Assessing the dimensionality and educational impacts of integrated ICT literacy in the higher education context

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is threefold: first, to introduce a conceptual model for assessing undergraduate students' integrated information and communication technology (ICT) literacy capacity that involves 12 items generated from the modified version of the Australasian Survey of Student Engagement (AUSSE) questionnaire (Coates, 2010); second, to illustrate the construct validity and internal consistency of the model as implemented in a sample of undergraduate students (n = 536) enrolled in two colleges within a large Ethiopian university; and third, to further demonstrate the criterion validity of the model by examining predictive validity of the identified ICT literacy factors on student learning outcomes. A multi-method approach is used, which comprises correlation analysis, multiple regression analysis and structural equation modelling (SEM) techniques. The main finding is the support found for the 4-factor model consisting of ICT use, cognitive process, reading task and writing task. Results of the multi-method approach provide specific guidelines to higher education (HE) institutions using this approach to evaluate ICT literacy capacity and the resultant learning outcomes among their undergraduate students. The paper provides a conceptual model and supporting tools that can be used by other HE institutions to assist in the evaluation of students' ICT literacy capacities.

Disengagement, engagement and digital skills in technology-enhanced learning

“…Katz and Macklin (2007) claim there is no relationship between digital skills and academic performance, and others (e.g. Tadesse et al 2018) have pointed out that digital skills are related to school outcomes, and proposed that approaches to digital skills must survey cognitive factors related to students, since "measuring one without the other may ignore significant interactions between the two, potentially distorting the results" (ibid. p. 98).…”

“…Previous research has shown inconsistent results regarding whether digital skills are related to academic achievement or not (e.g. Tadesse et al 2018). Tadesse et al (2018) argued that digital skills should not be approached in a vacuum, but be considered in conjunction with students' cognition and interactions, since ignoring these aspects might distort the results (ibid.).…”

“…Tadesse et al 2018). Tadesse et al (2018) argued that digital skills should not be approached in a vacuum, but be considered in conjunction with students' cognition and interactions, since ignoring these aspects might distort the results (ibid.). We agree with Tadesse et al (2018), and develop this further.…”

“…Tadesse et al (2018) argued that digital skills should not be approached in a vacuum, but be considered in conjunction with students' cognition and interactions, since ignoring these aspects might distort the results (ibid.). We agree with Tadesse et al (2018), and develop this further. Our findings show that the context in which digital skills are approached (in this case, we included behavioural, emotional, cognitive and social aspects of both student engagement and disengagement) is vital for a nuanced understanding, as our results demonstrate.…”

Measuring ICT literacy among grade 5-11 students

“…Switching from the old medium of assessment to the new one -that is conversion from paper-based testing to computer-based data collection -is in progress in a number of ability and skills areas. Regarding the educational setting, besides students' -both in secondary and higher educational settings -, teachers' ICT or digital literacy and competence have been assessed using computerised data collection methods and even recent research with ICT literacy in its focus might still stick to digital versions of self-reported questionnaires (Al Khateeb, 2017;Tadesse, Campbell, & Gillies, 2018).…”