The Digital Citizen SEC

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THE DIGITAL CITIZENAn analysis of digital competence in the Norwegian population


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Vox 2008

ISBN 978-82-7724-124-1

Grask produksjon 07 Gruppen ASOpplag 1 500


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Preface

The Digital Citizen is an analysis of digital competence in the Norwegian population. The study

divides the population into levels according to their digital competence, reveals dif ferencesin skills, and describes the characteristics of these differences. The analysis is based on arepresentative survey implemented in 2007. The report describes the populations use ofPCs and the Internet in general, and investigates how frequently, where and how often they

use digital tools in particular. Furthermore, the report describes the populations attitudesto their own competence and to future learning.

The same survey was conducted in Denmark in 2006 by the Technological Institute (TI).By using an identical research design, we have the opportunity to compare the level of digital

competence in the two countries. In this context, we would like to express our gratitudeto the Directorate of Information Technology and Telecommunications under the Danish

Ministry of Science, Technology and Development, which commissioned the Danish study,and the Technological Institute (TI) in Denmark, which granted us access to the Danish data.

The project was directed by Lene Guthu at Vox, who has undertaken the analyses andwritten the report in cooperation with Berit Gravdahl. Per Morten Jrgensen, Head of

Research Unit at Vox, is administratively responsible for the report .

Oslo, 21 May 2008

Turid KjlsethDirector general


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Contents

1. Introduction ......................................................................................................................................................... 71.1 Methodology and data collection ............................................................................................................ 7

1.2 Digital competence and level ................................................................................................................... 8

1.3 Structure of the report .............................................................................................................................. 8

2.0 Digital competence in the Norwegian population .................................................................................10

2.1 How good are we? ....................................................................................................................................10

2.2 . ICT areas .................................................................................................................................................... 12

2.3 Use and access ...........................................................................................................................................13

2.3.1 User levels: Access to, and use of, PCs ........................................................................................14

2.3.2 User levels: Access to, and use of, the Internet ........................................................................15

2.3.3 Various uses of PCs ...........................................................................................................................162.4 Characteristics of the levels ...................................................................................................................162.4.1 The young generation digital societys natives ........................................................................172.4.2 Digital competence increases with levels of education ...........................................................18

2.4.3 Retirees and the disabled dominate the non-user group ........................................................19

3.0 How and why learn to use ICT ...................................................................................................................21

3.1 Acquiring digital competence .................................................................................................................21

3.2 Motivation and barriers ...........................................................................................................................223.2.1 Motivation ............................................................................................................................................22

3.2.2 Barriers .................................................................................................................................................22

3.3 Future needs ...............................................................................................................................................24

3.3.1 Future needs for improving digital skills at work.......................................................................243.3.2 Future needs for improving digital skills in everyday life .........................................................253.3.3 Future learning ....................................................................................................................................26

4.0 Segments of ICT users with weak and strong skills ..............................................................................284.1 Segments of the population with weak digital skills .........................................................................284.2 Segments of the population with intermediate digital skills...........................................................304.3 Segments of the population with strong digital skills.......................................................................32

5.0 Digital competence in Norway and Denmark ........................................................................................345.1 Norwegian and Danish ICT users .........................................................................................................34

5.2 A comparison of users and non-users in Norway and Denmark.................................................365.2.1 Future needs in Norway and Denmark ........................................................................................375.2.2 Obstacles to becoming a (better) user ........................................................................................37

6.0 Final remarks ...................................................................................................................................................39

References ...............................................................................................................................................................41


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The Digital Citizenreviews and analyses the results

from a study of digital competence in the Norwegianpopulation. Since the 1990s, the use of information

and communication technology has expanded strongly.

At the outset, ICT was a niche for those with a

special interest, but soon developed and spread tonearly all parts of the population. Even the areas of

use have changed. Digital tools are used not only for

entertainment, consumption and searching for and

sharing information. Today, you can submit your taxreturn form on the Internet or by using a couple ofkeystrokes on your mobile phone, and this is only one

among many public services that have gone digital.To the extent that the public sector increasinglyoffers 24-hour services on the Internet, it becomesincreasingly important that everybody has the sameopportunity to use them. We are not only users and

consumers of digital tools. Social and democratic

aspects also play a central role, because a growingamount of information is made available throughthe Internet. Because access to this information is

dependent on the use of digital tools, the differences

between those who master this technology and thosewho do not are likely to increase.

This is not only a matter of whether one participates in

the digital society or not, it is also a matter of how one

participates. The Report to the Storting,An information

society for all,1in many ways constitutes a manifesto

calling for a policy for more equality in the information

society of today. The report emphasizes that everybodyshould possess digital competence. The starting point is

favourable as Norway is among the world leaders in theuse of ICT. In the European context, Norway is found

among the most advanced users of the Internet, and the

digital divide is narrower in Norway than in the EU.2

Appropriate digital skills constitute a core prerequisitefor a well-functioning information society, and the

Government notes the connection between a high levelof digital skills and Norway as a good country to live in:

Information and communication technology (ICT)

is becoming a steadily more important preconditionfor welfare society. ICT renders public services more

efcient ICT increases the nations productivity. Digital

competence in the population, well-developed electronic

services and predictable frameworks are therefore

decisive for keeping Norway in the position as the

best country in the world in which to live.3

ICT is a eld that changes continuously. Newtechnologies are added, meaning that one never stops

learning. There are, however, differences in the way thepopulation, as citizens as well as consumers, relates to

and perceives this change. The digital divide refers to

the spilt between those who have access to, and masterthis technology, and those who do not.4The purpose

of The Digital Citizenis to provide a description of the

digital competence among Norwegians, and to describethe characteristics of the digital divide in the population.

1.1 Methodology and data collection

The Digital Citizenis based on a representative,questionnaire-based survey of a sample of 1998 personsaged 16 and older. Data collection was undertaken byNorstat during 2007, and all interviews were made

by telephone. The representative nature of the studymeans results can be generalized from the sample tothe population. With a representative sample, the

results will be similar to those that would have beenproduced by a study of the entire population. Theresults are weighted by age, gender and geographicallocation.

In 2007, the Technological Institute (TI) publishedthe results from a survey of the Danish populationsdigital competence on behalf of the Directorate ofInformation Technology and Telecommunications

under the Danish Ministry of Science, Technology

and Development.5The purpose of the study was to

produce a knowledge base for policy formulation inrelation to Danish preconditions for facing current

and future requirements for the use of ICT. With a

view to describing and analysing digital competence,

the population was divided into user levels on the basis

Introduction1.0

1 Report No. 17 to the Storting (2006-2007).2 Press release from the Ministry of Government Administration and Reform, 25 February 2008.3 Ministry of Government Administration and Reform: ICT policy / e-Norway.4 Slettemes 20075 Technological Institute 2007.6 Data for the Danish population were collected in 2006, while the Norwegian data were collected in the autumn of 2007.


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8 The Digital Citizen

of the strength or weakness of their skills. This enabledTI to analyse differences in Denmark pertaining towho knows what and the characteristics of strong andweak groups, and subsequently to assess future needs,

competence-building efforts and strategies for training.The Digital Citizenis based on the Danish analysis andmakes use of the same questionnaire. We therebyhave a good basis for comparison, which also rendersit possible to assess the digital competence of theNorwegian population in relation to the Danish.6

This study attempts to measure the digital competence

of the population. This involves challenges related to

the concept of digital competence as such, as well as to

the measurement of the same. Here, digital competence

is dened as the sum of various digital skills. Thestudy is inspired by the work of Educational TestingService (ETS) from 2001, where an international panelreviewed the importance of existing and emerging

information and communication technologies, and how

various skills could be categorized.7ETS distinguishedbetween cognitive and technical skills. Cognitive skillscomprise basic skills like reading, writing, calculationand problem-solving, while technical skills include skillsrelated to hardware, software, applications, networks,etc. In accordance with the ETS denition, one must beable to integrate cognitive and technical skills in orderto be regarded as a procient user.8

The Digital Citizenmeasures the digital competence

of the Norwegian population within eight separate

ICT areas, which have been operationalized through

34 questions pertaining to digital skills. The respondents

are not tested, but asked what experience they possess

with regard to common ICT processes and areas

of use.9This kind of self-assessment elicits certain

methodological challenges. First, assessing ones own

competence is not an easy task and responses may

also vary in relation to whom one chooses to compare

oneself with. Therefore, the respondents have been

inquired about their experience and routine, rather than

about how they feel that they master a certain process.

