Developing digital skills among students in Latin America and the Caribbean

• In Event: Digital futures and schooling: between global debates and regional experiences

Proposal

The high levels of vulnerability and inequality that characterize Latin America and the Caribbean impose challenges facing the digital transformations underway, which may increase the current levels of social exclusion. The widespread access and use of the Internet and digital devices (especially smartphones in this region) coexist with significant differences between and within countries, with the most disadvantaged populations being those with more limited access and, more importantly, skill deficits for digital inclusion. Indeed, although digital competencies are required to take advantage of the opportunities and minimize the risks of participating in the digital world, they are not equally distributed among the region’s population.
This paper highlights the importance of developing digital skills within the education systems due to their significance for social and labour inclusion, reducing regional inequalities, and their synergic link with developing other critical skills for thriving in the digital society. It reviews the main conceptual frameworks being used globally to define digital skills, as well as the types of empirical measurements and tests that have been applied in Latin America, the Caribbean, and internationally among students. The paper includes an empirical analysis with available quantitative data on the level of development of digital skills of students in the region in comparison with those from high-income countries, identifying the principal axes of inequality at the regional level and within countries.
The primary data source is collected by the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), which was applied by OECD in 2022.
Face-to-face classes were suspended in Latin America and the Caribbean for the lengthiest periods of any world region during the COVID-19 pandemic (reaching almost two academic years in some countries). The use of digital media during that period was essential for the continuity of the educational process. In its 2022 version, the PISA test asked 15-year-olds about this period, and the paper includes an analysis of this experience. It also describes the evolution of students’ digital ecosystem at their schools and households in recent decades and the type of school activities they carry out. In terms of digital competencies, the analysis allows an understanding of students' perceptions of self-efficacy.
The public policy recommendations highlight the need for more empirical evidence (standardized tests) and the importance of implementing multisectoral policies that guarantee universal access to digital devices and connectivity. The paper recommends implementing dynamic and prospective systems to identify and characterise the competencies education systems should promote in a constantly changing world. It highlights the role of education in addressing digital skills gaps from the earliest years. Training teachers and caregivers is a crucial aspect of success in this endeavour. At the same time, it is recommended that formal and informal training programs be strengthened throughout the life cycle.

Author

• Daniela Trucco, UN-ECLAC