The topic of digital literacy has become a fixture in discussions on vital skills for participating successfully and safely in society. Technology having a central role in modern life is set in stone.
What is not quite as set, however, is the form that technology takes. The way we use digital tools, and the consequences technology has for us, is always developing. As the only international large-scale assessment that focuses solely on digital literacy education, ICILS needs to continuously develop too. With each new cycle, the themes and outcomes of previous cycles are carefully reviewed.
The next cycle of ICILS, ICILS 2028, is currently at a stage where education systems are still enrolling to participate, and researchers have been preparing revisions to the assessments. What updates can we expect from ICILS 2028 to reflect a rapidly changing technological landscape?
Two major new focuses of ICILS 2028 will be AI skills and technology, and digital wellbeing.
AI literacy will be integrated into assessments for both computer and information literacy (CIL) and computational thinking (CT). Practical skills, like the ability to prompt AI agents, will be explored, as will evaluating AI-generated material for accuracy and cultural bias, and understanding ethical aspects of AI use. ICILS 2028 will also evaluate student and teacher use of AI, in addition to attitudes about this technology that touch on confidence, beliefs, and ethical concerns.
The new focus on digital wellbeing in ICILS 2028 reflects the critical need to create a relationship with technology that supports social, physical, and emotional health. New question themes linked to digital well-being will touch upon topics like digital self-regulation, emotional resilience, digital connectedness to others, and attitudes towards the impact of technology on people.
You can find out more in two new brochures: the ICILS 2028 Fact Sheet, and AI in ICILS 2028.
For questions about enrolling in ICILS 2028, please contact Andrea Netten at a.netten@iea.nl.
In recognition of the contribution from ICILS data toward developing European education policies, the European Commission is working to provide funding for Erasmus+ countries participating in ICILS 2028. The initiative—led by the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA)—provides up to 75% of international costs for Erasmus+ countries participating in the study.
