Digital Natives Still Need Intentional Digital Skills in the 4IR: Comparing the General and ICT Self-Efficacy of South African Youth

In as much as youth unemployment is a global challenge, and with the increasing embeddedness of digital technologies in most forms of work, it is often assumed that the youth are digital natives who are naturally attuned to accomplishing tasks using Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). This paper therefore sought to compare the general self-efficacy (confidence to accomplish general tasks) to ICT self-efficacy (confidence to accomplish tasks using ICT) of the youth in South Africa. The study adapted the validated general self-efficacy (GSE) scale to develop the ICT self-efficacy (ISE) scale. Confirmatory Factor Analysis reliably validated the developed ISE scale. The ANOVA results from 1,948 youths show that overall, the youth of South Africa have a higher general self-efficacy compared to their ICT self-efficacy. Specifically, the youth in township areas have the lowest ISE and GSE. The findings suggest that although the youth are regarded as digital natives, their confidence in using ICT to accomplish tasks remains lower than their non-ICT competencies to accomplish tasks. The study points to intentional digital and non-digital skills efforts for the youth similar to other age groups rather than making the assumption that they will naturally use ICT. Further studies on factors such as demographic and social influences that might influence GSE and ISE among the youth in Africa, are recommended

Report by the Knowledge for Innovation Unit of the National Electronic Media Institute of South Africa, hosted at the University of South Africa

This environmental scan research report represents the beginning of a research journey that seeks to identify the changing nature of digital skills in South Africa as a result of technological advancements, more popularly known as the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR). The 4IR represents the current era of an inter connectedness of things biological, physical and non-physical as a result of the rapid advancements in technological innovations. The innovations have resulted in new types of specialised skills required for new types of work while at the same time causing some previously routine skills to become obsolete. A dual method approach, starting with a qualitative method and followed by a quantitative method, was adopted to examine the status of digital skills, and the usage of digital technologies in the workplace in South Africa. The findings provide the baseline evidence to support informed and effective strategies for digitalisation and participation in the 4IR among Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), organisations and government in South Africa

Report by the Knowledge for Innovation Unit of the National Electronic Media Institute of South Africa, hosted at the University of South Africa

The environmental scan on digital skills in South Africa at the citizen level is a South African innovation in an emerging field aimed at understanding the state of digital skills in South Africa. The results from the study are designed to inform evidence-based decision-making on digital skills in South Africa, that is, how digital technologies, now integrated into daily living and increasingly integral to economic activity under the 4IR, can be productively and meaningfully used by individuals, organisations and communities