This is a result of the assumption that having a great deal

of experience with a specic ICT process causes the

user to benet from this experience and become more

procient.10This implies that in this study, experience

and competence are regarded as equal.

1.2 Levels of digital competence

Digital competence is measured on the basis of eight

areas operationalized using a total of 34 skills. Figure 1shows the skills that will encompass the various areas:denition of information needs, access to information,technological self-reliance, information management,

information assessment, integration of information,

communication and information sharing, and abilityto create and present new information using ICT.

The population is measured on the basis of theirexperience with various digital skills, and subsequentlydivided into levels that reect their digital competence.

The analysis makes use of four user levels: non-users,weak users, intermediate users and strong users.11Thiscategorization is described in more detail in the nextchapter.

1.3 Structure of the report

Chapter 2 describes the digital competence of thepopulation and investigates what Norwegian citizens

know and do not know about information andcommunication technology. The chapter details the

populations access to, and use of, PCs and the Internet,as well as their competence in the various elds ofICT. The chapter further describes and analysesthe various user levels on the basis of a number ofdemographic variables, including gender, age, educationand employment. Chapter 3 reviews the motivations

for, and the barriers against, the use of digital tools. Inaddition, the analysis discusses the populations assumedfuture needs to enhance their ICT skills in the contextof work and private life, and the desired methods tobe used for such skill development. In chapter 4, we

undertake a segmentation of the users at the differentlevels into sub-groups to show a more compleximage of the population. Chapter 5 compares the

main ndings from Norway and Denmark. Finally, wesummarize the ndings from the analysis in chapter 6.

7 Technological Institute 2007:5

8 Ibid.9 In this report, the concepts digital tools and ICT are used as synonyms. In the questionnaire, the respondents are asked about their use

of computers. This was done in order not to exclude users of types of machines other than PCs. In the report, the concept PC has beenused to denote computers, for the sake of simplicity.

10 Technological Institute 2007:11.

11 The levels are broadly concurrent with the goals for digital competence developed by Vox on assignment from the Ministry of Educationand Research. The formulation of these levels was based on British standards for digital competence (ICT Skills for Life).


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Figure 1 Digital competence operationalized through eight ICT areas and 34 skill types

ICT AREAS MEASURES OF SKILLS/QUESTIONS TO RESPONDENTS

What is your experience/routine in:

1. Dening information needs

Using ICT to identify and deneinformation needs

determining what kind of information one needs and that can possibly be retrievedusing a computer/the Internet, for example pertaining to common tasks likeshopping, travel and contact with government agencies

2. Access to information

Knowing how and where to nd andcollect information with the aid of ICT

locating websites that contain the information one needsnding information on websites in a language other than Norwegianusing search engines on the Internet (e.g. Google, Yahoo, etc.)obtaining an overview and navigating on a websitending specic information that one needs on the websites of government agencies

3. Technological self- reliance

Undertaking technological operationsindependently

opening computer programs independently

being able to install programs on the computer independentlyusing a program from a CD-ROM

creating an e-mail address independentlyusing and updating anti-virus software

creating a digital signature

4. Information management

Sorting and organizing information

having an overview of the information that one nds on the Internet and selectingthe necessary information

being able to collect and sort the information found, for example by arranging itinto lists or tablesorganizing and storing les in ones computer, so that they can be easily retrieved

5. Information assessment

Assessing the quality, relevance

and usefulness of the information

assessing the quality of the information that one nds in the Internet , for examplewhether it is old, biased or untrustworthy

6. Integration of information

Interpreting, summarizing and comparinginformation through different forms of

presentations

writing, editing and transferring text in word processors

using spellcheckers/dictionariesinserting and editing tables in word processorstransferring gures from a spreadsheet to another program, or vice versainserting images/symbols in word processorsusing drawing/graphics application, for example PowerPoint

7. Communication and information

sharing

Sharing and exchanging information and

knowledge with the aid of ICT

sending/receiving e-mail

sending attachments (les) with e-mailssending/receiving SMS messages on a mobile phoneusing chat rooms on the Internet

participating in cooperation and project groups over the Internetusing e-mail/calendar systems to organize/arrange meetings

buying and selling goods through Norwegian websitesbuying and selling goods through websites in languages other than Norwegianentering information to government agencies, for example by using a net-basedtemplate, tax return form, electricity meter reading, etc.ordering/purchasing tickets over the Internetusing a digital signature

8. Creating new information

Creating and presenting new information

with the aid of ICT

composing information that one has found, being able to present it to otherselectronically

Introduction 9


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Non-users

Weak users

Intermediate

users

Strong users

Ict-score

LEVEL 3

70,1100

LEVEL 2

40,170

LEVEL 1

040

LEVEL 0

0

20

40

60

80

100

This chapter describes the digital competence ofNorwegians. First the levels in various elds of ICTwill be analysed. The chapter then goes on to reviewNorwegians ICT habits and patterns of ICT use, andgoes on to characterize strong and weak users incontemporary digital society. In this manner, we will

elucidate factors that affect the digital competence of

the population.

The digital competence of the population has beenmeasured using a total of 34 questions related to

experience in the use of ICT. For each of the 34measurements of skills, respondents were requestedto give an answer on a scale from 1 to 4. Of these, a

score of 1 denoted no experience, 2 denoted limited

routine and experience, 3 indicated a certain routine

and experience and 4 equalled comprehensive routine

and experience. In the estimates of competence, each

measure of skills has the same weight.12In other words,mastery of an ICT process which is assumed to bemore complicated does not result in a higher score.

For example, being able to send and receive e-mailsgives the same score as being able to use chat rooms onthe Internet. The response scale from 1 to 4 is indexed

to an ICT score ranging from 0 to 100. The placement

of the population at the various levels is estimated on

the basis of an average score for all skills.

This analysis uses the same grouping of competence

level scores as the Danish study. The grouping and the

denition of the levels are as follows:

Figure 2 Description of the levels

The proportion of the population which is found at level

0 does not use a PC. Users at level 1 possess limitedexperience in most areas of ICT. Users at level 2 have a

certain experience, while users at level 3 on the wholeexhibit a lot of routine and experience. Using the 34questions as background, the Norwegian population asa whole scores 55, and can thereby be placed at level2. If we exclude users at level 0 (non-users), the totaldigital competence of Norwegian ICT users results in

a score of 61.

The population can be grouped into these four levels inthe following manner:

Table 1 Levels and average scores

Level Total (N) Per centAverage

score

0 206 10 0

1 330 17 24

2 737 37 57

3 725 36 83

Total 1998 100 55

A total of 90 per cent of the Norwegian population

responds that they use a PC, while ten per cent reports

that they never use a PC. The non-users are unableto respond to any of the questions and are therefore

not given a score, and are placed at level 0. A total of

17 per cent of the population is found at level 1, and are

thereby dened as weak users. The main proportionof the population is found at levels 2 and 3, of which

37 per cent are dened as intermediate users and36 per cent as strong users. In other words, a totalof 27 per cent of the Norwegian population makeslittle or no use of contemporary information and

communication technology.

