INCREASING THE DIGITAL LITERACY LEVEL AS A WAY TO OVERCOME THE DIGITAL DIVIDE IN UKRAINE

Abstract

The implementation of any new technologies, in particular digital technologies, is undoubtedly a long process and carries many unknown challenges and dangers for humanity. Digitization is becoming the most important factor in the economic growth in any country and is generally a modern development trend. Country digitalization brings positive changes in all life spheres - from education and medicine to science and business. Indeed, it can be considered an unheard science triumph in the 21st century that humanity, using modern technologies, expanded the information value as a resource for its development, and also increased the humanity's intellectual capabilities importance. Special attention should be paid to monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness and efficiency of digitalization policy measures in the economy and society: population employment and providing citizens with the skills, knowledge and competences required by modern challenges. Today, there is a transition to complex methods in the leading world countries, the main purpose of which is to consider the digital transformation possibility of public administration and the prospects for the information and communication infrastructure development on the technological basis of digital technologies [1]. However, the problem is that the transition to a new digital society model is happening at an extremely fast pace, in just a few dozen years. Such a transition is accompanied by new challenges for Ukraine, because it did not provide the technological, economic and political prerequisites for the new digital era in time. In the new conditions, the country will receive advantages as a result of technological and digital innovations, in which all economy components develop, interact, improve and grow. An important nowadays feature is the digital divide emergence, which creates the danger of Ukraine falling behind in digitalization processes. This gap is manifested in access to social, economic, educational, cultural and other opportunities due to unequal or limited population access to information and computer technologies. Bridging the digital “gap” is possible in the way of strengthening digital development for all, by increasing the digital literacy level of the population [2, p. 105]. Simply using a smartphone or laptop and having access to the Internet does not mean having digital literacy. The ability to effectively and safely use modern digital technologies in work and education, in professional and personal development is digital literacy. Back in 2006, the European Parliament and the Europe Council identified digital literacy as one of the eight key competencies that every European citizen should have [3]. In addition, the EU has defined the next decade as the “Digital Decade”, with a future vision built around the digital population literacy and guided by the “Digital Compass to 2030”, a plan to achieve the digital transformation of the EU's economy and society. And it is extending this vision to its eastern neighbors, including Ukraine, through the EU4Digital initiative, which has identified digital skills as one of its six priority areas. It is the development of digital population literacy in Ukraine that will allow to overcome the digital divide and participate in the integration processes into the European community with dignity [4].