Download the report (PDF): go.nmc.org/digilit. The New Media Consortium (NMC) has released Digital Literacy: An NMC Horizon Project Strategic Brief in conjunction with the 2016 EDUCAUSE Annual Conference. Commissioned by Adobe, the special report explores the advancement of digital literacy, which is sparking new thinking in higher education about how to best prepare students for the demands of the global technological economy.

1. DIGITAL LITERACY
An NMC Horizon Project
Strategic Brief
Commissioned by Adobe
Contact: Samantha Adams Becker, NMC
512.445.4200 | samantha@nmc.org

3. The aim of this publication is to establish a shared vision of
digital literacy for higher education leaders by illuminating:
• findings from the NMC’s digital literacy survey to Higher Ed
professionals
• key definitions and models of digital literacy
• best practices happening at colleges and universities
• recommendations for implementing successful digital literacy
initiatives.
ABOUT THE REPORT

4. KEY FINDINGS: SURVEY
450+ education leaders, faculty, and staff responded to
the NMC digital literacy survey, collectively generating a
clearer picture of how the subject is being perceived by and
impacting the field.

5. KEYFINDINGS:SURVEY
“Going digital with everything
in higher education relies on
digital literacy skills—
productivity, creativity,
research, and content creation
rather than consumption.”
-Director, Center for Instructional Technologies, Public
Four-Year University

6. KEYFINDINGS:SURVEY

7. KEYFINDINGS:SURVEY
“That’s the broader definition of
digital literacy — how you can
take these tools and recreate
and reinvent what it means to
learn and educate.”
-Jan Holmevik, Associate Professor of English and Co-
Director of the Center of Excellence in Next Generation
Computing and Creativity, Clemson University

8. KEYFINDINGS:SURVEY

9. KEYFINDINGS:SURVEY
“A university-wide approach is
needed which attempts to
involve all faculty and students.
Currently there are only a few
faculty chosen by IT and the
administrators who are asked
to participate.”
-NMC Higher Education Survey Respondent

10. KEY FINDINGS: MODELS
Based on the variety and complexity of the survey results,
three different digital literacies are evident, each with
distinct standards, potential curriculum, and implications for
creative educators.

12. KEY FINDINGS: EXEMPLARS
Higher education leaders should take note of initiatives
listed in the report that prioritize and strengthen campus
technology fluency, embodying one or all of the models of
digital literacy. Several examples follow.

13. USC Annenberg, Pioneering the New Era of Digital
Communication
 go.nmc.org/uscadobe
Through the 21st Century Literacy Initiative, students enrolled in
University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for
Communication and Journalism are learning cross-disciplinary
skills. In addition to gaining a better understanding of how to
create and publish content across various digital outlets, they
are creating audio and interactive videos.

14. Webster University Announces Global Alliance with Adobe
 go.nmc.org/web
Recognizing the ubiquitous nature of digital technology and its
growing use across disciplines, Webster University has
partnered with Adobe to roll out access to Creative Cloud for
their global community of Webster staff, faculty, and students.
Users may access Adobe Creative Cloud library, cloud storage,
and services whether using university equipment or through
their personal devices.

15. Scaling Up Digital Literacy
 go.nmc.org/clem
Clemson University’s Adobe Digital Studio exposes students
and faculty to a variety of technologies, in a space where they
can experiment, problem solve, and create. The university
invested in numerous production technologies including a green
screen studio with a one-button video recording system, a high-
end audio recording station, and access to the full Adobe
Creative Cloud.

16. KEY FINDINGS: RECOMMENDATIONS
How can institutions act now or change their models to
meet the literacy demands presented by the modern digital
era? Four recommendations are presented with the goal of
advancing digital literacy across higher education.

18. KEY FINDINGS: CONCLUSION
• Cross-disciplinary digital skills are the lifeblood of deeper learning
outcomes.
• Institutions must provide the tools and opportunities to ensure
students can deliver effective visual and digital communications.
• The rapid pace at which new technologies are developing requires
strategic planning to accommodate future social and economic
needs.
• Notions of digital literacy are expanding to incorporate new skills
such as big data analysis, robotics, and coding.
• Higher Ed leaders must stay in tune with the demands of the
workforce.

19. CONCLUSION
““[Students] need to be able to
adapt as situations change and
be confident in moving across
the digital space.”
-NMC Higher Education Survey Respondent

20. ABOUT THE NMC

21. The NMC is a not-for-profit consortium of learning-focused institutions dedicated to exploring
and charting technology and innovation in education.

22. NMC Horizon Project: 15 Years of Global Research into Emerging Technology
Uptake
63 Editions
75+
Translations

23. 4 Million Downloads Annually | 11K Per Day | 200 Countries

24. Horizon Reports
Higher Education
K-12 Education
Museums
Libraries
European Union (K-12)
HORIZON.NMC.ORG
Regional / Sector / Topic Reports
Australia / Brazil / Ireland / UK / Norway / Singapore / China
Scandinavia / Int’l Schools in Asia
STEM / Community Colleges/ Course Apps
HiEd Challenges / Cooperative Extension / Language Education
R&E Networks / Personalized Learning / Digital Literacy

25. CONTACT NMC TO REQUEST QUOTES
OR SET UP INTERVIEWS:
SAMANTHA BECKER, NMC
SAMANTHA@NMC.ORG | 512.445.4200
/NEWMEDIACONSORTIUM + @NMCORG + #NMCHZ
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