Canadian Internet Forum:

Digital Literacy Consultation

CIRACanadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA)November 2010

Agenda

• Welcome and introductions• Why are we here?• Background paper• Brief Q&A, discussions & responses• Reflections on key issues and personal

concerns• Break out session• Plenary session• Closing plenary discussions• Closing remarks

Who is CIRA?

The Canadian Internet Registration

Authority (CIRA) is the organization that

Manages Canada's .CA domain name

registry, develops and implements

policies that support Canada's Internet

community and represents the .CA

registry internationally.

Why are we here?

• In addition to running the .CA registry, CIRA is mandated to undertake activities that support the Internet in Canada.

• The Internet has become one of the most critical pieces of infrastructure of our time, yet there hasn’t been a lot of opportunity to discuss how it is run.

• This forum is the place to discuss, debate and propose directions for the development, deployment and governance of the Internet in Canada.

Why a Canadian Internet Forum?

• In late 2009, CIRA worked with IISD to conduct a survey of Canadians to ‘take the pulse’ of Canadians on issues related to Internet policy and governance.

• An online, 20-question, self-selecting survey (French and English) was delivered; 801 surveys were completed.

• The intent was to gauge the opinion of already engaged Canadians about domestic Internet governance issues.

Key Findings

1. There is broad support for the establishment of a Canadian Internet forum. The majority of respondents (76 per cent) expressed support for such a mechanism.

2. A Canadian Internet forum should include and engage a broad base of stakeholders, including governments, the private sector, non-governmental organizations, academia, Aboriginal organizations, and so on (90 per cent of respondents agreed).

3. A Canadian Internet forum should address issues of Internet development, access and use, but also issues where the Internet affects other public policy domains.

Results from the survey point to the following recommendations:

Key Findings, cont’d

3. A Canadian Internet forum should not only create a place for dialogue, but influence the advancement of Internet-related policy (supported by 76 per cent of respondents).

4. A Canadian Internet forum should link with international Internet governance issues and policies (supported by 75 per cent of respondents).

5. A Canadian Internet forum has a strong likelihood of initial success. However, survey respondents support an ongoing dialogue/process on Internet governance.

Results

• As a result of the national survey, CIRA, along with the International Institute for Sustainable Development and the Media Awareness Network are holding six consultations in November.

• Two themes:– Digital Literacy– The Digital Economy

• Consultations will be held in: Winnipeg, Halifax, Iqaluit, Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver.

What are we doing here?

White paper drafted,

presented to the UN IGF and

Canadian government in

2011.

National consultation results to be

presented at a national, open to the public

event in February 2011.

Online and direct email campaign to

further inform the process to

begin late November.

Consultations: 6 total,

resulting in individual and

roll-up reports.

National survey on Internet governance

issues. Report to be released

this week.

To discuss, debate and propose directions for the development, deployment and governance of the Internet in Canada.

Why is Digital Literacy Important?

• Economic value – increases in digital literacy significantly impact both the ICT sector and broader economy.

• Cultural value - digitally literate citizenry is positioned to consume and create cultural content.

• Democratic value – the Internet and digital media offers new ways for citizens both to engage democratically and utilize government services.

Background

Digital Literacy

“Survival skills for the 21st century”

These represent the skills and competencies that are needed for citizens to thrive in a digital world:

• working, learning, leisure• communicating and connecting• managing and mitigating risk• accessing services, information and opportunities

Background

Digital Literacy

Definitions are generally built on 3 principles:

• Use• Understand• Create

Background

Use

• technical ability• basis for developing digital literacy skills• increasingly important as platforms

converge• includes access and comfort levels with:

• broadband services• computers• software• search engines• online databases

Background

Understand

• comprehend, contextualize, evaluate• critical understanding to maximize

opportunities and mitigate risk:• privacy• authentication• reflection• rights and responsibilities• finding, assessing, using information• communicating, collaborating and

problem-solving

Background

Create

• developing online content and effectively communicating using a variety of digital tools

• communicating to various contexts and audiences

• creating and communicating using rich

media• efficiently and responsibly engaging

with interactive user-generated content

Background

Digital literacy across the population

Digital Life Skills

Everyone

Employment Skills

Most

AdvancedCreative/Technical

Skills

Some

Background

Effective implementation

PublicAwareness and

Community Programs

GovernmentJob

Training

Education

K-12 and Post-Secondary

Background

What are the policy implications for:

• Education• Job Training• Role of Government• Communities

Background

What are the burning issues that Canadian policy-makers need to consider relating to the Internet and the skills needed by Canadians to maximize its potential?

Background

Key Questions

1. What is the current status of the basket of issue in Canada?

2. What barriers and opportunities exist to addressing/resolving those issues?

3. Who needs to act?

4. Who are the stakeholders needed to address issues?

CIRA and its partners Media Awareness Network and the International Institute for Sustainable Development thank you for taking the time to

participate in this consultation!

For more information: Blog: http://cigf.cira.ca Twitter: @mebuell, @CIRANews, @bakoh, @medlitFacebook: http://facebook.com/cira.ca