1. Digital Skills: the Need, Barriers and
Opportunities
Malak Roman (lecturer in Computer Science, University of Chitral
2. Background
The importance of digital skills in
21stcentury is an inevitable fact.
Therefore, it is a component of
curriculum across the world.
Pakistan, however, lags significantly
behind in terms of digital skills.
This is evident from lack of application
of digital skills in the curriculum.
3. What are Digital
Skills?
A set of skills, tools, and
knowledge necessary to use
networks, digital devices and
different applications on online
mediums that facilitate the
management of information
according to specific
requirements of working
environment, learning
environment, and problems
solving situations (Gómez-
Poyato et al., 2022).
5. The Need of Digital
Skills
• Digital skills are important for
employability: 24% of employers think
finding employees with the right skill set
will remain their biggest challenge over a
period of time.
• Digital skills and freelancing industry:
to be relevant in modern world.
• Digital skills and its use in education:
Essential digital skills are a step towards
learning lot of other new things.
8. Solution to Include
Digital Skills
• Micro Level: instructor’s intent to learn first;
15 minutes tasks to do in class such as
searching for marketing content on Facebook;
motivating the students to focus on digital
skills
• Macro Level: policy level focus on digital
skills; inclusion in curriculum as compulsory
courses; provision of resources; training of the
instructors
9. Benefits of
Digital Skills
• Increased employability
• Increase in income such as
freelancing opportunities
• Technical proficiency
• Application of and
understanding the use of
digital tools in daily and
educational life
