Competencias digitales en estudiantes universitarios de la Facultad de Ciencias Económicas de la Universidad Nacional de La Plata

Abstract

We live in a world surrounded by a large number of electronic devices, used both for simple and everyday tasks as well as for other highly complex ones. Organizations have incorporated all kinds of advances regarding digitization to improve their processes, their communication, manufacturing, knowledge of their customers or users, their information systems. The concept of digital competences (DC) and other related terms have gained importance and numerous articles approaching them from different perspectives have appeared. The fact is Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) have changed the way in which one learns - and is taught -, the way of communicating, playing, making friends, carrying out procedures in a bank, buying and selling objects of the most varied nature, etc. It is evident that it is necessary to develop certain skills that allow us to interact with this new reality. In this framework, the present thesis work has the general objective of deepening the knowledge of the digital competences of the students of the Faculty of Economic Sciences (FCE) of the National University of La Plata (UNLP). The specific objectives are: 1. Analyze the level of informational, technological, multimedia and communication literacy of the students of the FCE - UNLP. 2. Compare the digital skills of the first-year students with those of the advanced students of the FCE - UNLP. 3. Identify the existence of a gender gap in the self-perception of digital skills among students of the FCE - UNLP. 4. Inquire about the attitudes and expectations that FCE - UNLP students have about ICT. A descriptive study has been carried out, in the first place, and explanatory later, since certain variables have been related to find more in-depth information on the analyzed sample. The research was carried out adopting a quantitative approach using a structured questionnaire called INCOTIC 2.0 as a survey instrument, which was developed by the ARGET (Applied Research Group in Education and Technology) of the Rovira i Virgili University. The general CD index of the population studied shows a medium level of development, showing a great heterogeneity in the responses. Multimedia literacy should be highlighted because it had the highest rate, which means that students perceive that they are more competent to receive, interpret and send multimedia messages. A medium-high index was also obtained in Technological literacy. If we focus on Information Literacy, we also observe a medium rate, students recognize that they need information when they are assigned a task, but not all of them know how to look for it. Communicative Literacy shows some disparate results, but it is the dimension that shows the most shortcomings. Students show a high level of expectations and positive attitudes towards ICTs, mainly driven by the ease and enjoyment they perceive when using them. Digital technology helps them learn more autonomously and contributes to better communication with teachers and peers. The university path seems to favor the development of certain skills, mainly the Technological one, but it is not clear if it is due to what has been done within the duration of the subjects’ courses. Finally, although there are no large gender gaps, some interesting differences were found, as well as greater insecurities in some aspects on the part of women, an issue that should be analyzed and addressed at an early age to prevent them from appearing or at least try to reduce them.