Exploring Digital Literacy of University Students and Variables Affecting Digital Literacy Levels

Abstract

Considered a pressing need for students in the 21st century, digital literacy is indispensable to navigate the digital world as much as the real world. This study aims to gain a comprehensive understanding of current Vietnamese university students’ digital literacy levels and to see if there is any difference between their digital literacy levels in terms of gender as well as regional settings among undergraduate students in Vietnamese universities. A mixed-methods approach included a questionnaire administered to 300 Vietnamese university students, semi-structured interview with 25 of them, was applied to collect the data. After analyzing the data, the findings indicated that Vietnamese students considered their digital competencies at good levels. In addition, there was a significant difference in digital transformation skills among undergraduate students in various parts of the country. In addition, the difference in genders did not result in distinct digital literacy levels. In light of the findings, some pedagogical implications are put forward with a view to improving university students’ digital ability and hence supporting the development of technology education in Vietnamese context.