Digital Competence Analysis of University Students Using Latent Classes

Bibliographic Data

ID22045707
AuthorsCarmen Burgos Videla (0000-0003-2718-8579, University of Atacama, corresponding author), Wilson Andrés Castillo Rojas (0000-0001-8158-0585, University of Atacama), Eloy López-Meneses (0000-0003-0741-5367, Universidad Pablo de Olavide), Javiera Martínez (0000-0001-9338-4485, University of Atacama)
Year2021
Volume11
Issue8
Pages385
Publication date2021-07-27
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueEducation Sciences (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2227-7102 • E-ISSN: 2227-7102
PublisherMDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT)
DOI10.3390/educsci11080385
OpenAlexW3186354395
LanguageEN
Citations received6
References cited26

The objective of this study is to characterize Latent Classes emerging from the analysis of the level of digital competences, use and consumption of applications and/or services through the Internet. For this purpose, the results of the survey Basic Digital Competences (Competencias Básicas Digitales-COBADI®) applied to university students, with more than 60 categorical variables, were considered. A total of 4762 undergraduate and graduate students from five Spanish universities participated in this survey: Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), Pablo de Olavide University (UPO), Almeria University (UAL), National University of Distance Education (UNED) and Rey Juan Carlos University (URJC). The application of the questionnaire was done through the Internet, from the Institute for Research in Social Sciences and Education of University of Atacama—Chile. The methodology used is mixed, because the questions of the questionnaire provide qualitative information that can be interpreted and elaborated from the results. It is also quantitative because basic statistical techniques are used for the exploratory analysis of the data, and later Latent Class Analysis (LCA), to complement the description of the data set and the variables considered in the study, thus allowing us to group the classes of variables that do not appear explicitly in the set of observed variables, but which nevertheless affect them. The results of the study show that regardless of the gender and age range of the participants, there are four clearly differentiated groups or classes in the use and consumption of ICTs in different ways for their activities, both personal and academic, which allows for identifying different developments of digital competences. This study allows establishing a baseline in order to be able to elaborate later, in the development of the digital competences currently needed, which should be developed by university students

Categorical variable · Descriptive statistics · Higher education · Latent class model · Mathematics education · Statistics · The Internet · World Wide Web · Computer Science · Digital literacy in education · E-Learning and Knowledge Management · Educational Innovations and Technology · Mathematics · Psychology · Social Psychology

Tools

Open DOIOpen Access