Assessment of the digital competence in Russian adolescents and parents: Digital Competence Index

Abstract

In this paper, we developed a psychological model of digital competence including four components (knowledge, skills, motivation and responsibility) and four spheres (work with online content, communication, technical activity and consumption). The Digital Competence Index (DCI) is a 52-item instrument assessing an index and an entire profile of digital competence. In the Russian population study (1203 adolescents 12-17 years old and 1209 parents), acceptable reliability (.72-.90 for all of the scales, except motivation) of DCI was demonstrated. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the superiority of the four-component structure with the second-order index. Mean DCI was 34% of the maximally possible level in adolescents and 31% in parents, indicating the necessity for the educational programs in Russia. The motivation component was both the lowest and the least homogeneous factor, indicating that important special efforts to improve motivation to learn in Russian adolescents are needed.

European population studies of the online risks in adolescents clearly demonstrate (Livingstone & Haddon, 2009) that high level of Internet use in modern children does not indicate that they are skilled enough to feel safe online. In the Russian part of this study (Soldatova et al., 2013), it was shown that Russian children had more frequently online risks, but neither adolescents nor their parents were well- informed and well-skilled to cope with them (Soldatova & Zotova, 2012). Therefore, the problem of online children safety in Russia is more urgent compared with Western Europe, which has a long history of development and implementation of social psychological programs aimed to improve digital literacy and to regulate online risks. Many approaches are being actively developed in Russia currently to overcome the situation (Kuz'min & Parshakova, 2013; Media and informational literacy..., 2012), but they typically do not suggest reliable assessment strategies and are not based on empirical data. The aim of the study was to develop a psychological model of digital competence and an instrument for its assessment that would be feasible, reliable and valid for evaluating not only the efficacy of the social programs but also their impacts (Prochaska et al, 2008).

Digital literacy and digital competence

The term "digital literacy" gained popularity because of a book by Pol Gilster (1997), who defined it as the capability to critically understand and use information that is received by a computer in various formats and from various sources. This definition was confirmed by Allan Martin (Martin & Madigan, 2006) as the consciousness, attitudes and capability of a person to appropriately use digital instruments as well as instruments of identification, access, management, integration, appraisal, analysis and synthesis of the digital resources both for creating new systems of knowledge and communication with others.

Further extension of this definition as a digital competence (Ilomaki et al., 2011) is explained by two main factors. First, rapid increase in the Internet use and popularity in children and adolescents changes its role as a specific activity to the role of the "whole world", with the opportunities and activities that are as diverse as in the "offline" world. Under these conditions, analysis of the critical relationship to the information should include not only knowledge and skills but also motivation, values, and online activity type. Second, the list of social relationships and roles that could be maintained using the Internet became much wider than "user" and "programmer". In this context, some authors suggest analyzing the Internet as a place of special culture and "digital citizenship" (Mossberger et al., 2008), emphasizing the importance of understanding social relationships on the Internet. Based on these ideas, we considered digital competence as a part of social competence (Asmolov & Soldatova, 2006) that should be analyzed through understanding knowledge, skills, beliefs, motivation and behavior on the Internet.

Psychological model of digital competence

We define digital competence as a personal capability and readiness to make confident, effective, critical and safe choices and the implementation of the info- communication technologies in various domains (informational environment, communication, consumption and techno-sphere) that is based on continuous learning competencies (system of knowledge, skills, motivation and responsibility). In other words, digital competence is not only the amount of general user and professional knowledge and skills, which are presented in various models of ICT competence and information competence, but also the emphasis on the effective activity and personal relationship to this activity based on a sense of responsibility.

Consideration of responsibility as a component of digital competence requires an understanding of the rights and duties of the "digital" citizen, as well as rules of behavior in the digital world. Issues related to responsibility are also related to the problem of safety of modern information and communication technologies for children and adolescents. This safety includes not only the situation if adults provide technical safety to himself and his child but also situations if users contact special services meeting possible online risks, understand what is and what is not appropriate in the process of online communications (regardless of the degree of anonymity), and feel that people in the Internet should be as careful as in their offline life. Digital competence should include the knowledge and skills that enable adults and children to use the Internet safely and critically. Effective use of all of the opportunities of ICT for learning and self-education is possible only in conjunction with the intention to minimize the risks that new technologies may have.