2.1 How good are we?

On the whole, the digital competence of Norwegians

is high. There are, however, fairly wide variations with

regard to types of skills. Figure 3 gives an overview ofhow Norwegians score on all 34 measures of skills.The red line in the gure indicates average digital skillsin the population (55).

The population as a whole scores highest on sendingand receiving e-mails (80) and opening programs on

2.0 Digital competence in the Norwegian population

12 Respondents with unanswered items were given an average score on these items on the basis of their responses to the remaining questions .


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Digital competence in the Norwegian population 11

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Total

Organizing and storing files on the computer,so that you can easily retreive them

Writing, editing and moving text in word processors

Using spellcheckers/dictionaries

Inserting and editing tables in word processors

Moving figures from a spreadsheet to another program or vice versa

Inserting images/symbols in word processors

Using drawing/graphics applications like e.g. PowerPoint

Opening programs on the computer independently

Installing programs on the computer independently

Using a program from/on a CD-ROM

Using and updating anti-virus software

Finding the websites that contain the information you need.

Determining what type of information that you need and possiblycan find using a computer/the Internet. E.g in the context of common

tasks like shopping, travel.. contact with public agencies

Finding specific information on non-Norwegian websites

Using search engines on the Internet (e.g. Google, Yahoo and others)

Establishing an overview and being able to navigate on a website

Finding specific information that you need on public-sector websites

Having an overview of the information that you find on the Internet and selecting the information that you need.

Collecting and sorting the information that you find,for example by arranging it into lists or tables

Assessing the quality of the information that you find on the Internet for example whether it is old, biased or untrustworthy

To compose the information that you have found,so that you can present it to others electronically

Sending/receiving e-mails

Sending attachments (files) by e-mail

Using chatrooms on the Internet

Participating in cooperation and project groups over the Internet

Using e-mail/calendar systems to organize/arrange meetings

Buying or selling goods through Norwegian websites

Buying or selling goods through non-Norwegian websites

Entering information to government agencies, for example by using aweb-based template, tax return form, electricity meter reading, etc.

Ordering/purchasing tickets over the Internet

Using a digital signature

Creating an e-mail address

Creating a digital signature

Sending/receiving SMS messages from a mobile phone 73

22

58

28

64

63

30

48

48

28

28

72

80

49

55

45

66

63

60

72

48

67

69

57

59

51

74

42

59

43

49

60

55

69

68

Figure 3 Norwegians digital skills for all 34 indicators. (N=1998)

the computer (74), and on sending and receiving SMS

messages on a mobile phone (74). One interestingobservation is that the population as a whole reports

having more experience in sending and receiving e-mails

than they have with SMS messages.


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As regards the use of drawing and graphics applications,

for example, PowerPoint (42) and the use ofspreadsheets (43), competence appears to be morelimited. As a whole, we have the least experience

in communication through chat rooms (28) andparticipating in cooperation and project groups overthe Internet (28), as well as in creating (22) and using(28) a digital signature13.

The 34 skill types measure the digital competence ofNorwegians in eight separate ICT areas.

2.2. ICT areas

The eight ICT areas refer to a persons ability toperform tasks with the aid of digital tools, by nding,creating, managing and integrating information from

various sources, and being able to communicate thisinformation to others (see gure 1).

Norwegians score highest using digital tools for

identifying and dening information needs (67). This

involves searching for information on the Internet, often

in association with travels and contact with government

agencies. The latter activity includes, for example, use of

the Tax Directorates website for submitting the annual

tax return form, or searching for a place for children in

a day-care centre. In view of the fact that public services

are becoming increasingly digitalized, it is promising to

observe that our skills are best in exactly this area.

Dening information needs and accessing informationhave clear similarities. These are also elds in which

Norwegians excel (62). However, the score in this areais lowered by the fact that many feel that they havelimited skills in using websites in languages other thanNorwegian.

The competence is somewhat lower with regard to

assessment (55) and integration of information (53).Here, assessment is dened as the ability to evaluateinformation with regard to quality, relevance and

usefulness. Critical sense and discretionary judgmentare key elements in this context. Integration ofinformation is intended as a measure of the more

operative competence associated with data processing,

i.e. competence in using the most common types of

digital tools, like word processing, spreadsheets and

graphics applications. Norwegians are poor at usingspreadsheets and graphics applications, but far betterat using word processors (see gure 3).

We have least experience in the areas of

communication and information sharing (51) and ofcreating new information using ICT tools (49). Usinge-mail is an example of communication with the aid

of ICT, and in this area, Norwegians have a lot of

experience. With regard to more advanced areas of

use, like organizing and arranging meetings, conductingmeetings over the Internet, using digital signatures

and communicating through chat rooms, the level of

competence and experience is lower. Compared to the

other ICT areas, we have less experience in creating

and presenting new information with the aid of ICT. In

this area, the variation is also most pronounced. This is

a eld in which the population tends to have very highskills or the opposite, only very limited abilities.

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Total

Creating new information

Communication and sharing

Integrating information

Assessing information

Managing information

Access to relevant information


Defining information needs 67

55

49

51

53

55

60

60

62

Figure 4 Norwegians digital competence, by ICT areas (N=1998)

13 Digital signatures are not widely used in Norway. As opposed to Denmark, Norway has no common public standard for this technologicalsolution at the present time.


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Furthermore, we elucidate the user levels and how

the users on each level score within the various ICT

areas as a whole. The red lines in gure 5 indicate thethreshold to a placement at level 1 (with a score lowerthan 40) and at level 3 (with a score higher than 70).

There is a clear correlation between the populationsscores within the eight ICT areas and their placement

at the various user levels. Weak users have decientcompetence in the eld of ICT, and therefore score atlevel 1 in all areas. They have a weak competence indening information needs and in accessing relevantinformation on the Internet, which is gradually

becoming a democratic prerequisite in contemporarysociety. In this manner, a gap is likely to occur, in theform of a digital divide between those who master thistechnology and those who do not.

The weak users have a very limited command ofcontemporary information and communication

technology. The distance between the weak and

the intermediate users is wider than between theintermediate and the strong users. Accordingly, the

intermediate users are closer to becoming strong usersthan the weak users are to becoming intermediateusers. On the one hand, we can identify the non-

users or those who on the whole possess only limited

skills, and on the other hand those who master thetechnology. Even though there are large variations in

the skills at level 2 ranging from a score of 45 withregard to creating new information to a score of

74 on the area dening information needs overall

competence is not weak in any of the ICT areas.

At level 3, digital competence on the whole is high

within all areas. These users possess strong skills withinthe entire eld. Nevertheless, with regard to the strongusers communication and information sharing stands

out as an area in which the skills are not as high as inthe others. This applies in particular to the use of chat

rooms and digital signatures.

2.3 Use and accessChapter 2.3 describes the populations access to, anduse of, PCs and the Internet, including patterns of use

among men and women in different age groups. The

purpose of this chapter is to describe whether certaingroups are better represented in digital society thanothers. We will continue with a review of various

arenas of use of ICT, and how patterns of use and

ICT habits are correlated with the skills and placementof the citizens at the different user levels.

A total of 85 per cent of the Norwegian population use

a PC at home, and 84 per cent access the Internet from

home. In the youngest age group, those under 30 years,

93 per cent of the men and 95 per cent of the women

use a PC at home. The proportion that access the

Internet at home is somewhat lower. The use of PCs

and the Internet decreases with age. The two oldest age

groups, those aged 60 years or over, use PCs and theInternet at home far less than the younger part of the

population.

