This is where things start to get interesting for education. Because if things become different, how do we want to shape the change? Furthermore, the examples illustrate that we need to understand digitalisation not mainly as a technical issue but as social, cultural or economic process.
Digital Transformation
The social, cultural or economic process in which things are done seemingly differently – made possible by information and communication technology. It describes the reorganisation of communication, infrastructures or services, economic or cultural practices and of the state.
Digitalisation is partly driven by societal changes, and partly drives them.
- Datafication: Computers (from desktops to smart bulbs) and the services they are connected to become ubiquitous in our everyday lives. The digital self emerges beyond a mere mapping of our analog identities.
- Platformisation: Collaboration, exchange, culture or work are mediated by digital infrastructures (platforms). Participation on platforms becomes necessary in many areas of life. A certain digital-economy model of platforms aims to prevail by dominating the market.
- Globalisation: Computerized hardware becomes affordable and a consumer item in Europe. Value and production chains are internationalised.
- Network expansion: The need for network structures and the resources required to maintain and expand them is increasing.
The Role of Education for Democratic Citizenship
Digital Citizenship Education not only teaches practical skills, but also asks fundamental questions: What role play democracy and human rights in all these developments? How can digitalisation strengthen democracy?
"People are at the centre of the digital transformation in the European Union. Technology should serve and benefit all people living in the EU and empower them to pursue their aspirations, in full security and respect for their fundamental rights."
EU: European Declaration on Digital Rights and Principles for the Digital Decade (non-binding)[1]
Democracy and rights-based education is empowering learners to exercise and defend their rights and responsibilities, and to co-create the society. Any successful democratic transformation requires citizens understanding the change and willing to involve in discourses and decisionmaking.
With a strong aspect of democracy and human rights in lifelong learning, we should lay the foundations for a democratic digital transformation in Europe and empower learners to find a constructive and active position in this transformation.
The socio-political in digitalisation
It is obvious that education that focuses on “the political”, like Education for democratic Citizenship does, cannot be satisfied with a discourse on digitalisation that largely ignores the social, political, economic and cultural impacts of digital policy and digital development. In recent years, awareness has risen on the political character of developments such as platformisation, AI, structural decisions in the information ecosystem and competitive decisions in the digital market. Education must take decisive action here. It must take learners seriously as citizens and address them as such, rather than merely as consumers or so-called “users”.
Digital Citizenship...
Because digital education in this sense must be much more than just training users to use technology properly, we talk about digital citizenship education. Competent use of technology requires a holistic and systemic understanding of learning, including an understanding of the broader framework and context of technology. This understanding must go beyond the surface, so to speak.
Secondly, digitalisation in democracy serves people and democracy. In this sense, empowering education aims to develop an attitude as critical, creative, and responsible citizens.
"Digital citizenship essentially means learning to live as a citizen in today’s highly digitised society."
Council of Europe: Digital Citizenship Education
"Empowerment of learners of all ages through education or the acquisition of competences for learning and active participation in digital society to exercise and defend their democratic rights and responsibilities online, and to promote and protect human rights, democracy and the rule of law in cyberspace."
Video
Source: Council of Europe Digital Citizenship Project on YouTube
Holistic Learning of digitalisation
Learning for digitalisation
Equips learners/citizens for co-determining the digital transformation in the society.
Learning about digitalisation
Learning about the social, cultural, economic impact of digitalisation in society. The wider picture behind digitisation.
Learning through digitalisation
Learning with digital tools, services and infrastructure.
Hacker Pedagogy
The terms "life hacks" and "hacking" have made it into everyday language and left the digital environment. Essentially, they describe an approach to transformative learning - problem solving, experiential learning, challenging and changing habits and sometimes the system from the ground up. Originally native to computer science, the term spread to other areas of society with digital transformation. This can be an interesting element of experiential, self-organized, and collaborative learning. From hacker ethics to holistic learning.
Digital Competences
A post-digital reality, in which the digital and physical worlds are intertwined and the digital permeates all aspects of social life and society, challenges the concept of digital competence or digital literacy:
External Sources
Media & Data: Games and Interactive Tools
Play and learn.
Are you you?
Interactive documentary and challenge: Beat face recognition systems by Tijmen Schep and Sherpa project
Online
Bad News
Online game - From fake news to chaos!
play online
Disinformation Diaries
Learn how disinformation interferes with elections
play online
Fake it to make it
A game about fake news
play online
Online test: filter bubble
interactive introduction by Zentrum fir politesch Bildung (ZpB) Luxemburg
Online
Harmony Square
Game about fake news
play online
How normal am I?
