engleski

How to Measure Digital Literacy? A Case of Croatian Adult Learners

Aim: The aim of this study is to present the rationale, the instrument and the main findings of the assessment of digital literacy of adult learners in Croatia, as a part of the project Implementation of EU Agenda for Adult Learning 2017-2019, by Ministry of Science and Education. The concept of digital literacy is at the heart of EU development policies and encompasses skills, competences and dispositions for using wide range of technologies, from personal computers to smartphones, vending machines and ATMs. The digital technologies are also being used for different purposes (work, leisure, communication, health, news etc.) and differently by social groups (by age, gender socioeconomic status etc.). Thus, testing the digital literacy in the population is of great importance given the pervasiveness of digital technologies and the inadequacy of self- reported measures of digital literacy. Design/Methodology: An original test was developed, testing the usage of Windows, Word, Excel, Power Point, internet browser and Google Maps. The test was implemented through the LimeSurvey software with the additional files available on the participant’s computer desktop. The questions were devised in a way that a participant had to solve a specific problem using the specific software, thus including the cognitive component of digital literacy. The difficulty level of the questions is approximately of those of the levels “Below Level 1” and “Level 1” of PSTRE PIAAC research. Additionally, the participants answered the question about their socio-economic status, the frequency of the technology usage, and their self-perception of digital skills. The test was administered to 92 attendees of the specialization and qualification programs in seven adult learning facilities throughout Croatia (Knin, Karlovac, Zagreb, Split, Čakovec, Koprivnica and Virovitica). Findings: The results indicate relatively low levels of digital literacy of the tested sample and the different patterns of technology usage by different socio-economic groups. Also, the questionnaire’s metric characteristics show that it can be successfully used for testing digital literacy outside the laboratory setting.Conclusion: The low levels of digital literacy among the adult attendees of the specialization and qualification programs implicate the need to include the digital literacy curriculum in their learning programs, according to individual needs and experiences. Also, this research is one of the very few that did not assess only the self-perceptions of the skills, or tested the skills in the research facility setting, but rather in the learning facilities of adult education. Since the questionnaire performed well under these circumstances, it can be modified to be implemented in multiple environments.

digital competence test ; digital skills ; adult education ; Croatia

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