicate, collaborate, and learn in combination with the willingness to participate in this digital transformation. In this blog, we want to explore the digital readiness of university students, including the factors that influence their digital readiness, the importance of digital readiness in today's world, and the strategies that can be used to improve digital readiness.
Factors influencing digital readiness
The digital readiness of university students can be influenced by several factors, including their age, background, and prior experience with technology. Younger students who have grown up with technology may be more digitally competent than older students who have had limited exposure to digital tools and platforms. Students from a technical background may have more experience with digital technology than those from non-technical backgrounds. Similarly, students who have used digital tools and platforms in their previous education may be more digitally ready than those who have not.
Importance of digital readiness
With the increasing use of digital technology in education and research, students who are digitally competent have an advantage over those who are not. Digital readiness allows students to effectively communicate and collaborate with other students, supervisors etcetera, access and analyze information from various sources, and develop essential skills for future employment. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of digital readiness, as many universities have shifted from almost 100% offline to 100% online learning and remote work within a timeline of 24 hours, making digital skills more critical than ever before.
Strategies for improving digital readiness
Universities and academic institutions can play a vital role in improving the digital readiness of their students. Providing access to digital tools and platforms, offering training and support, and incorporating digital technology into the curriculum are some of the strategies that can be used to improve digital readiness. what we see nowadays is that in universities there is more focus on training their lecturers in digital readiness. That sounds logical because the idea behind this is that these lecturers will show their students how to act with digital tools and platforms. But lecturers are there to lecture on other things, namely their specific domains like marketing, finance or operations and supply chain management and not these generic things like digital readiness.
Additionally, students can also take a more active role in improving their digital readiness by participating in online workshops, tutorials, and training programs and even more asking their university to organize these things for them instead of only for their lecturers. Developing a growth mindset, which emphasizes the importance of continuous learning and improvement, can also be beneficial in enhancing digital readiness.
Conclusion
In conclusion, digital readiness has become an essential skill for university students in today's technology-driven world. The digital readiness of students can be influenced by several factors, including age, background, and prior experience with technology. It is crucial for universities to provide resources and support to help students improve their digital skills. More than they do nowadays. Similarly, students should take an active role in improving their digital readiness by showing more pro-activity in asking, not demanding, these things from their universities. Ultimately, digital readiness is essential for academic success in today's world.
Thank you Bas, for your contribution!
