Cross-national research:Measuring digital literacy and

tangible outcomes

Ellen Helsper

@Ellenhel

e.j.helsper@lse.ac.uk

Idea

MICRO (Individual)

MACRO (Culture & Society)

Six steps from development to implementation to evaluation

1) Identify the main social challenges and desired outcomes;2) Identify socially excluded target groups;3) Identify how digital exclusion inhibits achievement of the

desired outcomes for these target groups;4) Identify organisations for interventions;5) Provide resources;6) Evaluate whether increased digital engagement has led to

improved well-being (i.e. SROI).

Recommendations for EU Digital Inclusion Policies http://ec.europa.eu/social/BlobServlet?docId=12437&langId=enReview of EU Digital Inclusion Policies http://ec.europa.eu/social/BlobServlet?docId=11614&langId=en

Outcomes

Uses

Skills

What can you do?

What do you do?

What did you get out of it?

Skills: How to ask

1) Not at all true of me

2) Not very true of me

3) Neither true nor untrue of me

4) Mostly true of me

5) Very true of me

Van Deursen, A.J.A.M., Helsper, E.J. & Eynon, R. (2014). Measuring Digital Skills. From Digital Skills to Tangible Outcomes project report. Available at: www.oii.ox.ac.uk/research/projects/?id=112

Operational

I know how to adjust privacy

settings

I know how to upload files

I know how to connect to a WIFI

network

I know how to bookmark a

website

I know how to use shortcut keys

I know how to open a new tab in my browser

I know where to click to go to a

different webpage

I know how to complete online

forms

I know how to open

downloaded files

I know how to download/save a

photo I found online

Information Navigation

All the different website layouts make

working with the Internet difficult for me

I find the way in which many websites are

designed confusing

I find it hard to find a website I visited

before

I find it hard to decide what the best keywords are to use for online searches

Sometimes I end up on websites without knowing how I got

there

I get tired when looking for

information online

I should take a course on finding

information online

Sometimes I find it hard to verify

information I have retrieved

SocialI know how to change who I

share content withI feel comfortable deciding

who to follow online

I know when I should and shouldn’t share information

online

I know which information I should and shouldn’t share

online

I know how to remove friends from my contact lists

I am careful to make my comments and behaviours

appropriate to the situation I find myself in online

CreativeI would feel

confident writing and commenting

online

I am confident about writing a comment on

a blog, website or forum

I know which apps/software are safe to download

I know how to design a website

I know how to make basic changes to the content that others

have produced

I know how to create something new from existing

online images, music or video

I know which different types of licences apply to online content

I would feel confident putting video content I have created online

Mobile

I know how to install apps on a mobile device

I know how to download apps to my mobile

device

I know how to keep track of the costs of

mobile app use

4.65

3.53

4.42

3.41

4.22

4.37

3.59

4.30

2.82

3.74

4.77

3.62

4.57

3.72

4.71

4.57

3.60

4.40

3.27

4.20

4.53

3.59

4.39

3.06

3.98

4.24

3.45

4.14

2.58

3.19

Operational*

InformationNavigation

Social*

Creative*

Mobile*

Male

Female

16-30 yrs

31-45 yrs

46-60 yrs

61+ yrs

4.73

3.59

4.53

3.42

4.47

4.40

3.63

4.29

2.82

3.86

4.52

3.45

4.28

3.27

3.80

4.87

3.78

4.66

3.80

4.79

4.25

3.46

4.11

2.58

3.17

4.43

3.57

4.37

3.15

3.68

4.13

3.43

4.17

2.78

3.54

Operational*

InformationNavigation

Social*

Creative*

Mobile*

Occupation

Caretaker

Unable to work

Retired

Student

Unemployed

Employed - PT

Employed - FT

4.20

3.34

4.17

2.77

3.57

4.58

3.55

4.38

3.20

4.10

4.79

3.85

4.56

3.37

4.26

1 2 3 4 5

Operational*

InformationNavigation

Social*

Creative*

Mobile*

Education

Tertiary

Secondary

Primary

ProblemsNL UK

M C S I O O C I O S N M

I know how to use a wide range of strategies when searching for information

I feel confident in my evaluation of whether a website can be trusted

I know how to turn my mobile phone off

I know how to make pop-ups disappear

If a technical problem occurs while I am using the Internet, I usually know how to fix

the problem

I know how to go to the previous page when browsing the Internet

I know how to use the refresh function

I know how to download files

I know some good ways to avoid computer viruses

I know how to use emoticons (e.g. smileys, emojis or text speak)

I generally compare different websites to decide if information is true

I carefully consider the information I find online

I know how to open a Web address directly without using a search engine like

Google

I tend to have no problems finding my way around a website

I am confident selecting search results

I normally look at more than the top three search results

It is easy for me to find information

Skills Use Outcomes

Tangible outcomes

Economic outcomesIncome: saved / made > products and earnings Education: grades/degreesEmployment: productive/promotion/jobProperty: bought/quality

Cultural outcomesBelonging: Stronger sense of pride to belong to Gender, Ethnicity, Generation, Religion groupsIdentity: Stronger sense of Gender, Ethnic, Generational or Religious identity

Social outcomesBonding: Personal networks Bridging: Organised/civic networks/political networks

Personal outcomesPsychological health: confidence/well being (happiness)Physical health: Fitness/HealthPersonality: Preferences/Attitudes

Outcomes: How to ask?

QuantityThinking about your online activities in the past year: how much do you agree or disagree with the following statements?

e.g. I am fitter as a result of the online information, advice or programs /apps I have used.

e.g. I got a certificate that I could not have gotten without the Internet.

QualityThinking about your online activities in the last year, how satisfied were you with the following things?

e.g. The last online government service you accessed?

e.g. Your last contribution to an online discussion?

Going global

• Australia (Sharon Dane)

• Austin Texas (Joseph Straubhaar)

• LA & Chicago (Karen Mossberger)

• Europe (IPTS & EU Kids)

• Wales (Wisekids)