Are first-semester and advanced university students ready for life and work in the digital world? Results of a standard setting method to describe ICT-related proficiency levels

Abstract

There is little empirical evidence available, to what proportions university students possess the necessary ICT (Information and Communication Technology)-related competencies (skills) with regard to their academic and professional development. We examine this question by analyzing secondary data of the German National Educational Panel Study (NEPS). We analyzed data from N = 1911 first-year students and N = 1991 advanced students in the sixth semester. The ICT literacy tests used in NEPS allow the definition of foundational levels that describe the minimum ICT literacy skills a student should have upon entering the first year of university and upon entering upper-division coursework. The results show that substantial proportions of first-year students (20%) as well as students in the sixth semester (52%) do not meet the foundational levels. Furthermore, for both groups of students there are considerable differences in their ICT-related competencies depending on areas of study and gender. The results are discussed with regard to ensuring foundational ICT-related competencies of university students as a core objective of higher education.