New Vocational School Students’ Basic ICT Skills Self-Assessment

Sanni Suominen; Kirsi Ikonen; Mervi Asikainen

doi:10.29333/ejmste/11193

Full Text (PDF)

Sanni Suominen ¹ ^* , Kirsi Ikonen ¹, Mervi Asikainen ¹

More Detail

¹ University of Eastern Finland, FINLAND^* Corresponding Author

Abstract

This article addresses 824 Finnish vocational upper secondary level students’ self-assessments related to their basic ICT skills and their views regarding the importance of ICT skills for their future career. A questionnaire was distributed to students representing seven vocational fields who were starting their studies leading to a vocational upper secondary qualification. The results show that in many claims students in the field of Information and Communication Technologies assess their skills as significantly higher than other students, while students focusing on Health and Welfare rated their personal skills as significantly lower. The results also show that students in the field of Information and Communication Technologies and Humanities and Arts clearly believe that they will need IT skills in their future careers. Compared to others, students in Technology and Service Industries were significantly less likely to think so. This study contributes to research concerning vocational students’ ICT competence and will help in developing online courses requiring knowledge of the differences in the need for guidance experienced by students from different vocational fields.

Keywords

ICT skills
online learning
self-assessment
vocational upper secondary education

License

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed, Volume 17, Issue 11, November 2021, Article No: em2022

https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/11193

Publication date: 28 Aug 2021

Article Views: 3824

Article Downloads: 2725

Open Access Disclosures References How to cite this article

Disclosure

Declaration of Conflict of Interest: No conflict of interest is declared by author(s).

Data sharing statement: Data supporting the findings and conclusions are available upon request from the corresponding author(s).

