While many call today’s youth “digital natives,” this nickname is misleading.
Yes, today’s youth are active media consumers, but do they have essential digital literacy, cyber citizenship, and digital competency skills to navigate an increasingly technologically-driven world? Do they leave their formal education ready to enter a technologically advanced workforce with, for example, a certification that showcases and validates their digital skills?
Currently, the answer is no.
Educators, parents, and caregivers all want their students to succeed, but it is important to include digital skill development and digital skills certification to verify and validate learned skills to achieve that success. However, without targeted support and resources, educators may not know where to begin. This is where digital skills certifications, and education, can help by providing teachers with the tools they need to support and enhance classroom instruction.
Future-Proofing Students and Society with Essential Digital Skills
At Tosa, we believe that even the most basic digital skills curriculum should include hands-on practice with a variety of devices (laptops, computers, tablets) across a range of applications (e.g., Microsoft Office, Google Workspace), placing thoughtful emphasis on building digital citizenship. Rather than teaching these skills in isolation, educators should integrate these skills authentically into their core curriculum. For example, if a teacher assigns students a research project, students could be asked to:
- Find information from a variety of digital sources and media (video, research publications, websites)
- Validate and vet the information they found with a critical eye for bias and factuality, helping to hone their media literacy
- Present their final product digitally (i.e., create a website, make an infographic, etc).
By weaving digital skills throughout core subjects, students gain real-world experience with employability skills and learn their important value.
Validate Student Skills with Industry-Recognized Certifications
According to a recent CareerBuilder study, 81% of employers have difficulty filling open positions due to the gap between applicant pool skill levels and the skills necessary to be successful in the job. Additionally, as technology is increasingly integrated into every sector and industry, experts predict that 85% of jobs that will exist in the year 2030 have not yet been invented. Digital citizenship and competence are skills that will never “expire” and will prepare students for an ever-evolving world.
Once students have reached some level of proficiency in digital literacy, educators should consider leveraging industry-recognized digital skills certifications. Like AP courses and testing, industry-recognized digital skills certifications are a compelling way to show student and applicant value to educational institutions and potential employers. By exposing students to the benefits of skill accreditation and certification, and supporting them in developing an impressive resume early on, educators are setting them up for future success with education and career opportunities.
In fact, market researchers and job recruiters consistently point to the importance of continuing education through micro-credentials and certifications.
Tosa Certifications: The Industry-Recognized Certification Leader
At Tosa, we believe that becoming a good digital citizen, or “cyber citizen,” is proving to be extremely important because of the role digital spaces play in our daily lives. Students must understand the concept of their digital footprint and legacy, recognizing that a one-time post or cyber-decision can have lasting impacts on their reputation and future. Our digital literacy skills assessment tests and certifications offered to schools and districts across the nation provide just that.
At Tosa Certifications, we provide educators with the necessary resources to help their students build confidence for future career readiness. Our industry-recognized digital skills certifications help students prove their proficiency while opening doors to college admission, trade school, their first job, or higher-level positions in their desired career industries. Unlike less accurate and rigorous certification providers, there is no pass or fail with Tosa. Instead, Tosa certifies a student’s individual proficiency level with a numeric score between 0 and 1,000 and attributes a proficiency level, ranging from beginner, basic, productive, advanced, or expert.
With Tosa in secondary classrooms, educators can identify a student’s skills and skill gaps, adapt course content to meet individual needs, and continuously measure the effectiveness of their instruction. Any course that teaches or uses digital tools can benefit from Tosa, ranging from Computer Science, Accounting, Economics, and more.
Help your students differentiate themselves from the competition with a certification that provides proof of career readiness and enhanced learning. Together, we can bridge the gap and provide students a strong future, equipped with the necessary skills to succeed.
Updated 2/20/2024
