Eighth graders lack “digital literacy” – despite all the screen time

Published 12 November 2024 at 16.44

Domestic. A large proportion of Swedish students in grade 8 lack basic skills in evaluating information online, shows an international study.

Share the article

TwittraShare

Study, ICILS , has been carried out in a total of 34 countries and it is the first time Sweden is participating. Students in Sweden perform at the same level as the average for the participating EU/OECD countries.

– Although Swedish students use digital tools to a large extent, both at school and in their free time, ICILS shows that they do not automatically get well-developed digital skills. It is not unique to Sweden, but of great importance to society. It's about skills that are a prerequisite for being able to participate in school, working life and as an active citizen, says Anna Castberg, head of department at the Swedish National Agency for Education, in a statement.

The majority of students in Sweden perform at or above a basic level, according to the scale used in the study. At the same time, as in the other participating countries, there are many students who are considered to have low “digital competence”. Four out of ten students lack the ability to value the credibility, relevance and usefulness of the information. In addition, these students are less independent when using computers and software, and need clear instructions.

For problem solving using programming, one third of students do not reach a level where without step-by-step instructions and clear visual support can solve tasks. At the same time, around a tenth of the students in Sweden perform at the very highest level, which is also the case in the rest of the Nordic countries.

– It is worrying that a large proportion of students, and this also applies in other countries, lack sufficient knowledge in, for example, source awareness and responsible use of digital tools. It is important that the students gain knowledge in using the tools in an effective way at school, says Anna Castberg.