How normal am I? By Tijmen Schep. play online
Test: Human vs. AI
Can We Tell the Difference Anymore? play online
Your Data Mirror
Learn about the mechanisms of data collection and the impact this practice on society. By Interactive Media Foundation.
online
Week with Wanda
A game about the impact of Artificial Intelligence
play online
Digital Transformation
More than Go with the Flow
From platform users to Active Citizens. A digital citizenship education handbook.
more
Learning the Digital
Digital transformation from the practice of Education for Democratic Citizenship and Human Rights Education
more
Digital Citizenship Education Handbook
by Council of Europe. Being online. Well-being online. Rights online
Download
Digital Citizenship Education - Trainers' Pack
The concept of DCE applied in education and learning, published by Council of Europe
Download
Bookmarks
CoE's manual for combating hate speech through human rights education
Download
Reclaim
Toolkit on media competence
Download
DigComp 3.0: The Digital Competence Framework for Citizens
2025 edition of the EU framework
Download
Think Critically, Click Wisely! (UNESCO)
Media and Information Literate Citizens. UNESCO's Media & Information Literacy (MIL) curiculum for educators and learners
Download
Media Literacy for Global Education
Toolkit for Youth Multipliers by North-South Centre of CoE
Download
Digital Competence of Educators
What has digital competency to do with you as a teacher or educator?
Download
'DigCompSat
DigComp 2.1 Self Assessment Tool
Download
DigComp into Action
A guide on how to make use of the DigComp framework
Download
FI.DO Training Material
FIghting fake news and DisinfOrmation in a lifelong learning context.
Download
DIGIT Manifesto and guidelines for adult educators
Boost Competences for responsible online identity
Download
Digital competence toolbox for youth work
Verke's toolbox includes criteria for digital competences, a self-assessment tool and also an online test.
onlineHuman vs AI Test
Can We Tell the Difference Anymore? By K. Rajnerowicz
Online
Maker activities in youth work
A reader about maker culture and youth work by Verke
Download
Makerspaces for Education and Training
Exploring future implications for Europe, by JRC
Download
Handbook Educational Robotics
From the eMedia Project: Media Literacy and Digital Citizenship for All.
Download
Tech for Good
Possibilities and limits of using digital instruments in international development projects of NGOs
Download
Making sense of the future
Toolbox with six methods (DE, EN) for crirtical future thinking by Alexander Humboldt institute for Internet and Society
DownloadYour Data Mirror
Learn about the mechanisms of data collection and the impact this practice on society. By Interactive Media Foundation.
online
Handbook Media Literacy
From the eMedia Project: Media Literacy and Digital Citizenship for All.
DownloadOnline test: filter bubble
interactive introduction by Zentrum fir politesch Bildung (ZpB) Luxemburg
Online
EU vs. Disinfo
The EU portal on disinformation
online
Open your eyes
Handbook: How to identify and tackle online disinformation?
Download
Open your eyes
Database: Fake news
Online
STEPS -Survival Toolkit for EDC in Post-factual Societies
Texts, studies and methods from the project STEPS Download
Are you you?
Interactive documentary and challenge: Beat face recognition systems by Tijmen Schep and Sherpa project
OnlineBad News
Online game - From fake news to chaos!
play onlineDisinformation Diaries
Learn how disinformation interferes with elections
play onlineFake it to make it
A game about fake news
play onlineOnline test: filter bubble
interactive introduction by Zentrum fir politesch Bildung (ZpB) Luxemburg
OnlineHarmony Square
Game about fake news
play onlineHow normal am I?
How normal am I? By Tijmen Schep. play onlineTest: Human vs. AI
Can We Tell the Difference Anymore? play onlineYour Data Mirror
Learn about the mechanisms of data collection and the impact this practice on society. By Interactive Media Foundation.
onlineWeek with Wanda
A game about the impact of Artificial Intelligence
play online
Defining concepts of the digital society
Alexander v. Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society
Online
Big Data Literacy
Resource collection of the Critical Big Data and Algorithmic Literacy Network
Online
UNESCO Series on Internet Freedom
Publications on enabling a free, open and accessible Internet space as part of promoting comprehensive freedom of expression online and offline.
