Microsoft (MS), Intel and Cisco have come together to call for the establishment of valid, official standards for measuring digital literacy.

Such standards already exist for various academic disciplines including mathematics and the sciences but do not exist, yet, for many of the skills needed to survive and thrive in the digital era.

The joint effort by the aforementioned corporate giants is not designed to establish conclusive digital literacy standards directly but to bring together educators and academics and support their work.

Professor Barry McGaw, Director of the Melbourne Education Research Institute at the University of Melbourne, has been recruited to head the effort.

Just when the proposed new standards will be implemented remains to be seen. However, the corporate players behind the effort, who stand to gain collaterally from a better educated workforce with measurable skills, want standards in place as soon as possible.