References

Anohina, A. (2005). Analysis of the terminology used in the field of virtual learning. Journal of Educational Technology & Society, 8(3), 91-102.
Baker, J., & Sugden, S. J. (2003). Spreadsheets in Education –The First 25 Years. Spreadsheets in Education (eJSiE), 1(1), Article 2.
Baldwin, S. J., & Ching, Y.-H. (2018). An online course design checklist: Development and users’ perceptions. Journal of Computing in Higher Education, 31(1), 156-172. https://doi.org/10.1007/ s12528-018-9199-8
Ballantine, J. A., McCourt Larres, P., & Oyelere, P. (2007). Computer usage and the validity of self-assessed computer competence among first-year business students. Computers & Education, 49(4), 976-990. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2005.12.001
Bandura, A. (1989). Human agency in social cognitive theory. American Psychologist, 44(9), 1175-1184. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066x.44.9.1175
Benigno, V., & Trentin, G. (2008). The evaluation of online courses. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 16(3), 259-270. https://doi.org/10.1046/ j.1365-2729.2000.00137.x
Bouhnik, D., & Carmi, G. (2012) E-course: ICT elements and students’ thinking dispositions. i-manager’s Journal on Information Technology, 4(1), 19-34. https://doi.org/10.26634/jit.1.4.2014
Bray, E., Aoki, K., & Dlugosh, L. (2008). Predictors of learning satisfaction in Japanese online distance learners. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 9(3), 1-24. https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v9i3.525
Caruth, G., & Caruth, D. (2013) Distance education in the United States: From Correspondence Courses to the Internet. Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education, 14(2), 141-149.
Cigdem, H., & Yildirim, O. G. (2014). Effects of students’ characteristics on online learning readiness: a vocational college example. Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education, 15(3), 80-93. https://doi.org/10.17718/tojde.69439
Claro, M., Preiss, D. D., San Martín, E., Jara, I., Hinostroza, J. E., Valenzuela, S., Cortes, F., & Nussbaum, M. (2012). Assessment of 21st century ICT skills in Chile: Test design and results from high school level students. Computers & Education, 59(3), 1042-1053. https://doi.org/10.1016/ j.compedu.2012.04.004
Cote, T., & Milliner, B. (2016). Japanese university students’ self-assessment and digital literacy test results. In S. Papadima-Sophocleous, L. Bradley, & S. Thouësny (Eds.), CALL communities and culture – short papers from EUROCALL 2016 (pp. 125-131). Research-publishing.net. https://doi.org/10.14705/rpnet.2016.eurocall2016.549
De Wit, K., Heerwegh, D., & Verhoeven, J. C. (2014). Can openness to ICT and scientific research predict the ICT skills and ICT use of bachelor’s students? Computers & Education, 78, 397-413. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2014.07.003
Donnelly, P., Benson, J., & Kirk, P. (2012). How to succeed at e-learning. Wiley-Blackwell.
European Commission. (2017). ICT for work: Digital skills in the workplace: final report. https://doi.org/10.2759/498467
European Commission. (2020a, July). Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions. Youth Employment Support: a Bridge to Jobs for the Next Generation. COM/2020/276 final. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?qid=1594047420340&uri=CELEX%3A52020DC0276
European Commission. (2020b). Women in Digital Scoreboard 2020 Finland. https://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/dae/document.cfm?doc_id=71582
Field A. (2018). Discovering statistics using IBM SPPS Statistics (5^th ed.). SAGE edge.
Finnish National Agency for Education. (2019). Key figures on vocational education and training in Finland. Reports and surveys 2019:7. Ministry of Education and Culture. https://www.oph.fi/sites/default/files/documents/key_figures_on_vocational_education_and_training_in_finland.pdf
Finnish National Agency for Education. (2021a). Osaamisen arviointi ammatillisessa koulutuksessa [Competence assessment in vocational education]. Ministry of Education and Culture. https://www.oph.fi/fi/koulutus-ja-tutkinnot/ammatillinen-koulutus/osaamisen-arviointi-ammatillisessa-koulutuksessa
Finnish National Agency for Education. (2021b). Ammatilliset perustutkinnot [Vocational undergraduate degrees]. Ministry of Education and Culture. https://www.oph.fi/fi/koulutus-ja-tutkinnot/ammatilliset-perustutkinnot
Fleming, J., Becker, K., & Newton, C. (2017). Factors for successful e-learning: does age matter? Education + Training, 59(1), 76-89. https://doi.org/10.1108/et-07-2015-0057
Goldhammer, F., Naumann, J., & Keßel, Y. (2013). Assessing individual differences in basic computer skills. European Journal of Psychological Assessment, 29(4), 263-275. https://doi.org/10.1027/1015-5759/a000153
Grant, D., Malloy, A. & Murphy, M. (2009). A comparison of student perceptions of their computer skills to their actual abilities. Journal of Information Technology Education, 8(1), 141-160. https://doi.org/10.28945/164
Hakkarainen, K., Ilomäki, L., Lipponen, L., Muukkonen, H., Rahikainen, M., Tuominen, T., Lakkala, M., & Lehtinen, E. (2000). Students’ skills and practices of using ICT: results of a national assessment in Finland. Computers & Education, 34(2), 103-117. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0360-1315(00)00007-5
Hargittai, E., & Shafer, S. (2006). Differences in actual and perceived online skills: The role of gender. Social Science Quarterly, 87(2), 432-448. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6237.2006.00389.x
Hong, K.-S. (2002). Relationships between students’ and instructional variables with satisfaction and learning from a Web-based course. The Internet and Higher Education, 5(3), 267-281. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1096-7516(02)00105-7
Kaarakainen, M.-T., Kaarakainen, S.-S., & Kivinen, A. (2018). Seeking adequate competencies for the future. Nordic Journal of Science and Technology Studies, 6(1), 4-20. https://doi.org/10.5324/njsts.v6i1.2520
Kang, M., & Shin, W. sug. (2015). An empirical investigation of student acceptance of synchronous e-learning in an online university. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 52(4), 475-495. https://doi.org/10.1177/0735633115571921
Katz, Y. J., & Yablon, Y. B. (2002). Who is afraid of university Internet courses? Educational Media International, 39(1), 69-73. https://doi.org/10.1080/09523980210131132
