Skills of Scepticism and Judgement or How to Be Digitally Adult

Abstract

Digital literacy has many aspects and different social groups can have an advantage if we consider the aspect of data management or the aspect of context awareness for example. In the meantime literacy and maturity are not in connection with age or social status: the way we use the information for our or others' sake and the grade of maturity in problem-solving is much more communication-sensitive virtues. What is happening now? – exactly this would be the question that makes all the difference. Basic skills for answering this question in a permanently changing digital environment are the skills of skepticism (is this for real?, is this about me?, is this something that somebody wants me to believe?) and judgment (arguments for and against, different points of view). And even a ten-year-old kid could answer this question correctly, if we ask him this question, if we challenge him, to reflect on what is happening. Are we able to teach him to ask himself the right questions?