With the 2006 European Recommendation on Key Competences, Digital Competences (DC) has been acknowledged as one of the 8 key competences for Lifelong Learning by the European Union. Digital Competence can be broadly defined as the confident, critical and creative use of ICT to achieve goals related to work, employability, learning, leisure, inclusion and/or participation in society. DC is a transversal key competence which, as such, enables acquiring other key competences (e.g. language, mathematics, learning to learn, cultural awareness). It is related to many of the so-called 21st Century skills which should be acquired by all citizens, in order to ensure their active participation in society and the economy.

This report is part of a project on Digital Competences, launched by the IS Unit at JRC - IPTS under an Administrative Agreement for DG Education and Culture. The project aims to contribute to better understanding and development of Digital Competence in Europe. It is being carried out between January 2011 and December 2012. The objectives of the project are:

• To identify the key components of Digital Competence (DC) in terms of the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to be digitally competent,
• To develop DC descriptors that will feed a conceptual framework/ guidlines that can be validated at European level, taking into account relevant frameworks currently available,
• To propose a roadmap for the possible use and revision of a DC framework and descriptors of DC for all levels of learners

The project aims to achieve these objectives in collaboration and interaction with stakeholders on European level.

This report contributes to the first work package of the project, by reviewing and mapping different concepts and understandings relating to digital competence. It presents conceptual discussion based on literature, and first suggestions for an overall approach to understanding digital competence in the 21st century. These will contribute to the following phasees of the project.