Shaping Digital Literacy of IT-Students in the Process of Foreign Language Acquisition for Professional Purpose
Keywords:
IT majors, English for professional purpose, digital literacy, learning content
Abstract
The article elaborates on the problem of shaping digital literacy skills in students of IT majors in context of modern challenges. Based on the analysis of relevant scientific works, the concept of digital literacy is defined as an integral ability to consciously, critically, and safely apply digital technologies for information retrieval, interaction, content creation, and solving professional tasks. A series of practical tasks adapted for English language classes in IT-groups is proposed. It is aimed
at combining language training with the development of technical skills. These include: analysis of open sources (OSINT), assessment of one’s cyber hygiene, identification of phishing messages, detection of biases in datasets, critical code review with emphasis on common vulnerabilities, analysis of licenses and security of software libraries, as well as work with user agreement terms. The proposed tasks involve the use of authentic materials, development of critical thinking, and the expansion of English-language technical terminology.
Practical orientation of the tasks is embedded in close-to-real-life situations that students encounter during their studies and future professional activities: risk assessment, working with data, understanding security policies, and communication in technical English. The acquired experience contributes to enhancing digital literacy, strengthening cybersecurity skills, and fostering responsible digital citizenship.
Downloads
Download data is not yet available.
References
Havrilova, L. H., & Topolnik, Y. V. (2017). Digital culture, digital literacy, digital competence as the modern educational phenomena. Information Technologies and Learning Tools, 61(5), 1–14. DOI: https://doi.org/10.33407/itlt.v61i5.1744
Bawden, D. (2001). Information and digital literacies: A review of concepts. Journal of Documentation, 57(2), 218–259. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/EUM0000000007083
Belshaw, D. (2014). The essential elements of digital literacies (v1.0). URL: http://dougbelshaw.com/essentialelements-book.pdf
Boyens, J., Smith, A., Bartol, N., Winkler, K., Holbrook, A., & Fallon, M. (2024). Cybersecurity Supply Chain Risk Management Practices for Systems and Organizations (NIST SP 800-161r1-upd1). National Institute of Standards and Technology. DOI: https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.800-161r1-upd1
Carretero, S., Vuorikari, R., & Punie, Y. (2017). DigComp 2.1: The Digital Competence Framework for Citizens. Publications Office of the European Union. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2760/38842
Eshet-Alkalai, Y. (2004). Digital literacy: A conceptual framework for survival skills in the digital era. Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia, 13(1), 93–106.
Eshet-Alkalai, Y. (2012). Thinking in the digital era: A revised model for digital literacy. Issues in Informing Science and Information Technology, 9, 267–276. DOI: https://doi.org/10.28945/1621
Giese, T.G.; Wende, M.; Bulut, S.; Anderl, R. Introduction of Data Literacy in the Undergraduate Engineering Curriculum. In Proceedings of the 2020 IEEE Global Engineering Education Conference (EDUCON), Porto, Portugal, 27–30 April 2020; pp. 1237–1245. URL: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/342457765_Introduction_of_Data_Literacy_in_the_Undergraduate_Engineering_Curriculum
Gilster, P. (1997). Digital literacy. Wiley & Sons.
Gümüş, M. M., Kukul, V., & Korkmaz, O. (2024). Relationships between middle school students’ digital literacy skills, computer programming self-efficacy, and computational thinking self-efficacy. Informatics in Education, 23(3), 571–592. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15388/infedu.2024.20
Herold, B. (2017). Student data privacy and security: Red flags in terms-of-service agreements. Education Week. URL: https://www.edweek.org/technology/student-data-privacy-and-security-red-flags-in-terms-of-serviceagreements
La Trobe University. (2019). Skills for a digital world: Digital literacies framework (Rev. ed.). URL: https://www.latrobe.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/1248350/digital-literacies-framework.pdf
Lee, N. T., Resnick, P., & Barton, G. (2019). Algorithmic bias detection and mitigation: Best practices and policies to reduce consumer harms. Brookings Institution. URL: https://www.brookings.edu/articles/algorithmic-biasdetection-and-mitigation-best-practices-and-policies-to-reduce-consumer-harms/
Lüdorf, V., Meister, S., Mainz, A., Ehlers, J. P., Nitsche, J., & Busse, T. S. (2025). Developing a concept on ethical, legal and social implications (ELSI) for data literacy in health professions: A learning objective-based approach. Healthcare, 13(17), Article 2108. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13172108
Monteiro, A., & Leite, C. (2021). Alfabetizaciones digitales en la educación superior: Habilidades, usos, oportunidades y obstáculos para la transformación digital. Revista de Educación a Distancia (RED), 21(65). DOI: https://doi.org/10.6018/red.438721
Ng, W. (2012). Can we teach digital natives digital literacy? URL: https://www.scirp.org/reference/referencespapers?referenceid=3344276
O’Brien, D., & Scharber, C. (2008). Digital literacies go to school: Potholes and possibilities. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 52(1), 66–68.
