Young people lack confidence in recognising misinformation and bias.
AQA, the UK’s biggest exam board, is calling for digital literacy to be embedded across the curriculum. In a new report, the exam board suggests that while young people are digitally active, there are often significant gaps in their confidence, safety and critical understanding of digital technologies. Teaching digital literacy across subjects is the only way to ensure all young people are equipped with the skills they need, the report – Digitally native or digitally naïve? – argues.
As part of their research the AQA polled 1,000 11-18-year-olds, 1,000 parents of 11-18-year-olds, and 1,000 secondary school teachers, as well as 2,000 members of the British public. They also conducted focus groups with young people and teachers. 74 per cent of young people said they are confident using TikTok, while 61 per cent use Snapchat. Far fewer are confident using PowerPoint (38 per cent), Excel (36 per cent) or Word (52 per cent). Meanwhile a third of the young people surveyed reported having shared personal information with strangers online. Many also lacked confidence in recognising misinformation, understanding bias or navigating algorithm‑driven content. The survey also identified strong demand for better digital literacy education – among the areas that young people said they wanted to learn more about were numeracy and financial skills (67 per cent), digital literacy (60 per cent) and online safety (54 per cent). Teachers said that they want to teach digital literacy, but feel under‑prepared in a rapidly changing and technically complex area.
Among the recommendations made are for a revised Computing curriculum to be a major source of delivering digital literacy education, but for it to also be covered across a wide range of subjects. Examples given include Modern Foreign Languages, where students could critique the translation attempts of large language models (LLMs), or use LLMs to hold more real-time conversations in the target language. In Art, it is suggested students could have opportunities to explore the development of digital art. The report argues that other subjects could be particularly important in delivering digital literacy content as students move through Key Stage 3 and into Key Stage 4, with the use of streamlined content to create timetable space.
The report also calls for the development of a coherent system-wide digital literacy framework, defining core knowledge, skills and progression from early years to post-16, developed in collaboration with sector experts. They also want to see teacher training strengthened, and teachers provided with high-quality resources. The AQA says it is ready to support systemwide change, including a shift to on-screen assessments.
Commenting on the research, AQA CEO Colin Hughes said: ‘Too many people assume students are ‘digitally native’ but the evidence shows there are large variations between their digital judgement and critical skills. That is why AQA is calling for digital literacy to become a core part of the curriculum, alongside numeracy and literacy. Without this, we risk leaving young people unprepared for the demands of modern life and work.’
Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, commented: ‘Digital literacy is so important in helping young people navigate a world in which technology continues to evolve at an extraordinary pace. Schools have a key role to play in preparing students for this, and the opportunities and risks it brings. AQA’s report is therefore particularly timely, and…. not only makes a persuasive case for why digital literacy is important, but offers a roadmap for implementing it effectively.’
Katie Freeman–Tayler, Policy and Research Director at Internet Matters, said: ‘In an increasingly online world, strong digital skills are central to future employment and a functioning democracy. This research highlights the urgent need to strengthen children’s digital literacy, particularly as the UK moves to lower the voting age to 16, and as the growth of AI-generated content makes it harder to distinguish fact from fiction. Improving children’s digital skills must be a shared responsibility. Schools, parents, industry, and government all have a vital role to play in equipping the next generation with the knowledge and skills they need to confidently navigate the online world.’