Globalism and inclusivity as key features of the Internet do not only determine its spread into various spheres of human life but also contribute to how digital competence is displayed in various areas and activities. We distinguish four spheres of human activity, in which tremendous opportunities and risks of the Internet are fully demonstrated (see Table 1). They are the information (content) sphere (creation, search, selection, critical evaluation of the content), sphere of communication (creation, development, maintenance of relationships, identity, reputation, and the processes of self-presentation), sphere of consumption (use of the Internet for consumer purposes - orders, services, shopping, etc.) and techno-sphere (computer and software-related skills including skills that are necessary to provide technical safety). Accordingly, there are four types of digital competence:

1. Information and media competence - knowledge, skills, motivation and responsibility associated with search, understanding, organizing, archiving of digital information and its critical evaluation, as well as with the creation of materials based on digital technologies (texts, images, audio and video);

2. Communicative competence - knowledge, skills, motivation and responsibility required for online communication in various forms (email, chats, blogs, forums, social networks, etc.) with various purposes;

3. Technical competence - knowledge, skills, motivation and responsibility allowing use of a computer and appropriate software effectively and safely for solving various problems, including the use of computer networks;

4. Consumption competence - knowledge, skills, motivation and responsibility to solve (through computer and the Internet) a variety of routine tasks associated with specific life situations that involve various needs' satisfaction.

The phenomenon of digital competence and its competencies and components are associated with motivation and responsibility. The motivational component involves the formation of a meaningful intention to develop and achieve digital competence as a basis of an adequate digital activity that is complementary to other human activity in modern times. The responsibility component includes, in addition to motivation, the competencies to provide security online: skills of security provision if using the Internet (1) as a source of information, (2) in online communications, (3) in solving various problems associated with the consumption, and (4) ensuring technical safety for all of these actions (Table 1).

Table 1. Digital Competence Index: spheres and components

[Table omitted, see PDF.]

Discussion

The Digital Competence Index is a screening instrument that can be used to assess general online competence as well as its profile in adolescents and adults. Except for the motivation scale, all of the scales were found to be reliable. We hypothesize that the low consistency of the motivation scale is due to the poor development and implementation of the goals to learn on the Internet, which is typical in the contemporary Russian context. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the four-component factor structure with the second-order index both in the adolescents and adults. Theoretically, the major advantage of DCI is that it explicitly considers motivation and responsibility (that are central for the digital "citizenship", e.g., Mossberger et al, 2008) and it builds a profile of competence in various spheres and domains.

Further research should concentrate on three points. First, construct validity (e.g., comparing to the tasks of online activity) and responsiveness to changes in DCI should be further explored. Second, the components of motivation and responsibility should be studied and elaborated. In the DCI, the responsibility scale describes mainly online safety skills, whereas the motivation scale appraises readiness to learn general skills and knowledge about the Internet. However, both personal motivation and responsibility for the online activity include problems in the personal relationship to the Internet, emotions experienced with the Internet, coping skills, etc. Third, the low level of the digital competence in Russia (especially motivational component) indicates the necessity of educational programs aimed to improve not only knowledge and skills online but also to develop self-regulation in the choice and implementation of the goals on the Internet (motivational component) as well as personal responsible relationship to online events (responsibility component).

Acknowledgments

The study was supported by the Russian Foundation for Humanities, project 14- 06-00646a.

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Notes

[1] http://www.gdlcouncil.org/indextitml

[2] http://www.cepis.org

[3] http://www.microsoft.com/about/corporatecitizenship/citizenship/giving/programs/up/digitalhteracy/default.mspx

[4] http://www.netliteracy.org/ digital-literacy

[5] http://www.microsoft.com/security/resources/mcsi.aspx