Just Accepted Manuscripts
Articles

FACTORS INFLUENCING ITALIAN STUDENTS' DIGITAL LITERACY: A MULTI-LEVEL ANALYSIS OF ICILS RESULTS

PDF
  • Luca Bungaro,
  • Mariagiulia Matteucci,
  • Stefania Mignani
Luca Bungaro
Invalsi, Istituto Nazionale per la Valutazione del Sistema Educativo di Istruzione e di Formazione, Italy
Mariagiulia Matteucci
Department of Statistical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
Stefania Mignani
Department of Statistical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/ijas-17844

Published 2026-10-21

Keywords

  • Digital literacy,
  • Competence assessment,
  • Rasch model,
  • Hierarchical data,
  • Multilevel regression model

How to Cite

Bungaro, L., Matteucci, M., & Mignani, S. (2026). FACTORS INFLUENCING ITALIAN STUDENTS’ DIGITAL LITERACY: A MULTI-LEVEL ANALYSIS OF ICILS RESULTS. Italian Journal of Applied Statistics. https://doi.org/10.36253/ijas-17844

Copyright (c) 2024 Luca Bungaro, Mariagiulia Matteucci, Stefania Mignani

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Abstract

The information and communication technologies (ICTs) has brought into sharp focus the necessity for digital literacy, which is essential for social inclusion and personal development. Notwithstanding its significance, there is considerable variation in digital literacy levels across Europe, with Italy exhibiting a notable deficit, with only 50% of its population aged 16-74 possessing basic digital skills. This paper analyses data from the 2018 International Computer and Information Literacy Study (ICILS) to examine the digital competences of young Italian students. This study examines the influence of individual, school, and territorial factors on the digital competencies of students at grade 8. The research addresses three key questions: firstly, how individual characteristics affect digital competences; secondly, the influence of usage habits and school environments; and thirdly, the existence of regional and school-based inequalities. Due to hierarchical data structure through a multilevel regression analysis, the study provides insights into the pre-pandemic digital literacy situation in Italy, identifying critical issues and suggesting the need for targeted educational policies. These results can also be used to compare the outcomes of surveys conducted after the pandemic.

PDF