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Assessment of students’ digital competences in primary school: a systematic review

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Abstract

Although there is a growing body of literature that recognizes the importance of being digitally competent today, there have been few empirical investigations into the assessment of primary school students’ digital competences. This study presents a systematic review of the empirical research on the assessment of primary school students’ digital competences. In total, 14 studies were selected and reviewed. The purpose of this review is twofold. First, the areas of digital competence that were measured by the assessment instruments were labeled according to the European Digital Competence Framework. Results showed that most studies evaluated digital competences as ‘information and data literacy’, ‘communication and collaboration’ and ‘creation of digital content’. Less attention is paid to the assessment of the competence areas ‘safely and responsible use’ and ‘problem solving’. Besides, the emphasis of most instruments is rather on the measurement of skills. Attention towards knowledge and attitudes, as important aspects of competences, remain underexposed. Second, an analysis of the provided evidence of the quality of assessment instruments for measuring primary school students’ digital competences is given, based on the Research Centre for Examination and Certification Framework. Results indicate different approaches to increase the quality of the assessment instruments, but there is generally poor reporting of the psychometric properties of the tests. Based on these results, suggestions for further research and practice are discussed.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Educational Studies, Ghent University, Campus Dunant, Henri Dunantlaan 2, 9000, Ghent, Belgium

    Eline Godaert & Johan van Braak

  2. Educational Effectiveness and Evaluation, KU Leuven, Dekenstraat 2, 3000, Leuven, Belgium

    Koen Aesaert

  3. Department of Educational Studies, University of Amsterdam, Nieuwe Achtergracht 127, 1001, Amsterdam, NG, Netherlands

    Joke Voogt

Authors
  1. Eline Godaert
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  2. Koen Aesaert
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  3. Joke Voogt
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  4. Johan van Braak
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Eline Godaert.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Appendices

Appendix 1

1.1 Search engine

TS = (“Digital competenc*” OR “ICT competenc*” OR “digital literacy” OR “ICT literacy” OR “Digital capacities” OR “ICT capacities” OR “digital knowledge” OR “digital skills” OR “digital attitudes” OR “ICT knowledge” OR “ICT skills” OR “ICT attitudes” OR “ICT fluency” OR “information and computer literacy” OR “technological competen*”).

#2 (TS = (“Assessment” OR “Measurement” OR “Instrument development” OR “Test development” OR “Assessing” OR “Measuring” OR “testing”).

#3 TS = (“Primary education” OR “Elementary education” OR “Primary school” OR “elementary school” OR “K-6” OR “students” OR “pupils” OR “1st-grade*” OR “first-grade*” OR “grade 1” OR “grade one” OR “2nd-grade*” OR “second-grade*” OR “grade 2” OR “grade two” OR “3rd-grade*” OR “third-grade*” OR “grade 3” OR “grade three” OR “4th-grade*” OR “fourth-grade*” OR “grade 4” OR “grade four” OR “5th-grade*” OR “fifth-grade*” OR.

“grade 5” OR “grade five” OR “6th-grade*” OR “sixth-grade*” OR “grade 6” OR “grade six”).

#3 AND #2 AND #1.

1.2 Web Of Science = 161

TITLE-ABS-KEY (= “Digital competenc*” OR “ICT competenc*” OR “digital literacy” OR “ICT literacy” OR “Digital capacities” OR “ICT capacities” OR “digital knowledge” OR “digital skills” OR “digital attitudes” OR “ICT knowledge” OR “ICT skills” OR “ICT attitudes” OR “ICT fluency” OR “information and computer literacy” OR “technological competenc*” AND “Assessment” OR “Measurement” OR “Instrument development” OR “Test development” OR “Assessing” OR “Measuring” OR “testing” AND “Primary education” OR “Elementary education” OR “Primary school” OR “elementary school” OR “K-6” OR “students” OR “pupils” OR “1st-grade*” OR “first-grade*” OR “grade 1” OR “grade one” OR “2nd-grade*” OR “second-grade*” OR “grade 2” OR “grade two” OR “3rd-grade*” OR “third-grade*” OR “grade 3” OR “grade three” OR “4th-grade*” OR “fourth-grade*” OR “grade 4” OR “grade four” OR “5th-grade*” OR “fifth-grade*” OR “grade 5” OR “grade five” OR “6th-grade*” OR “sixth-grade*” OR “grade 6” OR “grade six”) AND (LIMIT-TO (PUBYEAR, 2020) OR LIMIT-TO (PUBYEAR, 2019) OR LIMIT-TO (PUBYEAR, 2018) OR LIMIT-TO (PUBYEAR, 2017) OR LIMIT-TO (PUBYEAR, 2016) OR LIMIT-TO (PUBYEAR, 2015) OR LIMIT-TO (PUBYEAR, 2014) OR LIMIT-TO (PUBYEAR, 2013) OR LIMIT-TO (PUBYEAR, 2012)) AND (LIMIT-TO (DOCTYPE, “ar”)) AND (LIMIT-TO (LANGUAGE, “English”)).

1.3 Scopus = 222

(“assessment” OR “measurement”) AND (“digital competence” OR “ICT competence”) AND (“elementary school students” OR “primary school students”)

1.4 Google scholar = 619

Appendix 2

Data extraction form

˗ Name of the instrument

˗ Authors

˗ Publication date

˗ Country

˗ Year of data collection

˗ Sample size

˗ Grade

˗ Age

˗ Type test (1 = self-report; 2 = assessment based on traditional types of questions; 3 = performance based assessment)

˗ Definition of digital competence

˗ Explicit content

˗ Test matrix or test questions

˗ Measured competences according to DigComp 2.1. Framework

    ○ 1. Information and data literacy (1.1. Browsing, searching and filtering data, information and digital content; 1.2. Evaluating data, information and digital content; 1.3. Managing data, information and digital content)

    ○ 2. ommunication and collaboration (2.1. Interacting through digital technologies; 2.2. Sharing through digital technologies; 2.3. Engaging in citizenship through digital technologies; 2.4. Collaborating through digital technologies; 2.5. Netiquette; 2.6. Managing digital identity)

    ○ 3. Digital content creation (3.1. Developing digital content; 3.2. Integrating and re-elaborating digital content; 3.3. Copyright and licenses; 3.4. Programming)

    ○ 4. Safety (4.1. Protecting devices; 4.2. Protecting personal data and privacy; 4.3. Protecting health and well-being; 4.4. Protecting the environment)

    ○ 5. Problem Solving (5.1. Solving technical problems; 5.2. Identifying needs and technological responses; 5.3. Creatively using digital technologies; 5.4. Identifying digital competence gaps)

˗ Duration of the test

˗ Paper-pencil or computer-based assessment

˗ Scoring

˗ Aspect of competence

˗ Amount of items

˗ Criteria of assessment instruments based on RCEC-framework (see also guiding questions in Appendix C)

    ○ Purpose and use

    ○ Quality of the test and examination material

    ○ Representativeness

    ○ Reliability

    ○ Standard setting, norms and equating

    ○ Administration and security

Appendix 3

Table 4 Overview first two dimensions DigComp 2.1
Full size table

Appendix 4

Table 5 Guiding questions RCEC
Full size table

Appendix 5

Table 6 Summary of the studies included in the systematic review
Full size table

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Godaert, E., Aesaert, K., Voogt, J. et al. Assessment of students’ digital competences in primary school: a systematic review. Educ Inf Technol 27, 9953–10011 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-022-11020-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-022-11020-9

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