From Page to Practice: Literacy as a Graduate Skillset

What is literacy, and what does it truly mean to be literate?

These are big questions – ones that invite us to think beyond simple definitions.

But they can be our starting point.

UNESCO defines literacy as “a means of identification, understanding, interpretation, creation, and communication” that goes beyond the “conventional concept” of literacy as “a set of reading, writing and counting skills.”

In other words, literacy extends beyond basic reading and writing to include a variety of comprehensive skills and forms of communication that aid in lifelong learning.

Literacy helps provide access to education. It opens doors to career opportunities and social and professional fields. It can help foster empathy and active listening among participants in rhetorical spaces, as well as enable effective use of technology in an ever-expanding world.

But what does this mean for graduate students?

From a practical perspective, literacy can provide graduate students with vital transferable skills that help them make the most out of their degree.

Active Listening:

While graduate school emphasizes developing your academic and professional voice through writing, research, and presentations, it also requires the often over-looked skill of active listening.

Active listening can be defined as the process of actively listening and giving your undivided attention to a speaker. It requires full engagement and often consists of asking follow-up questions or summarizing the premise of the speaker’s statement in order to demonstrate understanding.

For graduate students, this consists of being respectful to peers, professors, and other colleagues. Active listening helps build trusts and strengthens relationships.

In this way, it can also foster teamwork, allowing a student to work together with others to achieve a common goal and potentially avoid conflict.

Critical Thinking/Problem Solving:

Critical thinking is the, if not, one, of the most emphasized skills for graduate learners. It is also a vital skill for lifelong learning and “future proofed” education in the 21st century (Golden, 2023).

As a grad student, you are tasked with analyzing and challenging not only the work of others, but also your own.

Critical thinking goes beyond finding answers or solving problems – it requires recognizing and employing the most effective methods to achieve a desired result.

It is a highly sought after skill in the workplace.

Adaptability: 

Career adaptability and academic engagement are vital components of student success.

Adaptability, in particular, is important to the “degree of confidence with which students face and solve the tasks associated with academic experiences and the transition to the labor market” (Oliveira & Marques 2024).

As a student and professional, you will face challenges, and navigate new environments. It is about how you respond to those challenges that impacts your future.

 

In conclusion, literacy equips graduate learners with fundamental skill sets that supplement education and allow them to more deeply engage in life long learning, ultimately preparing them to be valuable, effective leaders in the workplace.

Works Cited