Current ASQA guidance (Outcome 2.2) says providers must review each prospective student's LLND proficiency and digital literacy in the context of the training product before enrolment or commencement.
That does not mean every provider must use the same test. ASQA also says the Standards do not prescribe a single framework or method. Providers can determine the best way to review and evidence digital literacy in light of the training product, delivery mode, and student cohort.
Where the DLSF Fits
DEWR's Digital Literacy Skills Framework (DLSF) is a practical reference for digital capability. It can be used to:
- benchmark an individual's digital literacy skills
- map digital skill requirements in education and training
- support moderation and validation of digital literacy decisions
The DLSF enhances the ACSF up to and including Level 3. That makes it useful for many Certificate III and Certificate IV contexts, especially where learners need to work with online systems, digital records, or LMS-based delivery.
How to Identify Digital Demands in a Qualification
Start with the training product and the delivery environment. Look for language like:
- "uses digital"
- "records data in [software/system]"
- "accesses information online" or "uses reference materials"
- "communicates electronically" or "uses email"
- "enters data into"
- "uses [specific workplace software]"
- "follows digital security procedures"
Any Performance Criterion that requires a learner to interact with technology - software, databases, online systems, devices - carries a digital capability demand. Delivery mode can add further demand; an online course may require more digital independence than a face-to-face course using the same training product.
Example: CHC33021 Certificate III in Individual Support
Performance Criteria like "Uses relevant technology to record and store information" and "Accesses and applies information from workplace documents and records" suggest a digital capability review is needed. The exact level depends on the system complexity, independence expected, and the way the RTO delivers training.
What a Good Digital Literacy Review Looks Like
A well-designed digital literacy review should:
- Use a realistic workplace scenario — not an abstract technology task
- Test reasoning, not just recognition — the learner should have to apply knowledge, not just recall terminology
- Reflect the qualification's industry context — a community services digital task looks different from a construction one
Example scenario (Community Services context):
Your organisation uses a client management system to record support notes after each visit. A new client's record cannot be found in the system using their name. List two steps you would take to locate the record or resolve the issue, and explain why you would take each step.
This kind of task tests:
- Understanding of digital information systems
- Problem-solving within a digital environment
- Ability to apply digital skills with some independence
Compare this to a simpler task:
Your supervisor asks you to send a client's support notes to a colleague by email. Describe how you would attach a file to an email.
Simpler tasks are more procedural and more familiar.
Common Mistakes in Digital Literacy Assessment
1. Treating digital literacy as IT knowledge Digital literacy in RTO review is about using technology effectively in work and study contexts - not knowing how computers work. Questions about hardware, networking, or programming are usually the wrong focus.
2. Using purely theoretical questions "What is two-factor authentication?" tests recall, not skill. Good Digital Literacy questions put the learner in a workplace situation.
3. Assessing Level 1 tasks at Certificate III level Asking whether a learner can turn on a computer or open an email is not appropriate for a Certificate III qualification. The level should match the qualification's demands.
4. Treating Digital Literacy as optional If the training product or delivery model clearly depends on digital systems, the provider should be able to show how digital capability was considered.
Documenting Your Digital Literacy Review
For later audit or internal review, you should be able to show:
- Which Performance Criteria in the qualification have Digital Literacy demands
- What framework or rationale you used to describe those demands
- How your assessment tool assesses those specific demands
- How you identify learners with insufficient Digital Literacy and what support you provide
A simple mapping table - unit code, Performance Criterion, digital requirement, reference framework, question or task reference - is one defensible format.
Supporting Learners with Digital Literacy Gaps
When you identify a learner with a Digital Literacy gap, the support options include:
- Providing orientation sessions on key workplace software before training begins
- Assigning a digital mentor or buddy within the cohort
- Offering access to self-paced digital literacy resources
- Adjusting delivery to include more hands-on software practice
- Arranging referral to a digital literacy program (many TAFEs offer these)
The key requirement is not that every learner reaches one fixed digital level before training starts. It is that the provider identifies material gaps and has a documented support pathway where needed.