From framework to flexibility: a heuristic scheme for institutional & individual interpretation and application of digital competencies
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47989/ir31iConf64118Keywords:
Digital literacy, Information security, Taxonomy, Digital transformationAbstract
Introduction. This paper introduces a tiered digital literacy taxonomy that reimagines how digital competencies are interpreted and applied across institutional and individual contexts. Moving beyond static frameworks, we propose a heuristic model that captures the dynamic, co-constructed nature of digital literacy.
Method. Drawing on real-world examples from Scotland, the UK, and global initiatives, we employed explanatory examples to illustrate how players dynamically construct what constitutes digital literacy in context.
Analysis. We demonstrate how institutional frameworks often diverge from lived practices, and how users reinterpret competencies like communication, safety, and problem-solving in context-specific ways. Institutional characterisations (for example, the EU DigComp Digital Competences, the UK’s Essential Digital Skills framework, and UNESCO’s global literacy framework) set the tone, while everyday practices (for example, those in the Scottish public sector or digital inclusion initiatives) reinterpret or extend them.
Results. Our taxonomy highlights the interpretive flexibility of digital skills and introduces an effort-versus-impact matrix to guide strategic prioritisation in resource-constrained environments.
Conclusion. Ultimately, we argue for a participatory, adaptive approach to digital literacy, allowing taxonomies to develop in response to users rather than focusing on fixed checklists.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Collins Ovie, Pritam Chita, David Brazier, David Haynes, Peter Cruickshank
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