Handling contemporary information sources

The primary objective of this research is to gain insight into what combination of numeracy and literacy is needed for understanding contemporary information resources.

The skills required can be summarized as:

• Digital skills
• Higher-order skills
• Attitude
• Processing information
• Arithmetic knowledge, including relationships, conventions, computational strategies
• Strategies for dealing with a problem or interpreting a situation

01 January 2022 - 15 September 2022

In addition to reading literature, people were interviewed and observed while using and interpreting contemporary information sources.

Being able to handle contemporary information well is important. From the report: Research shows that the group of people with limited basic skills acquire, on average, a lower annual salary, are more likely to be unemployed (L&S, 2019) and thus are more likely to fall into poverty over time (Windisch, 2015). The net missed income due to limited basic skills of this group is estimated at €572 million per year which amounts to about €575 per year for 16-65 year olds and about €138 per year for people older than 65 (PWC, 2018) (Boels et al., 2022, p.6, original in Dutch, translated by the first author). This report provides insight into what people with limited basic skills are up against. Limited basic skills are surrounded by much shame and are found among practical and theoretical educated people. It is important that attention be paid to these types of basic skills not only in MBO but also in HBO.