Niraj Dubey
In the global world of information & communication (ICT) technology, we have seen a massive rise in the number of internet users especially post Covid -19 pandemic. As per present statistics available, the number of internet users in India is about 624.0 million and in the global world is around 4.72 billion. The Internet has made access to education universal but it is not equal everywhere because of the digital divide. Today’s world is not the same as it was 20 years ago, and tomorrow’s world will not look like today’s either. Digitalization has transformed our way of thinking, feeling and living and its evolution is so dizzying that change, which was once the exception has become the norm. So, change management has emerged as a basic skill for people in the 21st century. But far more important than this is digital intelligence, which, to be developed, necessarily requires disruptive education. Digital intelligence is essential in a world that is riding on the back of digitalization. This is why developing skills and competencies related to Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), which goes far beyond knowing how to use a smart-phone or a tablet, must be one of the priorities for society in general and for the education sector in particular. ICT has been incorporated into classrooms and homes but, in addition to the tools, the key question is: how can we educate people for the world of today and tomorrow? Because developing digital intelligence goes far beyond operating a mobile device: the essential thing is to equip people with the necessary skills to cope with digital life. Digital intelligence is the ability to acquire and apply new knowledge and skills related to digital technologies: social, mobile, analytics, cloud, and, more recently, cyber-security. More than just the ability to use digital technologies, it addresses the what, why, where, when, who, how, and how much of digital technology to improve our operational efficiency and outcomes. Digital intelligence is fundamentally about our relationship with technology, just as emotional intelligence is about our relationship with others. The digital world consists of unique processes, technologies, tools, techniques, methods, and methodical approaches that we all are knowingly or unknowingly engaged and immersed ourselves in our personal and professional lives. To be clear, digital intelligence is not about the use of digital technologies at the exclusion of human ability; rather, it is about the relative strengths of both people and technology and how we can capitalize on those strengths. As we interact with all these different digital technologies we are building our digital intelligence. Digital intelligence is a key competence for the future of work for both individuals and organizations, in addition to the more traditional business skills. It is part of the globalization of markets, the digitization of work and organizations, and continued development of the Industrial 4.0 Revolution. It follows other such phenomena as the “internet of things,” big data, artificial intelligence, blockchain, and, soon, quantum computing, that are becoming infused in our daily lives. In the future, one of the responsibilities of schools, from primary to higher education, will be to help students develop, in a responsible and sustainable manner, their digital intelligence to adapt easily to changes and cope with potential technological threats. Through this development, students will have the necessary preparation not only for future skills they will need, but for healthy, active life in a digitized and hyper connected world. Business schools have many opportunities they can yet seize in the digital intelligence space, in their teaching, industry collaborations, and research. Digital intelligence describes our expertise related to digital technologies as well as the way we practice and use digital technologies for the interest of a public or private organization.
THE KEYS TO DIGITAL INTELLIGENCE (LEVELS AND CAPABILITIES):-
a) Digital intelligence is divided into three levels:-
Level 1. Digital citizenship:- Use technology and digital media safely, responsibly and effectively.
Level 2. Digital creativity: – Create new content and turn ideas into reality through the use of digital tools.
Level 3. Digital entrepreneurship: – Use digital media and technologies to solve global challenges or create new opportunities.
In turn, digital intelligence must develop a number of capabilities:-
Digital-identity:-Create and manage your own online identity and reputation. This includes understanding your online personality and managing the short and long term impact of your online presence.
Digital-use:-Use digital devices and media with ease, including self-monitoring to achieve a healthy balance between your online and offline life.
Digital-security:-Avoid and limit online risks (cyberbullying, grooming, radicalization, etc.), as well as problematic content (violent or obscene content, among others).
Digital-protection:-Detect cyber threats (piracy, scams, malware, etc.), understand the best practices and use appropriate security tools for data protection.
Digital-emotional-intelligence:-Be empathetic and build healthy online relationships with other people.
Digital-communication:- Communicate and collaborate with other people using digital technologies and media.
Digital-literacy:- Find, evaluate, use, share and create content, and develop computational thinking.
Digital-rights: – Understand and defend digital rights (to privacy, intellectual property, freedom of expression and protection against hate speech, among others).
Without intelligence of this kind, one is more exposed to threats such as cyberbullying, identity theft or disinformation (fake news). The authors like to conclude this write-up as the 4th industrial revolution advances and our lives become increasingly connected, the health and prosperity of societies around the world will depend on digital intelligence.
(The author is a Cyber Passionate J&K)
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