More men than women use a PC and the Internetat home. With the exception of the youngest, this

Figure 5 Levels and ICT areas (N =1792)

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Creating new information

Communication and sharing

Integrating information

Assessing information

Technologically self-reliant

Technologically self-reliant


Defining information needs

Level 3 (N=725)

Level 2 (N=737)

Level 1 (N=330)

3430

29

282220

239

7467

6262

575353

45

9590

8989

8484

7784


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applies to all age groups. The differences between menand women in the use of ICT increases with age. The

difference is higher with regard to frequency of use

than with regard to access. The proportion of daily

users of PCs and the Internet decreases with age, and

among women in particular there is a marked drop inthe proportion of daily users after the age of 60. Notonly do fewer women use ICT at home, they also do

so more rarely than men in the same age group.

Furthermore, the analysis shows that there are

differences in the patterns of use for users at the

various levels, both in terms of where digital toolsare used and how often they are used.

2.3.1 User levels: Access to, and use of, PCs

A total of 75 per cent of the Norwegian population

uses a PC on a daily basis. Another ten per cent reports

that they never use this type of technology; this groupis found at level 0. Nine per cent reports that they use

a PC two to four times per week, and seven per centresponds that they use a PC once a week or less often.

The frequency of use varies strongly between the

various levels. A total of 97 per cent of the users at level

3 use a PC on a daily basis, against 44 per cent at level 1.

The difference is not as wide between levels 2 and 3.

The youngest respondents are the most frequent users

of digital tools. In addition, the level of education has

a strong inuence on the frequency of use. Thesefactors are internally correlated, because the level ofeducation tends to be higher in the younger age groups.While more than 80 per cent of the respondents with

higher education use digital tools on a daily basis, thisproportion is only 60 per cent among those with lowersecondary education. More daily users are also found

among respondents with an academic education than

among those with vocational training.

The analysis will further describe the PC users (levels 1, 2

and 3), and review various arenas for use of digital tools.

Table 2 Frequency of use (PC) by levels. Percentages. (N =1 998)

Level 0 (N=206) Level 1 (N=330) Leve l 2 (N=737) Level 3 (N=725) Tota l (N=1998)

Daily 0 44 86 97 75

2-4 times per week 0 25 11 2 9

Approximately once per week 0 13 2 0 3

Approximately 1-2 times per month 0 10 1 0 2

More rarely 0 8 0 0 2

Never 100 0 0 0 10

Total 100 100 99 100 101

75

93

95

86

81

83

78

72

71

68

50

49

28

95

93

93

94

92

89

87

81

78

68

66

40

84

88

91

83

79

81

70

68

56

62

40

46

22

69

78

85

97

95

94

95

91

88

85

80

69

67

45

Uses the Internet daily

Internet at home

0 20 40 60 80 100

Uses a PC daily

Pc at home

Women

Men

Women

Men

Women

Men

Women

Men

Women

Men

Women

Men

Total

Under 30

3039

4049

5059

6069

70+

020406080100

Figure 6 Access to a PC and the Internet

at home and proportion of daily users.

Percentages. (N=1998)


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A total of 95 per cent of the users make use of a PC athome, and 65 per cent respond that they use a PC at

work. Many of these also use a laptop at home as wellas at work. 40 per cent use a PC belonging to anotherfamily member, and 15 per cent use digital tools atschool. A somewhat lower proportion report that they

use PCs found in libraries and Internet cafs.

Most of the respondents use a PC at home, irrespective

of their skill level. On the other hand, there are markeddifferences between the user groups in the use of ICTin the work situation. Among users at level 3, a totalof 79 per cent report that they use a PC at work.Among those at level 1, a total of 38 per cent give the

same response. The majority of these have completedtheir education at the upper secondary school level,

whereof those with vocational training constitute the

largest group. Most of these work in the health and

care sector, and are more frequent users of PCs in

comparison to others in the weak group.

There is a discernible tendency for strong users to make

more frequent use of PCs in a larger variety of locations

than the intermediate and the weak users. This also

applies to use of PCs found in libraries and Internet cafs.

2.3.2 User levels: Access to, and use of,

the Internet

A total of 77 per cent of the users report that they

access the Internet on a daily basis. Nine percent usethe Internet once a week or less. Those who neveruse the Internet are placed at level 1, as a logical

consequence of the fact that many of the questions that

measure digital competence are associated with the

use of the Internet. While 95 per cent of the users at

Table 3 Use of PCs by levels. Percentages. (N=1792)

Level 1 (N=330) Leve l 2 (N=737) Level 3 (N=725) Tota l (N=1792)

At home 91 95 98 95

At work 38 64 79 65Laptop PC at home and at work 18 34 57 40

With family 21 37 52 40

At school/place of study 4 13 22 15

In the library 5 8 16 11

At Internet cafs 4 6 15 9

Other places 2 3 5 4

Table 4 Frequency of use (Internet) by levels. Percentages. (N=1792)

Leve l1 (N=330) Leve l 2 (N=737) Level 3 (N=725) Tota l (N=1792)

Daily 32 79 95 77

2-4 times per week 26 16 4 13

Approximately once per week 14 3 0 4

Approximately 1-2 times per month 11 1 1 3

More rarely 4 0 0 1

Never 13 0 0 2

Total 100 100 100 100

Table 5 Access to the Internet by levels. Percentages. (N =1792)

Level 1 (N=330) Leve l 2 (N=737) Level 3 (N=725) Tota l (N=1792)

At home 84 95 98 94

At work 41 63 78 65

At school/place of study 3 13 20 14

Other places 5 6 7 6


16/44


level 3 state that they use the Internet on a daily basis,this applies to only 32 per cent of the users at level 1.

However, a signicant proportion of the weak usersreport that they use the Internet on a weekly basis.

A total of 12 per cent of Norwegians do no use the

Internet, and ten per cent do not use ICT at all (level0), while approximately two per cent use a PC withouthaving access to or making use of the Internet. All ofthese are found at level 1.

As many as 90 per cent of the Norwegian population

makes use of a PC. Most of these have access to theInternet at home (94 per cent). In addition, a largeproportion of the users have access to the Internet at

work (65 per cent) or at school/place of study (14 percent).

Most of the PC users have access to this from home,

including the weak users. On the other hand, thereare differences in access to the Internet between thevarious user levels. Whereas 98 per cent of the users at

level 3 have access to the Internet at home, this applies

to 84 per cent among those at level 1.

In order to investigate how the use of ICT in various

arenas may inuence competence levels in thepopulation we will now investigate the purposes

to which the users put their PCs.

2.3.3 Various uses of PCs

The number of Norwegians who use a PC in a work

situation is approximately equal to those who use it

privately. Here, however, there are signicant differences

between the user levels. A total of 59 per cent of the

strong users report that their main use of the PC is in the

work situation. The weak users, on the other hand, tend

to use the PC mainly for private purposes (70 per cent).

This indicates that the use of a PC in the work situation

results in enhanced digital competence. One explanation

could be that those who use a PC at work tend to use it

more often, and thereby become more procient.

Among those who use PCs mainly at work, a total of

85 per cent are daily users, while this proportion ofdaily users is lower among those who mainly use the

PC in a private setting (72 per cent).

Using a PC at work leads to more frequent use of ICT.Even here, however, there are differences between thevarious user levels. The weak user group comprises arelatively low proportion of daily users, irrespective of

the purpose for which the PC is used, while the strong

users comprise a similarly high proportion of daily

users irrespective of purpose. PC use at work remains,

however, an inuential factor for increasing the level ofdigital competence.

Patterns of use and ICT habits exert a strong inuenceon digital competence levels. In other words, is it

true that those who use digital tools most frequently

are also the strongest users? A basic assumption forthis study is that experience leads to competence. As

regards the causal connection, there is no empirical

evidence to the causal direction of this correlation, i.e.

that more frequent use makes one a more procientuser, or whether having the prociency increases thefrequency of use. It is reasonable to assume that thesefactors mutually affect each other.

