2: A Multinational Study of Students’ Views on the Use of Technology and Performance of Online Tasks

Learning in the twenty-first century requires many information technology skills and also understanding how to apply these skills to gain knowledge. It is generally thought that because young people are technologically savvy, that they know how use those skills adequately in educational contexts.

This first objective of this research is to provide guidance to universities about student computer literacy in an educational setting. The second objective is to find if there is variability of computer literacy skills at Institutions of Higher Education (IHE) in three countries. Undergraduate students in Portugal, Ukraine and United Arab Emirates were surveyed about their use of technological devices and their performance of online tasks. Students responded to an online survey about the frequency and types of use, and their level of confidence regarding online skills and use of digital equipment. There is a general belief that students’ ability to use technology is extensive. However, this study indicates that students’ opinion about their information literacy competence is not always aligned with their confidence performing online tasks. The data show that there are gaps in their knowledge, their perceptions and their actual digital literacy skills. IHEs may use these findings to improve curricula and help students enhance their knowledge.