ICILS 2013

International Computer and Information Literacy Study 2013

ICILS 2013 examined the computer and information literacy (CIL) outcomes of students across countries. The assessment produced important data and identified key findings that policymakers could use to make better informed decisions about the use of information and communication technologies in schools. The study was designed in response to the need of citizens to become independent and critical users of these technologies in a digital world.

The survey assessed the CIL skills of 60,000 eighth graders (average age of 13.5 years) in over 3,300 schools from 21 educational systems.

The Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) in Melbourne served as the international study center for ICILS, working in close cooperation with the IEA, and the national centers of participating educational systems.

For more information about the study, please visit the ICILS 2013 website.

 
 
ICILS 2013 Participants

Total number of entities that participated in ICILS 2013: 22

Australia; Argentina (Buenos Aires); Canada; Canada (Newfoundland and Labrador); Canada (Ontario); Chile; Croatia; Czech Republic; Denmark; Germany; Hong Kong SAR; Korea, Rep. of; Lithuania; Netherlands; Norway (Grade 9); Poland; Russian Federation; Slovak Republic; Slovenia; Switzerland; Thailand; and Turkey.

Benchmarking entities are listed in brackets.

 
 
Key Findings

Only 2% of students use their critical thinking skills when searching for information online.

There is a common assumption that students are familiar with Information and Computer Technologies (ICT) and that many consider themselves to be "digital natives". However, ICILS 2013 results demonstrated that this is not the case.

ICILS categorized students' ICT skills into four levels. While 83% of students achieved at least a Level 1, indicating a minimum knowledge of basic software skills, only 2% of students achieved a Level 4 which required the application of critical thinking whilst searching for information online

Teachers lack confidence in teaching essential ICT skills.

ICILS 2013 included questionnaires to gather information on teachers' confidence with using ICT as part of their practice. Less than half of the teachers felt that they were computer savvy when carrying out more complex tasks. Many teachers (46%) gain their ICT skills be observing other teachers and only 22% of teachers surveyed had followed an advanced class on the topic. Less than 50% of teachers considered themselves self-sufficient when it came to using computers for more complex tasks, such as installing software and collaborating with others using shared resources.

Students use computers more often at home than at school.

ICILS student questionnaires asked students how often they used computers or other digital devices at home and at school. While 87% of students stated that they use computers at least once a week at home, only 54% reported the same frequency of computer usage at school.

 
 
Major Publications
Fraillon, Julian Ainley, John Schulz, Wolfram Friedman, Tim Gebhardt, Eveline Preparing for Life in a Digital Age
Fraillon, Julian
Schulz, Wolfram
Friedman, Tim
Ainley, John
Gebhardt, Eveline
ICILS 2013 Technical Report
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