Online
AI Compass
Card game for learning about AI application(s) in different contexts in society. By Alexander v. Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society
Download
Elements of AI
Free online course in the European languages, developed by the Finnish EU presidency
Online
We are AI
Free online course by the Center for Responsible AI at New York University’s Tandon School of Engineering, Peer 2 Peer University (P2PU) and Queens Public Library
Online
Visual Introduction in Machine Learning
By Stephanie Yee and Tony Chu in 13 languages.
Online
We are AI Comics
Five Comics about AI by Julia Stoyanovich and Falaah Arif Kha
Download
GlobalPolicy.AI
Online platform for navigating the international AI governance landscape
Online
Travel Guide to the Digital World
For Human Rights defenders by Global Partners Digital. Download
Free My Internet
A graphic journey from infrastructure to shutdowns
Online
Making sense of the future
by Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society (HIIG)
Online & Download
Internet Universality Indicators
UNESCO's Roam-X-Indicators<
Download
Digital Transformation in Adult Learning
Project DIGIT-AL (DARE network)
Online
Freedom of Press Report
by RSF - Reporters without Borders
Online
Digtal News Report
by Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism
Online
Freedom on the Net Report
by Freedom House
Online & Download
Internet Health Report
by Mozilla Foundation
Download
Internet Affordability Report
Alliance for Affodable Internet
Download
Global citizenship education in a digital age: teacher guidelines
UNESCO, 2024
PDF
We need to talk AI
Comic about Artificial Intelligence by Doc J Snyder & Lena Ziyal
Download
Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Society
Curriulum for primary School Children by the Wergeland Center
Download
Your Data Mirror
Learn about the mechanisms of data collection and the impact this practice on society. By Interactive Media Foundation.
online
Learn, what your browser is saying about you
Dennis Anons Analyzer is demonstrating it.
online
Surveillance Self-Defense
Tips, tools and how-tos for safer online ommunications by the Electronic Frontier Foundation
online
ICTs, data and vulnerable people: a guide for citizens
published by the Panelfit project
Download
Cover your tracks
Explore, how trackers view your browser (by the Electronic Frontier Foundation)
online
Terms of Service Didn't read
Check the quality of popular platforms' ToS (Terms of Service)
online
Online Privacy Checker
A guide provided by Kaspersky
Online
Facial recognition technologies: a primer
by Algorithmic Justice League, MacArthur Foundation
DownloadDIGIT Manifesto and guidelines for adult educators
Boost Competences for responsible online identity
Download
Security in a Box
Front Line Defenders and Tactical Tech Collective gives an overview over general aspects and tools for privacy protection.
Online
Data Detox Kit
Tactical Tech Collective's instructions with focus on datafication and data-abuse.
online
Motherboard Guide to Not Getting Hacked
A comprehensive guide to digital security
OnlineTravel Guide to the Digital World
For Human Rights defenders by Global Partners Digital. Download
Me and my shadow
Tactical Tech Collective's introduction into tracking technologies
Online
Holistic Security
A Strategy Manual for Human Rights Defenders including an additional trainers' manual.
Download
Stealingurfeelin.gs
Augmented movie, introduction into tracking by Noah Levenson
OnlineHow normal am I?
Interactive introduction into datafication by Tijmen Schep and Sherpa project
OnlineAre you you?
Interactive documentary and challenge: Beat face recognition systems by Tijmen Schep and Sherpa project
Online
The Digital Self
from the DIGIT-AL project Digital Transformation in Adult Learning for Active Citizenship
Download
Human Rights Guide
Learn about data & provacy as human rights in the guides created by Baltic Human Rights Society in EN, LV, RU
Online
DIYW-ROAD
New articles and methods were published in 2025/26 as part of the project: Digital Youth Work - rights-sensitive, open, accessible, democratic.
Background: Digital Transformation in Learning for Active Citizenship
Brochure series published by the project DIGIT-AL in 2021/2022. Digitalisation in Adult Learning for Active Citizenship
Activism & Participation
more
Culture, Art, Digitalisation
more
Education and Learning
more
E-Governance
more
Media and Journalism
more
Internet, Big Data, Platforms
more
The Digital Self
more
Work under Transformation
more
Supported by the programme:
References
- ↑ European Union (2023/C 23/01). European Declaration on Digital Rights and Principles for the Digital Decade. PUB/2023/89, OJ C 23, 23.1.2023, p. 1–7. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:JOC_2023_023_R_0001
- ↑ Council of Europe (CM/Rec(2019)10) Recommendation of the Committee of Ministers to member States on developing and promoting digital citizenship education (Adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 21 November 2019 at the 1361st (Budget) meeting of the Ministers' Deputies).
