Which is the Digital Competence of Each Member of Educational Community to Use the Computer? Which Predictors Have a Greater Infuence?

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of digital resources and virtual platforms is even more essential to continue the educational process, either in person or online, affecting all the members involved in the teaching–learning process of the students. Therefore, this study is aimed: (1) to know and compare the digital competence of the agents that are the main integrators of the educational community (parents, teachers, students) about the use of the computers, according to gender and educational stage (Pre-school, Primary and Secondary Education stages); and (2) to identify significant predictors that affect the acquisition of this competence. An ex-post-facto design was used with a sample of 786 participants from Andalusia (Spain). Research methods such as contrasts of means and multiple linear regression analysis were used. The results showed high average levels of basic digital competences for all the agents involved. A gender gap was found between mothers and fathers of students, with higher scores for the latter group. In addition, the use of videogames, the parents' academic background and the use of digital tablets or Google+ are the most significant predictors that affect the acquisition of this competence.Funding for open access charge: Universidad de Málaga / CBUA

Percepciones del alumnado universitario sobre el uso de tecnologías en actividades educativas y esfuerzo mental invertido

Las diferentes generaciones (nativos digitales, estudiantes residentes, generación Y, X o Z) muestran una preferencia hacia las tecnologías y el mundo digital. Este estudio “ex post-facto” se presenta bajo el objetivo de conocer las preferencias que estudiantes universitarios tienen respecto a o la utilización de diferentes recursos para diversas actividades educativas, así como la inversión de esfuerzo mental y percepción de facilidad que tienen para aprender respecto a diferentes medios y recursos tecnológicos. El muestreo empleado es no probabilístico, convencional e intencional. En én participan 2.148 estudiantes universitarios de diferentes ramas científicas de doce universidades públicas españolas. Para ello, se diseña un instrumento “ad hoc” cuyos datos arrojan altos índices de fiabilidad y vigencia. Los resultados apuntan que los estudiantes tienden a tener percepciones distintas respecto a los diversos medios y recursos presentados, en lo que se refiere al nivel de esfuerzo mental, así como la facilidad para aprender mediante ellos. En ese sentido, se discute la casuística de los resultados y comparar con la teoría del esfuerzo mental propuesta por Salomón(1981). Los hallazgo pueden ser explicados por el resultado de la interacción de tres elementos: los sistemas simbólicos movilizados para elaborar mensajes, el mensaje y la tecnología que los empaqueta, formaliza y transmite. De la misma forma, se concluye debatiendo la la aplicabilidad de los resultados para la mejora de la competencia digital del alumnadoDifferent generations (digital natives, resident students, generation Y, X, or Z) show a preference towards technologies and the digital world. This "ex-post-facto" study is presented to learn the preferences that university students have regarding the use of different resources for various educational activities, as well as the investment of mental effort and perceived ease of learning concerning different means and technological resources. The sampling used is non-probabilistic, conventional, and intentional. 2,148 university students from different scientific fields of twelve Spanish public universities participate in it. To do this, an "ad hoc" instrument is designed whose data show high reliability and validity indices. The results indicate that students tend to have different perceptions regarding the various means and resources presented, in terms of the level of mental effort needed, along with the degree of easiness to learn through them. In this sense, the casuistry of the results is discussed and compared with the theory of mental effort proposed by Salomon (1981). The findings can be explained by the result of the interaction of three elements: the symbolic systems mobilized to elaborate messages, the message, and the technology that packages, formalizes, and transmits them. In the same way, it concludes by discussing the applicability of the results for the improvement of the digital competence of the student

Development and Validation of a Digital Literacy Scale for Teenagers

[EN]Research related to digital literacy has grown exponentially in recent years. Its importance is that some scholars suggest that digital skills are a prevention tool against the risks of digital technologies. These risks are especially important because of their psychological consequences on adolescents. Thus, digital literacy could be a health prevention tool. The purpose of this research was to develop and validate a scale to assess digital literacy on teenagers. A self-report questionnaire with 47 items measured in a 5-point Likert scale was developed. After a pilot study, the questionnaire was administered to a sample composed by 715 secondary school students from 13 schools in Spain, aged between 12 and 20 years. Exploratory factor analysis revealed the existence of six factors: technological skill, personal security skill, critical skill, devices security skill, informational skill and communication skill. The scale demonstrated support for internal consistency reliability in most of the factors, with Cronbach’s Alpha levels ranging from .63 to .75, and validity. Further research is needed to confirm the factor structure

Fighting Fake News

The book focuses on how different generations perceive fake news, including young and middle-age groups of people, multiple age groups, university students and adults in general, elementary students, children, and adolescents. It provides insights into the different methodologies available with which to research fake news from a generational perspective