OECD. (2023). OECD Digital Education Outlook 2023: Towards an Effective Digital Education Ecosystem. OECD Publishing. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1787/c74f03de-en
Pakistan Journal of Engineering, Technology & Science. (2024). Ahmed, A., Qamar, R., Asif, R., Imran, M., Khurram, M., & Ahmed, S. Dead Internet Theory. Pakistan Journal of Engineering, Technology & Science, 12(1), 37–48. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22555/pjets.v12i1.1077
Redecker, C. (2017). European Framework for the Digital Competence of Educators: DigCompEdu. Publications Office of the European Union. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2760/159770
Redecker, C., & Punie, Y. (2017). European framework for the digital competence of educators (DigCompEdu) 22. Sander, I. (2020). What is critical big data literacy and how can it be implemented? Internet Policy Review, 9(2), 1–22. DOI:10.14763/2020.2.1479. URL: https://policyreview.info/pdf/policyreview-2020-2-1479.pdf
Santos, S. (n.d.). List of OSINT exercises – Challenge yourself!. URL: https://gralhix.com/list-of-osint-exercises/
ShadowDragon. (2025). OSINT exercises: Ultimate guide to investigative skills. URL: https://shadowdragon.io/blog/osint-exercises/
UNESCO. (2018). A global framework of reference on digital literacy skills for indicator 4.4.2. URL: https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000265403
UNESCO. (2023). Digital Literacy Assessment [Background paper for the 2023 Global Education Monitoring Report]. UNESCO. URL: https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000386202
University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School. (n.d.). Field guide to address bias in datasets. https://www.law.upenn.edu/live/files/11569-field-guide-to-address-bias-in-datasets
University of York. (n.d.). Digital literacy. URL: https://subjectguides.york.ac.uk/digital-literacy
Walton, G. (2016). Digital literacy (DL): Establishing the boundaries and identifying the partners. New Review of Academic Librarianship, 22(1), 1–4. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13614533.2015.1137466
Wu, H., & Holmes, R. (2024). Identifying affected libraries and their ecosystems for open source vulnerability remediation. In Proceedings of the IEEE/ACM 46th International Conference on Software Engineering (ICSE ‘24). URL: https://chenbihuan.github.io/paper/icse24-wu-holmes.pdf
Bawden, D. (2001). Information and digital literacies: A review of concepts. Journal of Documentation, 57(2), 218–259. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/EUM0000000007083
Belshaw, D. (2014). The essential elements of digital literacies (v1.0). URL: http://dougbelshaw.com/essentialelements-book.pdf
Boyens, J., Smith, A., Bartol, N., Winkler, K., Holbrook, A., & Fallon, M. (2024). Cybersecurity Supply Chain Risk Management Practices for Systems and Organizations (NIST SP 800-161r1-upd1). National Institute of Standards and Technology. DOI: https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.800-161r1-upd1
Carretero, S., Vuorikari, R., & Punie, Y. (2017). DigComp 2.1: The Digital Competence Framework for Citizens. Publications Office of the European Union. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2760/38842
Eshet-Alkalai, Y. (2004). Digital literacy: A conceptual framework for survival skills in the digital era. Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia, 13(1), 93–106.
Eshet-Alkalai, Y. (2012). Thinking in the digital era: A revised model for digital literacy. Issues in Informing Science and Information Technology, 9, 267–276. DOI: https://doi.org/10.28945/1621
Giese, T.G.; Wende, M.; Bulut, S.; Anderl, R. Introduction of Data Literacy in the Undergraduate Engineering Curriculum. In Proceedings of the 2020 IEEE Global Engineering Education Conference (EDUCON), Porto, Portugal, 27–30 April 2020; pp. 1237–1245. URL: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/342457765_Introduction_of_Data_Literacy_in_the_Undergraduate_Engineering_Curriculum
Gilster, P. (1997). Digital literacy. Wiley & Sons.