Table 7 Frequency of use for those who use a PC

mainly at work and privately. Percentages. (N=1618)

At work(N=826)

For private use(N=792)

Daily 85 72

2-4 times per week 12 16

Approximatelyonce per week 2 6

Approximately1-2 times per month

1 4

More rarely 0 2

Never 100 100

Table 6 What is the PC mainly used for? By level. Percentages. (N=1792)

Leve l 1 (N=330) Level 2 (N=737) Leve l 3 (N=725) Tota l (N=1792)

In the context of work 22 45 59 47

For private use 70 46 32 45In the context of education 3 6 7 6

Voluntary work and organizational activities 4 3 1 2

Do not know 0 1 1 1


17/44


2.4 Characteristics of the levels

This section describes the various user levels and thecharacteristics of these, based on background variables

like gender, age, education, income and employment/main occupation.

Men possess a higher digital competence than women.

Men have an average ICT score of 59, while women have

an average score of 51. In particular, men report a higher

score than women in the eld of technological self-

reliance. The gender difference is most prominent with

regard to the strong users. While 42 per cent of the men

are placed at level 3, this applies to only 30 per cent of

the women. The largest proportion of women is found at

level 2 (39 per cent), but women are also represented toa higher extent among the weak users and the non-users.

Nevertheless, there are other factors that characterize

the various levels to a more prominent extent, including

age, education and main occupation.

2.4.1 The young generation digital societys

natives

Digital competence decreases with age, and the

skills are particularly weak among the oldest of the

population. In the oldest age group, those aged 70 andolder, 44 per cent do not use a PC at all. A total of 70

per cent of the population in this age group have weakor no skills in the use of contemporary ICT technology.Even among those aged 50 years and above we nd arelatively high proportion on non-users and weak users.

The youngest age group possesses the highest digital

competence. In the age group under 30 years, which

includes a number of students, everybody uses ICT, either

at home or at work/place of study, often in combination.

Their ICT use is comprehensive in terms of the arenas ofuse and the purposes for which they use their PCs. Well

over half of them (58 per cent) are strong users.

Employment activity appears to have an impact on

digital competence within the various age groups. The

Figure 7 Gender distribution by levels. Percentages. (N=1998)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

8090

100Level 3

Level 2

Level 1

Level 0

Total (N=1 998)Women (N=965)Men (N=1 033)

815

34

42

1218

39

30

1017

37 36

Figure 8 Age groups by levels. Percentages. (N=1998)*

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Level 3

Level 2

Level 1

Level 0

70 and above (N=175)

6069 (N=332)

5059 (N=352)

4049 (N=459)

3039 (N=377)

Under 30 (N=298)

Total 10 17 37 36

5 36 58

2 10 36 53

5 16 38 41

10 22 42 26

20 24 38 19

44 26 26 3* 5 respondents have not reported their age


18/44


older the respondent, the higher the impact on digital

competence stemming from employment activity.

However, the strongest inuence on skill levels amongthose aged 30 years or above does not stem from

whether they are employed or not, but from whetherthey use a PC in the work situation.

For the youngest age group, the use of a PC in the work

situation has little impact on the total set of digital skills.

In the group aged 30 years and younger everybody

uses digital tools, and very few are weak users. Digital

competence is well-developed among the young, who

more or less have grown up with the use of digital media

and thereby have become digital societys natives.

For the remaining users, employment, age and the use

of a PC in the workplace have a large impact on therelevant skills. Of those aged 50 years and over, andwho use their PCs exclusively for private purposes, a

total of 42 per cent are found on level 1. On the other

hand, this applies to only 15 per cent of those who use

a PC at work.

There are wide variations in whether the use of ICT

in the workplace has an impact on digital skills. Theyoungest are already procient to an extent where thisfactor matters little, while for those who are older

and of working age, this is far more important. Forthe oldest among these, who can be characterizedas digital immigrants, the use of digital tools in the

workplace appears to have an integrating effect withregard to the contemporary information society.

Present-day labour markets increasingly require digitalcompetence, and the need to keep up is becomingmore and more pressing. These ndings indicate thata requirement to use ICT at work generates a need toacquire and develop digital skills.

2.4.2 Digital competence increases with levelsof education

Among those with four or more years of higher

education, a total of 57 per cent are regarded as strong

users, and this group comprises very few non-users or

weak users. The proportion of weak users is, however,

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 10

niv.college/university 4 yrs. or more (N=413)

Univ.college/university, 2 to 4 yrs. (N=374)

Univ.college/university, 2 yrs. or less (N=167)

Upper secondary, vocational (N=462)

Upper secondary, academic (N=295)

Lower secondary (N =264)

Total10 17 37 36

25 24 29 22

11 18 39 32

12 24 39 25

8 14 44 34

6 13 38 43

2 6 34 57

Level 0

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

* 23 respondents have notreported their level of education

Figure 9 Educational groups by levels. Percentages. (N=1998)*

Table 8 Average scores for ICT users (levels 1, 2 and 3) in different age groups, by use of PC at work or not(N= 1792)

Total (N=1792) Use at work (N=1159) Does not use at work (N=633) Difference

Average score Average score Average scoreIncrease in

average score

Under 30 72 76 69 7

30-39 68 71 51 20

40-49 63 67 46 21

50-69 54 60 45 15

Total 61 67 52 16


19/44


somewhat larger for those with less education from

university colleges or universities. Among those whohave upper secondary school as their highest attained

level of education there is a difference between thosewho have an academic orientation and those who have

undergone vocational training. The group that has

vocational training includes a larger proportion of weakusers than the group with academic studies. This latter

group also comprises a larger proportion of strong

users.

Close to half of those who have lower secondary as

their highest attained level of education are non-users

or weak users.

Use of ICT at work exerts a positive effect on digitalskill levels, in particular for the highest age groups inthe labour market. There are also differences betweenvarious educational groups with regard to whether

the use of ICT in the workplace has an impact oncompetence.

The use of ICT in the workplace leads to improvedICT skills, but this difference is not equally pronouncedin all educational groups. For those who have more than

four years of higher education, ICT scores increase by19 percentage points compared to those who do not

use a PC at work.

For those who have only a basic level of education astheir highest attained level, the use of digital tools at

work has little impact on their skills. This is likely toreect the types of jobs performed by this educationalgroup, in addition to the types of ICT processes that

are common in workplaces. For those with vocational

training, on the other hand, there is a marked differencein skills between those who use ICT at work and those

who do not (16 percentage points). In particular, there

are fewer weak users among those who use ICT atwork within this educational group.

For those who do not use ICT at work, there are fewdifferences in skills between the various educationalgroups.

2.4.3 Retirees and the disabled dominate the

non-user group

Among the population as a whole, a total of 65 percent report that they are economically active while

35 per cent respond that they are not, and are students,

unemployed, retired, homemakers or disabled.

The proportion of strong ICT users is considerablyhigher in the economically active part of the population

(42 per cent) compared to those who are not active inthe labour market (25 per cent). In the latter group, theproportion of non-users is high (21 per cent), whereofthe retirees and disabled form the majority. We ndfew non-users among the economically active (4 percent). The highest proportion of strong users is found

in the group of students and school pupils (56 per cent).

Digital skills increase with income levels. Among thosewith a household income of NOK 700 000 or more,

only one per cent report that they do not use a PC,

while more than half can be dened as strong ICTusers.

Half of those who have a household income of

NOK 300 000 or less are found at level 0 or 1.

Only 17 per cent of these are dened as strong users,

and the largest proportion of these are students.