Keller, C., Hrastinski S., & Carlsson S. (2007). Students’ acceptance of e-learning environments: A comparative study in Sweden and Lithuania. ECIS 2007 Proceedings. 40. http://aisel.aisnet.org/ecis2007/40
Kerr, M.S., Rynearson, K., Kerr, M.C. (2006). Student characteristics for online learning success. The Journal of Educators Online, 9(2), 91-105. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2006.03.002
Mclelland, D., & Crawford, J. (2004). The Drumchapel Project. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 36(2), 55-67. https://doi.org/10.1177/0961000604046286
Ministry of Education and Culture (2018). Reform of vocational upper secondary education. https://minedu.fi/en/reform-of-vocational-upper-secondary-education
National Audiovisual Institute and Finnish National Agency for Education. (2021). Uudet lukutaidot – kehittämisohjelma [New Literacy Development Program]. Ministry of Education and Culture. https://uudetlukutaidot.fi/
Nobre, S., Amado, N., & Carreira, S. (2012). Solving a contextual problem with the spreadsheet as an environment for algebraic thinking development. Teaching Mathematics and Its Applications, 31(1), 11-19. https://doi.org/10.1093/teamat/hrr026
Passerini, K., & Granger, M. J. (2000). A developmental model for distance learning using the Internet. Computers & Education, 34(1), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0360-1315(99)00024-x
Potosky, D. (2007). The Internet knowledge (iKnow) measure. Computers in Human Behavior, 23(6), 2760-2777. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2006.05.003
Rizun, M., & Strzelecki, A. (2020). Students’ acceptance of the COVID-19 impact on shifting higher education to distance learning in Poland. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(18), 6468. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17186468
Schlosser, L. A., & Simonson, M. (2009). Distance education: Definition and glossary of terms (3rd ed.). Information Age.
Selim, H. M. (2007). Critical success factors for e-learning acceptance: Confirmatory factor models. Computers & Education, 49(2), 396-413. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2005.09.004
Simonson, M., & Seepersaud, D. J. (2019). Distance education: Definition and glossary of terms. Information Age Publishing.
Simonson, M., Schlosser, C., & Orellana, A. (2011). Distance education research: A review of the literature. Journal of Computing in Higher Education, 23(2-3), 124-142. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12528-011-9045-8
Singh, V., & Thurman, A. (2019). How many ways can we define online learning? A systematic literature review of definitions of online learning (1988-2018). American Journal of Distance Education, 33(4), 289-306. https://doi.org/10.1080/08923647.2019.1663082
Soong, M. H. B., Chan, H. C., Chua, B. C., & Loh, K. F. (2001). Critical success factors for on-line course resources. Computers & Education, 36(2), 101-120. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0360-1315(00)00044-0
Statistics Finland (2018, September). Number of new students in vocational training 126,900. Ministry of Finance. https://www.stat.fi/til/aop/2017/aop_2017_2018-09-27_tie_001_en.html
Sun, P.-C., Tsai, R. J., Finger, G., Chen, Y.-Y., & Yeh, D. (2008). What drives a successful e-Learning? An empirical investigation of the critical factors influencing learner satisfaction. Computers & Education, 50(4), 1183-1202. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2006.11.007
Supardi, S., Juhji, J., Azkiyah, I., Muqdamien, B., Ansori, A., Kurniawan, I., & Sari, A. F. (2021). The ICT basic skills: Contribution to student social media utilization activities. International Journal of Evaluation and Research in Education (IJERE), 10(1), 222-229. https://doi.org/10.11591/ijere.v10i1.20598
Volery, T., & Lord, D. (2000). Critical success factors in online education. International Journal of Educational Management, 14(5), 216-223. https://doi.org/10.1108/09513540010344731
Volman, M., Vaneck, E., Heemskerk, I., & Kuiper, E. (2005). New technologies, new differences. Gender and ethnic differences in pupils’ use of ICT in primary and secondary education. Computers & Education, 45(1), 35-55. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0360-1315(04)00072-7
Wan, Z., Wang, Y., & Haggerty, N. (2008). Why people benefit from e-learning differently: The effects of psychological processes on e-learning outcomes. Information & Management, 45(8), 513-521. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.im.2008.08.003
World Health Organization. (2020). Digital education for building health workforce capacity.
Yalman, M., Basaran, B., Gonen, S. (2017). Education faculty students’ levels of satisfaction with e-learning process. (2017). European Journal of Contemporary Education, 6(3), 604-611. https://doi.org/10.13187/ejced.2017.3.604

How to cite this article

APA

Suominen, S., Ikonen, K., & Asikainen, M. (2021). New Vocational School Students’ Basic ICT Skills Self-Assessment. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 17(11), em2022. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/11193

Vancouver

Suominen S, Ikonen K, Asikainen M. New Vocational School Students’ Basic ICT Skills Self-Assessment. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2021;17(11):em2022. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/11193

AMA

Suominen S, Ikonen K, Asikainen M. New Vocational School Students’ Basic ICT Skills Self-Assessment. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2021;17(11), em2022. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/11193

Chicago

Suominen, Sanni, Kirsi Ikonen, and Mervi Asikainen. "New Vocational School Students’ Basic ICT Skills Self-Assessment". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education 2021 17 no. 11 (2021): em2022. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/11193

Harvard

Suominen, S., Ikonen, K., and Asikainen, M. (2021). New Vocational School Students’ Basic ICT Skills Self-Assessment. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 17(11), em2022. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/11193

MLA

Suominen, Sanni et al. "New Vocational School Students’ Basic ICT Skills Self-Assessment". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, vol. 17, no. 11, 2021, em2022. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/11193