Evaluating the Digital Literacy Levels of Social Work Students

Background: The purpose of this evaluation is to examine courses infused with technological content and the objective to enhance students’ digital literacies through an educational intervention that included students using digital technologies. The evaluation utilized a no comparison pretest-posttest design with a cross sectional survey instrument that assesses a student’s level of digital literacies across 12 domains (Literat, 2014) at the beginning and end of the semester over the course of three semesters. Specifically, the hypothesis for the study is that a student’s level of digital literacies will increase after participating in a course infused with social media, digital technologies, and content related to new media literacies (Jenkins et al., 2009).

Methods: Data were collected at the beginning and end of three separate semesters of the same course with a total of N= 76 undergraduate students participating. The mean participant age was 22 years old, and the sample was predominantly female and Caucasian, although minority and male students also participated. Exploratory factor analysis and reliability analysis were conducted to demonstrate the validity and reliability of the instrument. Descriptive statistics provided a better understanding of the characteristics of the sample and inferential statistical analysis; specifically an independent t-test analysis of group mean scores from pre to post test, and an analysis of variance across category means were utilized to test the hypothesis.

Results: The survey maintained solid reliability with an Alpha of .78 (Nunnally, 1978), and statistically significant (t=5.35, p<.001) improvements were observed in digital literacy across the sample from pretest to posttest. A t-test comparison of means showed roughly a 25% improvement in digital literacy scores as a result of course participation. An ANOVA procedure was used to assess mean score changes along domains of improvement from pretest to posttest, and statistically significant differences were observed among students with increases in skill levels across all twelve domains. Findings from the data suggest that through participation in the course students experienced growth in digital literacy across all domains.

Implications: Based upon these findings the hypothesis is supported. Infusing courses with digital literacies can have the effect of increasing the digital competence and skills of students. This evaluation does not suggest that the basics building blocks of education are no longer relevant. Rather it suggests that the mechanisms people use to engage with each other are evolving and that social work education must evolve as well, to include focused and targeted efforts that teach students how to engage to improve their digital literacy and engage thoughtfully and purposefully in digital spaces. In this way students will be able to address the grand challenge of harnessing digital technology for social good.