EFL Instructors' Perspectives on 21st-Century Digital Literacy Skills

Abstract

The importance of digital skills has increased dramatically after the coronavirus pandemic. Digital literacy (DL) is no longer an additional part of learning and teaching. It has become an essential part of the skills that teachers should have. This paper investigates English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers' perspectives on the importance of 21st-century Digital literacy Skills (DLSs), what type of skills they should have, and the impact of gender, age, and years of experience on EFL teachers’ perspectives on DLSs. The study sample consisted of 55 EFL teachers from different Saudi universities. A questionnaire was used to collect the data. The findings revealed that most participants held positive attitudes toward DLSs and their importance in the EFL profession. The findings also showed that although most EFL teachers felt the necessity of having computer and information literacy skills, some hesitated to state that they should be competent, critical, and literate in all media forms. Moreover, the study's findings revealed that the teacher's years of experience significantly impact their views on the importance of DLSs and the digital skills they should have. It is recommended that EFL teachers be enlightened about the importance of all digital skills, including information and media literacy, and be encouraged to use all types of digital information and media with their students and be trained, thus improving their students’ digital skills.