Gümüş, M. M., Kukul, V., & Korkmaz, O. (2024). Relationships between middle school students’ digital literacy skills, computer programming self-efficacy, and computational thinking self-efficacy. Informatics in Education, 23(3), 571–592. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15388/infedu.2024.20
Herold, B. (2017). Student data privacy and security: Red flags in terms-of-service agreements. Education Week. URL: https://www.edweek.org/technology/student-data-privacy-and-security-red-flags-in-terms-of-serviceagreements
La Trobe University. (2019). Skills for a digital world: Digital literacies framework (Rev. ed.). URL: https://www.latrobe.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/1248350/digital-literacies-framework.pdf
Lee, N. T., Resnick, P., & Barton, G. (2019). Algorithmic bias detection and mitigation: Best practices and policies to reduce consumer harms. Brookings Institution. URL: https://www.brookings.edu/articles/algorithmic-biasdetection-and-mitigation-best-practices-and-policies-to-reduce-consumer-harms/
Lüdorf, V., Meister, S., Mainz, A., Ehlers, J. P., Nitsche, J., & Busse, T. S. (2025). Developing a concept on ethical, legal and social implications (ELSI) for data literacy in health professions: A learning objective-based approach. Healthcare, 13(17), Article 2108. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13172108
Monteiro, A., & Leite, C. (2021). Alfabetizaciones digitales en la educación superior: Habilidades, usos, oportunidades y obstáculos para la transformación digital. Revista de Educación a Distancia (RED), 21(65). DOI: https://doi.org/10.6018/red.438721
Ng, W. (2012). Can we teach digital natives digital literacy? URL: https://www.scirp.org/reference/referencespapers?referenceid=3344276
O’Brien, D., & Scharber, C. (2008). Digital literacies go to school: Potholes and possibilities. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 52(1), 66–68.
OECD. (2023). OECD Digital Education Outlook 2023: Towards an Effective Digital Education Ecosystem. OECD Publishing. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1787/c74f03de-en
Pakistan Journal of Engineering, Technology & Science. (2024). Ahmed, A., Qamar, R., Asif, R., Imran, M., Khurram, M., & Ahmed, S. Dead Internet Theory. Pakistan Journal of Engineering, Technology & Science, 12(1), 37–48. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22555/pjets.v12i1.1077
Redecker, C. (2017). European Framework for the Digital Competence of Educators: DigCompEdu. Publications Office of the European Union. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2760/159770
Redecker, C., & Punie, Y. (2017). European framework for the digital competence of educators (DigCompEdu) 22. Sander, I. (2020). What is critical big data literacy and how can it be implemented? Internet Policy Review, 9(2), 1–22. DOI:10.14763/2020.2.1479. URL: https://policyreview.info/pdf/policyreview-2020-2-1479.pdf
Santos, S. (n.d.). List of OSINT exercises – Challenge yourself!. URL: https://gralhix.com/list-of-osint-exercises/
ShadowDragon. (2025). OSINT exercises: Ultimate guide to investigative skills. URL: https://shadowdragon.io/blog/osint-exercises/
UNESCO. (2018). A global framework of reference on digital literacy skills for indicator 4.4.2. URL: https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000265403
UNESCO. (2023). Digital Literacy Assessment [Background paper for the 2023 Global Education Monitoring Report]. UNESCO. URL: https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000386202
University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School. (n.d.). Field guide to address bias in datasets. https://www.law.upenn.edu/live/files/11569-field-guide-to-address-bias-in-datasets
University of York. (n.d.). Digital literacy. URL: https://subjectguides.york.ac.uk/digital-literacy
Walton, G. (2016). Digital literacy (DL): Establishing the boundaries and identifying the partners. New Review of Academic Librarianship, 22(1), 1–4. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13614533.2015.1137466
Wu, H., & Holmes, R. (2024). Identifying affected libraries and their ecosystems for open source vulnerability remediation. In Proceedings of the IEEE/ACM 46th International Conference on Software Engineering (ICSE ‘24). URL: https://chenbihuan.github.io/paper/icse24-wu-holmes.pdf
Published
2025-12-30
Cited
How to Cite
Pasichnyk, O., & Pasichnyk, O. (2025). Shaping Digital Literacy of IT-Students in the Process of Foreign Language Acquisition for Professional Purpose. Scientific Notes of the Pedagogical Department, (57), 134–143. https://doi.org/10.26565/2074-8167-2025-57-11
Section
Статті
