This is shown by a study published on Tuesday by the International Association of Educational Achievement (IEA). In Austria, for example, over a third of students in the 8th grade (4th grade middle school or AHS) lack even the absolute basics of using computers and the Internet.
On average, in all 35 countries and educational regions that took part in the International Computer and Information Literacy Study (ICILS 2023), half of the young people achieved a maximum competency level of 1 or below in computer and information-related skills. These students can only solve absolutely routine tasks on the computer under direct supervision and have major problems assessing the trustworthiness of digital sources. In European countries, 43 percent were at this level, in Austria slightly less at 39 percent. However, in this country we are still a long way from meeting the EU’s target of a maximum of 15 percent of 14-year-olds achieving below competency level 2 by 2030.
Competence level 2 and thus basic knowledge and skills were achieved by 44 percent of the Austrian test participants. 17 percent of Austrian young people ended up at competency level 3, where you have to have a certain degree of independence when solving problems. Only 1 percent made it to the highest competency level 4. With 506 points in this test area, Austria performed significantly better overall than the average of the comparison countries and also the European countries, explained IEA Managing Director Dirk Hastedt.
Slightly below average understanding of how computers work
In the “Computational Thinking” test area – this is about understanding how computers work – Austria’s points score is slightly below the national average (476 versus 483 points), although not statistically significant. As on average in all countries, two thirds in Austria landed at least at level 2.
However, the differences in performance depending on the socio-economic background of the students are much greater than between the countries, emphasized Hastedt. This is once again particularly clear in Austria: when it comes to computer and information-related skills, students who do not speak German at home scored 38 points less and students with a migration background scored 28 points less. Students whose parents have low educational qualifications were 33 points behind. The backlog is even greater in the Computational Thinking test area (58, 44 and 49 points, respectively). There are also differences based on gender: While girls scored 15 points higher than boys in computer and information-related skills, they were 12 points behind in computational thinking.
These differences by origin are known from all international educational comparisons, says Hastedt, whose IEA also carries out the primary school comparison studies PIRLS (reading) and TIMSS (math, natural sciences). What makes the difference in computer skills “perhaps even more striking” is that the young people in the ICILS study learned almost everything, from searching for information on the Internet to dealing with privacy settings, mainly outside of school. “The differences between those who learn it at home or from their friends or not are therefore significantly greater.”
Anchor digital skills more firmly in curricula
Digital skills must therefore be anchored more firmly in the curricula, demanded Hastedt. We have to say goodbye to the “myth” of boys as so-called digital natives. Just because young people use their cell phones intensively every day does not mean that they are acquiring the digital skills necessary for the 21st century. Compared to the ICILS study from 2013 (in which Austria did not take part, note), the skills actually tended to decrease. Skills such as Powerpoint presentations or internet research are often expected from students without first teaching them how to use them properly. Another lever for improvement for Hastedt would be the training and further education of teaching staff, who must be able to teach these topics really well. Another problem in many countries is that digital skills are included in the curricula but are not explicitly tested. But this is important so that the students actually learn this content, emphasized Hastedt.
Education Minister Martin Polaschek (ÖVP) referred to the above-average computer and information-related skills of students in Austria according to study results and spoke of an “important success for the Austrian education system”. They are “on the right track to prepare young people for the demands of an increasingly digitalized world,” it said in a release. However, the differences in skills depending on social status and migration background are a “challenge”.
Performance agreements with universities
Experts in the Ministry of Education still see “potential” in the skills of teachers. There is now a university course for educators who are already in service. However, the topic needs to be anchored much more firmly in basic training, i.e. in teacher training, it was said during a background discussion. Steps have been taken to achieve this in the new service agreements with the universities.
For social compensation, reference was made to the ministry’s device initiative launched in 2021. As part of this, students in the fifth grade receive cheap or free devices. However, the young people tested this time as part of ICILS have not yet benefited from this. However, the ministry is aware that the devices have only created the framework conditions – on the one hand, teachers now have to be motivated to use them in class. On the other hand, parents should also make sure that the devices are not only used for playing.
Overall, young people use information and communication technology on school days, especially for non-school matters. According to the study, in which over 130,000 young people and over 60,000 teachers in 35 education systems took part, it is comparatively rare for parents to set a limit: In Austria, 68 percent of 14-year-olds said that they had no limit on school days the use of digital media applies. During the school-free period it is 81 percent.
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**Interview with Dirk Hastedt, Managing Director of the International Association of Educational Achievement (IEA)**
**Editor:** Thank you for joining us today, Dirk. The recent ICILS 2023 study revealed some concerning statistics regarding computer and information literacy among students in Austria and beyond. Can you summarize the main findings for our audience?
**Dirk Hastedt:** Absolutely. The study showed that in Austria, over a third of 8th-grade students lack basic computer and internet skills. On average, across the 35 countries included in the study, about 50% of students only reached competency level 1 or below. This means they can perform very routine tasks only under direct supervision and struggle to assess the reliability of digital sources.
**Editor:** That’s alarming. How does Austria compare with other European countries in terms of these findings?
**Dirk Hastedt:** In fact, Austria performed slightly better than the European average, with 39% of its students at or below the lowest competency level, compared to 43% in Europe as a whole. However, we are still far from the EU’s goal that only 15% of 14-year-olds should be below competency level 2 by 2030.
**Editor:** You mentioned significant disparities based on socioeconomic backgrounds. What does the data say about this?
**Dirk Hastedt:** Yes, this is one of the most concerning aspects. Students from non-German speaking households scored 38 points lower, and those with a migration background scored 28 points lower in computer-related skills. The gaps are more pronounced in computational thinking, measuring how well students understand computer processes. There are also noticeable gender differences, with girls outperforming boys in information-related skills but lagging behind in computational thinking.
**Editor:** What recommendations are you making to improve these digital competencies?
**Dirk Hastedt:** We need to integrate digital skills more thoroughly into school curricula. The idea that young people are inherently tech-savvy simply because they use smartphones is a myth. There must be structured teaching in areas like PowerPoint and internet research rather than assuming students already know how to use them effectively. Additionally, we need to focus on improving teacher training and providing explicit assessments of digital skills in the educational system.
**Editor:** Education Minister Martin Polaschek acknowledged the above-average performance of Austrian students but also pointed out the challenges. How do you see these challenges being addressed?
**Dirk Hastedt:** It’s essential to recognize that while some students are performing well, the disparities are significant and must be addressed. Initiatives like low-cost devices for students in need can help, but they only create the necessary framework. It’s crucial for both teachers and parents to actively engage in the proper use of technology. Building up teacher competencies in digital education is also vital.
**Editor:** Thank you, Dirk, for your insights on this important topic. It’s clear that while there are successes in digital literacy, significant work remains to ensure that all students can navigate an increasingly digital world effectively.
**Dirk Hastedt:** Thank you for having me. It’s a critical issue, and I hope this study sparks meaningful changes.