Digital Information and Data Literacy for the Promotion of Open and Citizen Science

Dear Colleagues,

In today's information age, digital, information and data literacy have emerged as crucial concerns in the development of more egalitarian and inclusive societies. Over the last decade, the rapid advance in technology has radically transformed the way people access, use and manage information. This change has given rise to a growing need to promote new digital and related data literacy as fundamental components of informed and active citizenship in contemporary society. The complexity of human interaction with digital technologies, the proliferation of data in multiple formats and the acceleration of open science pose fundamental challenges that require deep understanding and concerted response from the academic community and society at large.

Digital literacy has become essential for effective participation in everyday life, work and civic life, as digital skills are increasingly required in education, work and government. The ability to locate, evaluate and use information critically and ethically has become a fundamental requirement for active civic participation and informed decision-making in an increasingly data-driven society.

In the context of open science and citizen science, data and information literacy become even more relevant. Open science promotes free and open access to data and research results, and encourages collaboration and transparency in the generation and dissemination of knowledge. As such, the promotion of digital and data literacy becomes a fundamental pillar to strengthen citizen participation in science and ensure that the benefits of scientific knowledge are available to a wider public.

This Special Issue aims to explore the interconnections between these three literacies and their impact on the promotion of open and citizen science. It seeks to highlight recent research, innovative perspectives and good practices that address the challenges and opportunities in this emerging area.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but not limited to) the following: the promotion of digital literacy and data literacy in different settings, the development of tools and strategies to enhance information literacy in the age of misinformation, the role of digital literacy in citizen participation and e-governance, as well as the ethical and privacy challenges associated with data management in open science. In addition, case studies that demonstrate the impact of digital literacy and information literacy in promoting equity and inclusion are invited to be explored, as well as research that addresses the need for policies and regulatory frameworks to foster responsible practices in data use.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Ana Iglesias-Rodríguez
Dr. Yolanda Martín-González
Dr. Azucena Hernández-Martín
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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• data literacy
• digital literacy
• information literacy
• open science
• citizen science
• E-governance
• disinformation
• social inclusion
• information age
• data privacy