A Study on Pathways and Strategies for Improving Digital Literacy among Elderly Mongolians

Abstract

Against the backdrop of rapid development of digital technology, digitalization has profoundly changed the way society operates and residents live. However, with the deepening of population aging, the "digital divide" faced by the elderly in integrating into the digital society is becoming increasingly prominent, especially among the elderly in ethnic minority areas. The overall digital literacy level of Mongolian elderly is relatively low due to multiple factors such as age characteristics, education level, language and culture, and regional development conditions, which restricts their ability to equally enjoy digital public services and participate in social life. This paper, based on defining the concepts of digital literacy, the digital divide among the elderly, and Mongolian elderly, systematically analyzes the main problems existing in the process of improving digital literacy among Mongolian elderly, including insufficient digital awareness, weak digital skills, lack of learning support resources, language and cultural barriers, insufficient digital security awareness, and limited family and social support. To address these problems, this paper proposes corresponding paths and countermeasures from the aspects of optimizing an age-friendly and ethnically-oriented digital environment, constructing a tiered and categorized digital literacy training system, strengthening community platform support, leveraging the role of families and intergenerational mutual assistance, strengthening digital security education, and improving policy support and collaborative governance mechanisms. The study suggests that multi-stakeholder collaboration and systematic advancement can help improve the digital literacy of Mongolian elderly, promote their better integration into the digital society, and achieve the goal of active aging.