Table 9 Average scores for ICT users (levels 1, 2 and 3) with various levels of education, by use of PCat work or not. (N= 1792)

Total (N=1792)Use at work(N=1159)

Does not use atwork (N=633)

Difference

Averagescore Averagescore Averagescore Increase inaverage score

Lower secondary 53 55 53 2

Upper secondary, vocational 55 62 45 16

Upper secondary, academic 60 63 56 8

Univ. college/university, 2 years or less 62 65 51 14

Univ. college/university, from 2 to 4 years 65 69 54 15

Univ. college/university, more than 4 years 71 74 55 19

Total 61 67 52 16


20/44

On the whole, the digital competence of the population

is good. Norwegians generally have ample access to

digital tools, even though variations remain betweenpopulation groups. There is a considerable proportion(27 per cent) of the population that possesses weakor no digital competence. Age and education have a

strong impact: The lower a persons age, the morelikely he/she is to possess high digital skills. The highera persons education, the more likely he/she is to beprocient in the use of ICT tools. Employment activity

and the use of digital tools in the workplace decreasethe differences in digital skills among age groups.This effect is especially pronounced in the oldest age

groups. Differences between educational groups withregard to digital skills are enhanced by the use of ICTin the workplace. Use of digital tools at work tends toincrease the frequency of use and more variation in

forms of use. These factors exert a strong inuenceon the level of digital skills.

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Level 3

Level 2

Level 1

Level 0

More than

NOK 700 000 (N =471)

NOK 500700 000(N =370)

NOK 300500 000 (N=366)

Less than

NOK 300 000 (N=249)

Total (N=1 998) 10 17 37 36

25 25 33 17

9 21 43 27

4 14 40 43

1 6 38 55

Figure 11 Household income by levels. Percentages. (N=1998)*

* 211 respondents have not reported household income


Figure 10 Main occupation by levels. Percentages. (N=1998)*

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Disabled (N=78)

Working at home/homemaker (N=39)

Retired (N=294)

Unemployed (N=30)

Student, apprentice (N=1 97)

Self-employed (N=145)

Employee (N=1 146)

Economically non-active (N=707)

Economically active (N=1 291)

Total (N=1 998) 10 17 37 36

4 15 38 42

21 20 34 25

4 14 39 43

10 21 34 35

5 39 56

10 13 60 17

34 26 32 8

21 28 38 13

31 31 26 13

Level 0

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3


21/44

This chapter will describe how and why we learn or failto learn to use ICT tools, and the populations opinionson the need to learn more in order to meet future

needs. We will then go on to elucidate the factors that

promote and motivate the use of ICT, as well as the

factors that are perceived as limitations and barriersto a further strengthening of digital skills.

3.1 Acquiring digital competenceFigure 12 shows the factors that Norwegians believeto have been their key methods to learning how touse ICT. The respondents were asked to state threemethods that they felt were the most important for

them.

As many as 69 per cent of the users have acquired theirICT skills by independent trial and error. Approximatelyhalf emphasize guidance received from friends and

3.0 How and why learn to use ICT

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Public training facilities

Courses chosen/paid for by myself

Reading manuals and instructions

Guidance by colleagues

Training courses at workplace/school

Guidance by friends/family

Trial and error 69

8

9

23

34

42

53

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

All users(N=1 792)

Level 1 (N=725)

Level 2 (N=737)

level 3 (N=330)



Reading manualsand instructions

Guidance by colleagues

Training courses atworkplace/school

Guidance byfriends/family

Trial and error

5466

78

69

7059

4053

3343

4542

2638

3434

1521

2923

11999

8

988

Figure 12 Most important methods for learning ICT skills. Percentages. (N=1792)

Question wording: I will now list some methods for learning to use a computer. Which of these have been most important for you?

Figure 13 Acquisition of digital skills by levels. Percentages.

Question wording: I will now list some methods for learning to use a computer. Which three of these have been most important for you?


22/44


family as a prominent method for learning ICT skills.A total of 42 per cent feel that ICT training provided

at the workplace/place of study has been important forthem. These three methods are thereby regarded as

most important for acquisition of ICT skills.

A considerable proportion also perceive guidanceprovided by colleagues as a useful method for learningto use ICT (34 per cent).

The younger generation has for the most part acquired

their digital skills through independent trial and error.Guidance from friends and family has been equallyrelevant for all age groups, in particular for those with

less education. The elderly in the age group from 60 to

69 years stand out in this context, as almost one thirdof them report that training courses that they paid forthemselves have been an important learning method.

People at the various user levels have used different

methods to acquire their skills.

The strongest users have learned to use ICT on their

own, through trial and error and by reading manualsand guides. The weakest users have mainly learned theirskills with the aid of friends and family.

The weak users have only to a limited extent acquiredany digital competence through training courses at the

workplace. However, because this group also comprisesa considerable number of elderly people and retirees,this option tends to be less relevant for this group.

As many as 67 per cent of the users feel that theyquickly can get acquainted with new technology. Onethird perceive this as a eld over which they have littlecommand. The perception of quickly adapting to newtechnology is correlated with the level of skills.

Close to all level 3 users feel that they can quickly learn

and make use of new technology. The weak users have

the opposite experience. The intermediate users on the

whole reect the average for the population, of which the

majority perceive this as a eld that they already master.

3.2 Motivation and barriers

The population varies strongly in its use of ICT, interms of where these tools are used and for what

purpose. Correspondingly, there are variations in the

motivations for making use of ICT. In a similar vein,there are different perceptions of the factors that are

perceived as barriers to acquisition of digital skills.

3.2.1 Motivation

The majority report that they use ICT becausethese tools help them in daily life (72 per cent).Approximately 60 per cent use digital tools becausetheir job or studies require them to, or because theynd it entertaining or exciting. Relatively few reportusing ICT in order to improve their opportunities in

the labour market (32 per cent).

On the whole, the weak users emerge as less motivated

to make use of digital tools than the strong users.

Among the weak users, the majority use ICT tools

because they are a help in daily life, or because they nd

them entertaining and exciting. These users differ from

those at levels 2 and 3 in being far less motivated by job-

related factors. This applies to the economically active

as well as the inactive at this level. Among the strong

users, a far larger proportion reports that they use ICT

in order to stay abreast of developments at work or inthe context of studies. This observation is caused by the

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

No

Yes

All users

(N=1 792)

Level 3

(N=725)

Level 2

(N=737)

Level 1

(N=330)

19

81

62

38

92

8

67

33

Figure 14 Perceived ability to quickly becomefamiliar with new technology by levels.Percentages. (N=1792)*

* Respondents were asked whether they consider themselves as aperson who easily becomes familiar with new ICT technology andthen uses it. Those who replied to some extent and to a la rge

extent were merged into one category, referred to as Yes, theyhave this ability. Those who replied to a minor extent and notat all, as well as those who replied do not know, were placed inthe category No, and do not have this ability.


23/44

How and why learn to use ICT 23

fact that a considerably larger group among the strong

users depends on the use of ICT at work.

3.2.2 Barriers

Individuals may perceive several factors as barriersto the use of digital tools, or to becoming a moreprocient user of such tools.

Lack of time and interest, followed by non-existentneeds, constitute the main barriers to strengtheningones digital skills. Other challenges are associated withlack of knowledge of digital tools, the perception of

these as complicated, and an absence of opportunitiesfor training. Financial constraints and lack of accessare only to a limited extent perceived as barriers toacquisition of digital skills.

The perceptions of barriers differ among the variouslevels. More than half of the non-users and the weakusers report that a lack of interest constitutes themain barriers to their use of digital tools. One third ofthose found at level 1 respond that lack of knowledgeand limited skills in this eld stop them from becomingbetter users.

Figure 16 Barriers to improvement of digital skills. Percentages. (N =1998)

0 10 20 30 40 50

Finances cannot afford to

Lack of access to computer,the Internet or relevant software

Lack of assistance from others(colleagues/family/teachers etc.

