A fertile spring for digital literacy in Quebec

A look back at a day full of ideas at Shawinigan’s DigiHub

On May 13, the Quebec digital literacy roundtable gathered in the inspiring ecosystem of the DigiHub in Shawinigan for a spring meeting marked by collaboration, strengthened cross-sector ties, and a flourishing of promising ideas for Quebec’s youth.

This 19th meeting brought together dedicated stakeholders from the public and private sectors, education, and the community sphere, all united by a common goal: to promote equal opportunities and foster the emergence of an inclusive digital literacy for all young people in Québec.

An inspiring setting for rich exchanges

The day began with a guided tour of the DigiHub’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, followed by a networking lunch themed “Pollinator flowers”, a beautiful metaphor highlighting the buzz of ideas and the richness of human connections.

Our warmest thanks to Naoufel Cheraiti (coordinator of the NovaScience Program) and Gabriel Dufour (senior advisor in scientific and innovation culture at the MEIE), who joined the meeting remotely to present the objectives, criteria, and opportunities of the NovaScience program. Their support provided valuable insights and equipped the roundtable members in their reflection on future collective projects.

Let your ideas blossom! A lively co-creation activity

The afternoon continued with a co-creation activity titled “Let your ideas bloom!”, where participants, divided into collaborative groups, brainstormed joint projects centered on digital literacy. This creative storm brought to light several priorities shared across the represented sectors:

• The need to clearly define what digital literacy is, and to formally integrate it into the school curriculum from primary school onwards.
• The importance of supporting those who support young people in their digital development, be they teachers, parents, community workers or educators.
• The urgent need to stimulate the discovery of STEM/STEAM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics, arts) subjects among young girls, by strengthening the role of teachers as facilitators of opportunities.
• The challenge of better supervising the use of digital technologies in family environments, with concrete resources like Alloprof and the involvement of various stakeholders
• The value of critical digital skills, such as interpersonal skills, know-how and the power to act, and the importance of developing a learner’s posture in the face of an ever-changing technological world.
• The desire to encourage concerted action between all sectors to develop structuring projects rooted in the realities of young people.
• A strong appeal to the shared responsibility of governments and businesses to reduce the inequalities created by the digital transition, notably through equitable access to equipment and services, including in remote areas.

This spring gathering reaffirmed how the roundtable serves as fertile ground for the emergence of concrete, ethical, and innovative digital literacy projects. Thanks to the commitment of the participating partners and the support of institutions like the MEIE, the collective effort continues to build a more inclusive and accessible digital future for Quebec’s youth.

Thank you to everyone who took part, for your energy, your insights, and your inspiring ideas!

👉Relive the event through the photo album👈

Would you like to contribute to or join the roundtable? Write to us at: [email protected] 

The Québec intersectoral and interregional roundtable is an initiative of Montreal Digital Spring, supported by the Secrétariat à la jeunesse du Québec and presented by Hydro-Québec, as part of the Jeunesse QC 2030 project.