Review Article

A Literature Review of Digital Literacy over Two Decades

Table 1

Authors, foci, and major findings of the included literature guiding this study.

AuthorsFociMajor findings

Karagul et al. (2021)Whether age, gender, and school degree significantly influence students’ digital literacyThere is a statistically significant relationship between students’ digital literacy and their gender and school degree, while age is not a statistically significant variable [13]
Krelova et al. (2021)The differences between students in terms of the study specialization and form and level of studyThe study program specialization, level, and form of study significantly influence digital literacy [18]
Monteiro and Leite (2021)The role of university students’ digital in enhancing personal and social skillsThere are no significant differences between students' digital competencies and their academic year and age [14]
Tran et al. (2020)The relationship between digital literacy and the student’s socioeconomic status, family background, gender, and school locationEconomic status and parents’ level of education are positively correlated with digital literacy; school location does not correlate with students’ digital literacy but with their gender [10]
Aesaert and van Braak (2015)The relationship between gender, socioeconomic status, and ICT competencesGirls outperform boys in technical ICT skills and ICT competencies. The educational level of the mother is positively related to students’ skills and competencies [19]
Kim et al. (2014)Individual- and school-level variables affecting the ICT literacy level of Korean elementary school studentsFemale students outperform male students at the ICT level [20]
Kaarakainen et al. (2018)Teachers’ and students’ ICT skillsThe performance in the ICT skill test is divided by gender and educational level [21]
Hatlevik and Christophersen (2013)The factors predicting students’ digital competenceLanguage integration and cultural capital, together with mastery orientation and academic aspirations did predict digital competence [22]
Umar and Jalil (2012)The level of ICT skills among secondary school students in MalaysiaThere is no difference between students’ levels of ICT skills and gender. There exist differences in terms of ICT skills between urban and rural school students [23]
Zhong (2011)The divide of self-reported digital skills among adolescentsThe ICT penetration rate of a country negatively correlates with adolescents’ digital skills. Private or public schools do not affect students’ digital skills. Self-reported digital skills are affected by home ICT access, adolescents’ socioeconomic status, and gender [24]
Purnama et al. (2021)The influence of digital literacy, parental mediation, and self-control on online risk during the COVID-19 pandemic in IndonesiaDigital literacy, parental mediation, and self-control influence online risk. Parental mediation failed in promoting students’ self-control [15]
Essel et al. (2021)The relationship between digital literacy, technology dependence, technostress, and academic achievement and academic productivityTechnology dependence and digital literacy contribute to technostress, and technostress negatively affects academic achievement and academic productivity [11]
Kara (2021)The learners’ characteristics on their engagement in online education during the COVID-19 pandemicSelf-directed learning and motivation mediate the relationship between digital literacy and engagement, while perceived stress moderates the relationship of digital literacy with self-directed learning, but not with motivation for learning [12]
Ana et al. (2020)Students’ perceptions toward e-learning usageE-learning positively affects students’ learning [25]
Sa et al. (2021)The digitalization processes in education for creating a sustainable digital societyDigital education has experienced a strong increase, reinforced by COVID-19, creating a digital presence in everyday life [26]
Cicha et al. (2021)The digital skills young people and students should achieveA set of skills that should be expected to be possessed by young people and students during their education are proposed [27]
Prior et al. (2016)The effects of students’ attitude, self-efficacy, and digital literacy on their online learning behaviorPositive student attitude and digital literacy upgrade students’ self-efficacy. Self-efficacy positively affects peer engagement and learning management systems [28]
Shu et al. (2011)The impact of computer self-efficacy and technology dependence on computer-related technostressBoth employees’ self-efficacy and technology dependence positively correlate with their computer-related technostress [29]
Wei and Chou (2020)Whether online learning perceptions and readiness influence students’ online learning performance and their course satisfactionStudents’ computer self-efficacy and motivation for learning exerted a direct, positive effect on their online discussion score and course satisfaction [30]
Kahu (2013)Student engagement framework in higher educationPresent a conceptual framework of student engagement in higher education [31]