Others do it for me

Lack of training opportunities

Limited skills finds it difficult

Lack of knowledge

Lack of need

Lack of interest

Time constraints 42

35

25

21

18

16

12

9

8

8

Question wording: : Which are the main barriers for you to become better at using a computer and the Internet?

Figure 15 Motivation for the use of digital tools by levels. Percentages.

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

All users (N=1 792)Level 3 (N=725)Level 2 (N=737)Level 1 (N=330)

To improve my opportunities

in the labour market

Because it is

entertaining and exciting

It is necessary to keep

up at work or at school

Because they make life easier

50

7579

72

28

6279

63

44

5868

60

11

3042

32

Question wording: Which of the following reasons to use a computer and the Internet apply to you?


24/44


A total of 27 per cent of the non-users report that lackof access to computers, the Internet or relevant software

constitute reasons for their not using digital tools.

Close to half of the users at levels 2 and 3 perceive time

constraints to be the most prominent obstacle to afurther improvement of their digital skills.

These barriers against the use of ICT or againstfurther improvement of skills reect a digital dividebetween non-users and weak users on the one hand,and intermediate and strong users on the other. Those

who use ICT extensively report that they lack the timeto improve their skills. Those who rarely or never usedigital tools report that they have neither any interest,

nor any need to do so.

3.3 Future needs

Technology has become an integrated part ofNorwegian society, and we may reasonably assume thatdigitalization will proceed even further. We therefore

need to take a look at how the population perceivesits need for a further strengthening of skills in orderto meet future requirements related to the use of

ICT at work and in daily life, including the methodsthat are perceived as appropriate for improving digital

competence.

3.3.1 Future needs for improving digital skills at

work

Among the population as a whole, a total of 58 per cent

perceives a need for enhancement of their digital skillswith regard to their job situation, while the remaining

42 per cent claims that this is unnecessary. Among the

intermediate and strong users, a total of 63 and 77per cent respectively feel that they need to improve

their digital skills with regard to working life. On theother hand, this applies to only 13 per cent of the non-

users and 33 per cent of the weak users. This clearlyreects the digital divide between those who masterthe technology and those who do not. Among the non-

users and the weak users only a minority perceive afuture need to improve their digital skills in relation to

their jobs. For the intermediate and the strong users wecan observe the opposite tendency.

Table 10 Barriers to improvement of digital skills by level. Percentages. (N =1998)

Level 0 (N=206) Level 1 (N=330) Leve l 2 (N=737) Level 3 (N=725) Tota l (N=1998)

Time constraints 12 28 45 53 42

Lack of interest 52 55 35 20 35Lack of need 36 32 27 17 25

Lack of knowledge 20 34 25 12 21

Limited skills nd it difcult 18 33 22 8 18

Lack of training opportunities 17 19 19 11 16

Others do it for me 18 20 12 6 12Lack of assistance from others(colleagues/family/teachers etc.) 10 15 10 4 9

Lack of access to computer, the Internetor relevant software

27 7 6 4 8

Finances cannot afford to 9 7 6 9 8

* Respondents were asked to what extent they believe that theywill have a need to improve their work-related skills in the use ofa computer and the Internet in the future. Those who replied tosome extent and to a large extent have been merged into thecategory of those who perceive such a need. Those who repliedto a minor extent and not at all, as well as those who replied

do not know, have been merged into the category of those whodo not perceive this need.

Figure 17 Perceived future need to improve digital

skills in relation to work by level. Percentages.

(N=1 998)*

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

No need

Need

Total

(N=1 998)

Level 3

(N=725)

Level 2

(N=737)

Level 1

(N=330)

Level 0

(N=206)

13

87

33

6763

37

58

42

77

23


25/44


If we restrict the analysis to those who are

economically active and those who use ICT at work,the picture becomes more varied. Figure 18 showsthe proportion of those who perceive a need to

improve their digital skills among respondents whoare economically active and among those who use ICT

at work within the various levels.

The differences in perceived needs with regard to

improvement of digital skills become somewhat smallerwhen we compare the economically active at the

various user levels. The strongest users still perceive

this need to the greatest extent, but the perceptionof this need is signicantly greater among those non-users and the weak users who are economically active.Among those who are economically active and who do

not use a PC today, more than twice as many (31 percent) perceive such a need in comparison to the totalnumber of non-users (13 per cent).

If we look at those who use a PC at work, the

differences between the levels are further reduced.For the weak users, the use of a PC at work has a largeimpact on whether they perceive a need to improve

their skills or not. Among the weak users as a whole,a total of 33 per cent feel a need for improvement of

their skills, while among those weak users who use aPC at work 61 per cent report the same need. Evenamong the intermediate users, the proportion who

perceive a need to become better users is higheramong those who are economically active, in particular

among those who use a PC at work. The strong users

perceive this need irrespective of their frequency andarea of use. At level 3, these differences are therefore

less pronounced. In addition, most of these respondents

are economically active and use ICT in their jobs.

The economically active perceive a larger need for

improvement of their skills than those who are outsidethe labour market. Among the non-users in particularthere are large variations between the economicallyactive and the non-active with regard to whether they

perceive a need to become ICT users and to improvetheir digital skills. The major factor with regard todigital skills appears to be less related to economicalactivity, and more related to actual use of ICT in the

work situation.

3.3.2 Future needs for improving digital skills

in everyday life

Approximately half of the Norwegian population

perceives a need for better digital skills in relation tofuture use of a PC and the Internet in everyday life. The

digital divide makes itself felt even here, as non-users

and weak users perceive this need to a lesser extentthan intermediate and strong users.

Among the non-users, a total of 22 per cent claim that

they need to improve their digital skills in order to meet

future needs in daily life, and thereby feel that this need

is more acute with regard to daily life than in terms

of working life. The same observation can be made

with regard to the weak users. More than half of the

intermediate and strong users perceive a need to improve

their digital skills in relation to everyday life, although

for this group the need to improve their ICT skills isperceived as more acute with regard to working li fe.

Figure 18 Proportion perceiving a need to improve their work-related skills by level, employment activity andthe use of a PC at work.

* Respondents were asked to what extent they believe that they will have a need to improve their work-related skills in the use of computers andthe Internet in the future. In the gure above, only those who perceive this need have been included. These have answered to some extent orto a large extent.

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

8090

100

Use ICT at work

Economically active

All

Total

(N=1 998/1 291/1 159)

Level 3

(N=725/546/571)

Level 2

(N=737/495/469)

Level 1

(N=330/192/119)

Level 0

(N=206/58/0)

13

31

0

33

49

61 63

77 79 77 84 84

58

7480


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There are few differences between the economicallyactive and the non-active with regard to the perceived

need to improve digital skills for use in everyday life.At level 0, however, there is a larger group among the

economically active (35 per cent) who perceives thisneed in comparison with the total number of non-users(22 per cent).

There are signicant variations in the populationsperceptions of what they will need to know in thefuture, and the extent to which they feel a need

to improve their digital skills. While the need to

strengthen skills in relation to the job situationincreases in proportion to the existing skill level, theneed to strengthen skills in relation to private use ofICT appears as more uniform among all skill levels,with the exception of the non-users. Respondents in

this latter group on the whole perceive a smaller need

for enhancing their digital competence.

3.3.3 Future learning

A majority of the Norwegians perceive a need to

enhance their digital skills in order to meet futurerequirements. It is therefore relevant to reviewthe methods that the population wishes to use

for development of such skills.

A total of 42 per cent claim that self-study is the bestway to learn how to use ICT. Approximately the same

proportion feels that guidance from friends and family

or training courses at the workplace/place of study arebest suited as learning methods. A total of 27 per centnd guidance from colleagues to be useful, while 17-18per cent claim that digital skills can be best developedthrough participation in courses paid for privately or byvisiting public training facilities.

