Assumed digital literacy knowledge by Australian universities: are students informed?

As disruptive technologies make an impact in the workplace, employers are demanding a broader range of skills that go beyond the capabilities that graduates have developed through their higher education studies. Further, digital literacy is increasingly being recognised as an essential skill, on a par with literacy and numeracy, to support job readiness. As a result there is increasing pressure on universities to ensure their courses prepare graduates appropriately, but is digital literacy amongst these skills? The first step to address this question is to gain an understanding of what universities' expectations are of a student's assumed digital literacy knowledge, the foundation from which graduate digital capabilities are built. The aim of this study is to investigate what information Australian universities provide to prospective students to inform them of the expectations of assumed digital literacy knowledge when entering a course. Based on a sample of 13 Australian universities it seems that minimal information is being provided to new students. This study demonstrates that there is no shared understanding of what digital literacy entails, which poses challenges for students who are expected to have an ill-defined and in some instances, unknown set of digital skills. It also challenges relationships between staff and students, as expectations and understanding of digital skills are not aligned.