About this project
Despite increased access to technology in schools and homes, ICILS data show a persistent paradox: digital competence achievement has remained stable, and significant inequalities related to socioeconomic status, gender, and immigrant background endure. This study, led by researchers at addresses this gap by developing an analytical framework rooted in digital divide theory and the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM).
The project is structured around two complementary analytical strands using data from ICILS 2013, 2018, and 2023.
Strand 1: Digital Engagement and Learning Outcomes
This strand investigates the mechanisms that link students’ digital practices to achievement in Computer and Information Literacy (CIL) and Computational Thinking (CT).
- Objective: To determine which specific patterns of digital use—both formal (school-based) and informal (out-of-school)—are associated with CIL and CT outcomes.
- Methodology: Advanced two-level Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and two-stage meta-analytic SEM will be employed to simultaneously examine individual student characteristics, school-level context (e.g., infrastructure, teacher support), and cross-country variation.
Strand 2: Bridging or Widening Gaps? Equity in the Digital Age
This strand assesses the role of digital engagement in either reducing or exacerbating existing educational inequalities.
- Objective 1 (Trends): To track the evolution of achievement disparities in CIL based on socioeconomic status (SES), gender, and immigrant background across the three ICILS cycles (2013, 2018, 2023).
- Objective 2 (Moderation): To assess whether students' formal and informal ICT use acts as a bridging mechanism (narrowing gaps) or a widening mechanism (reinforcing gaps) in CIL and CT achievement in ICILS 2023.
- Methodology: Pooled regression models will be used for trend analysis, followed by single-level regression models employing interaction terms to test moderation effects of ICT use on equity gaps.
Project Team
- Evi Konstantinidou (Project Lead), University of Cyprus
- Ronny Scherer, University of Oslo
- Michalis Michaelides, University of Cyprus
This project is funded by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA), 2026-2027.