Understanding the concepts of digitalisation

This is the partial competence 0.1 in the competence Area 0 “Fundamentals, access and digital understanding” of the Digital Competence Framework for Austria (DigComp 2.2 AT and DigComp 2.3 AT).

What is it about?

This competence area includes understanding the technical difference between “analogue” and “digital”, as well as the basic structures, characteristics and terminology of the internet.

What does it mean in practice?

Digitally competent people know, for example, that analogue signals are infinitely variable. This means that they contain infinitely accurate information. Their digitisation, therefore, is always a reduction (you notice that, for example, when comparing a concert recording with the original in the concert hall). At the same time, however, digitised data is always available in the same quality: While a printed photo in an album may yellow over the years, a digital image will always look the same. Another advantage of digital data is that it can also be stored and shared more easily. Many technologies (e.g. watch, telephone and television) currently exist in an analogue and digital variant.

Why is that important?

Today, the digital and analogue worlds are becoming increasingly blurred. This is particularly evident in the fact that the internet is omnipresent and can no longer be ignored in our analogue world. The more social, economic and private processes (such as communication) are shifted to the internet, the more important it is to understand this new space sufficiently. Therefore, knowledge about the basic characteristics and functional mechanisms of the internet is essential.

Where can I continue learning?

On the homepage of fit4internet, you will find further background information on the Digital Competence Framework for Austria under the heading “Understanding”. In the section “Learning”, you will find learning offers to increase your digital competence.