Non-users and weak users nd that guidance fromfriends and family is the most advantageous learning

0 10 20 30 40 50



Guidance from colleagues

Courses at workplace/school

Guiadnce from friends/family

Self-study 42

41

38

27

18

17

Figure 20 Development of computer and Internet skills. Percentages. (N=1998)

Question wording: Seen in relation to your needs, how would you prefer to develop your computer and Internet skills?

* Respondents were asked to what extent they believe that they willneed to improve their skills with regard to private use of computersand the Internet in the future. Those who answered to someextent and to a large extent have been merged into the categoryof those who perceive this need. Those who answered to a minorextent and not at all, as well as those who answered do not

know, have been merged into the category of those who do notperceive this need.

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

No need

Need

Total

N=1 998

Level 3

N=725

Level 2

N=737

Level 1

N=330

Level 0

N=206

22

78

45

54 57

43

51 4955

45

Figure 19 Perceived need to improve digitalskills related to private use* by level. Percentages.(N=1998)


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method. Non-users take the most positive view ofusing public training facilities. Weak users tend toagree. The weak users perceive self-study as not verydesirable. On the other hand, a total of 58 per cent of

the strong users claim that self-study is the best methodfor learning how to use ICT, and the same applies to41 per cent of the intermediate users. Self-study is

also reported to constitute the method by which theintermediate and the strong users have acquired most

of their existing skills.

At the higher skill levels, more emphasis is placed onself-study and on training courses provided at the

workplace or place of study. At the lower levels, themajority claims that skills are best developed through

guidance from friends and family or by visiting publictraining facilities.

Table 11 Development of computer and Internet skills by level. Percentages. (N=1998)

Level 0 (N=206) Level 1 (N=330) Leve l 2 (N=737) Leve l 3 (N=725) Tota l (N=1998)

Self-study 22 23 41 58 42

Guidance from friends/family 46 56 43 31 41Courses at the workplace/at school 12 26 40 49 38

Guidance from colleagues 12 20 29 31 27

Courses chosen/paid for by myself 21 23 17 16 18

Public training facilities 26 24 16 12 17


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4.0 Segments of ICT userswith weak and strong skills

There are clear differences between the varioususer levels, but the levels are far from internallyhomogenous. Within each level, factors likedemography, ICT habits and attitudes to future needsand learning all vary. By undertaking a cluster analysis15we can reveal segments of users within each level. In

this manner, the users can be grouped within theirrespective level on the basis of characteristics otherthan digital skills. A segmentation of this kind yields

a more complex picture of the nature of the weak,intermediate and strong users.

This categorization provides a more distinct

identication of the ICT users, which can beappropriate with regard to political goals for

a reduction of the digital divide.

4.1 Segments of the population

with weak digital skillsThe weak users do not constitute a homogenousgroup. Their use of PCs and the Internet varies from

rarely to occurring on a daily basis. Most of them usea PC for private purposes, while some mainly use a PC

at work. Some perceive a strong need to learn more,while others feel this to a lesser extent . Some factors,

however, are common to all users at level 1. Among

these are a general lack of interest in ICT mattersand the perception that they are unable to becomeacquainted with new technology very quickly. The level1 users constitute 17 per cent of the population as a

whole.

The satised senior citizen

Approximately half of the weak users are found inthe category The satised senior citizen. This groupconstitutes eight per cent of the Norwegian population

as a whole. The satised senior citizen is an elderlyman or woman with low level of basic education, andwho has retired from the labour market. He/she hasaccess to a PC and the Internet at home, and uses

digital tools for private purposes. The satised seniorcitizen uses a PC and the Internet because they are

helpful in daily life and are entertaining. He/she has

learned to use these tools with the aid of friends and

family members, and does not perceive a need or aninterest to learn more; they know enough already.

The motivated, but weak user

Six per cent of the population is found within this

segment, which consists of economically active persons

with a relatively high level of education. This group

comprises slightly more women than men, and theyhave a lot in common with the intermediate users at

level 2. The motivated, but weak user makes use ofcomputers and the Internet quite often, and reports

several factors that motivate him/her to use digital

tools at work and at home. He/she perceives a need toimprove their digital skills for future use, in particularwith regard to their jobs, but also in the context ofeveryday use. He/she wants to achieve this through self-

study and with the help of friends, family members andcolleagues, as well as through workplace-based trainingcourses. Even though these users are motivated to

use ICT and perceive a need for further improvement

of their skills, many of them still have an insufcientinterest in ICT matters to undertake this effort. Lack ofinterest is a common characteristic of the users at level

1. On the other hand, in the segment The motivated,

but weak user this lack of interest is less widespread.Time constraints are also perceived as an obstacle tofurther development of digital skills.

The almost non-user

Three per cent of the population falls into the category

of The almost non-user. This is a man or woman

aged from 40 to 60 years. He/she has relatively littleeducation, although many have vocational training.

The economically active and the non-active alike arerepresented in this category. He/she uses a PC and

the Internet quite rarely. Some have no access to the

Internet or no PC at home. Thereby, The almost non-user sits on the boundary between the weak user andthe non-user. This group has litt le interest in learning

more about ICT, although they may perceive a certainneed to improve their skills in relation to private use.

They intend to do so with the aid of friends and familymembers.

14 Cluster analysis is a statistical method used for classication of units (e.g. the population) into segments or sub-groups.


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Segments of ICT users with weak and strong skills 29

Table 12 Segments of the population at level 1.

Name:

Segment 1 (8 per cent)

The Satised Senior Citizen

Elderly people and retirees whouse PCs and the Internet quiteoften, because it is entertainingand makes life easier.


The Motivated, But Weak User

Uses a PC and the Internet quiteoften, and has multiple motivationsfor using digital tools.


The Almost Non-User

Hardly ever uses a PC or theInternet, and has few motivationsto improve use.

Demography: - Women as well as men- 60 per cent older than 60 years- Little education- Not economically active- Many retirees- Relatively low income

- Mostly women- Average age 46 years- Many well-educated (35 per cent)- Many with vocational training- Economically active- Average level of income

- Women as well as men- Average age 58 years- Low level of education,

half have vocational training- Low income- Half are economically active.

Among the non-actives mostare retirees and the disabled.

ICT habits andmotivation:

- Uses a PC for private purposes,on a daily or weekly basis

- Has access to a PC and theInternet at home

- None of them perceives aneed to improve skills relatedto work, and only to a limitedextent in relation to private use

- Uses a PC because it makeslife easier and because it isentertaining.

- Most use a PC and the Interneton a daily basis

- Uses ICT both at work and athome

- Perceives a need to improveskills, with regard to work inparticular, but also for private use

- Uses a PC because: - it is required in the job situation - it makes life easier - it is entertaining and exciting - to improve opportunities in the

labour market

- Rarely uses a PC, and theInternet even more rarely

- Some do not use a PC at home,and have no access to theInternet at home. Some haveno access to the Internet at all

- Perceives a need to improve

skills in relation to private use,but not in relation to work.

Howrespondentlearned to usea PC?

- Has learned to use a PC withthe aid of friends and family.

- Independent trial and error- Help from friends, family and

colleagues- Workplace-based training

- Has learned to use a PC withthe aid of friends and familymembers

Barriers toimprovementof ICT skills

- Lack of interest and need- Limited skills, nds it difcult

- Reports lack of interest to alesser extent

- Reports time constraints

- Lack of interest, but also lackof access

How toimprove skills?

- If improvement is required, thiswould happen with the aid ofguidance from friends and familymembers

- Improvement with the aidof friends/family/ colleagues,workplace-based training

- Guidance from friends andfamily members


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4.2 Segments of the populationwith intermediate digital skills

Three segments stand out at level 2. All of these use

ICT regularly, but the places where they use a PC andthe purposes for which they use it vary. In addition,

there are also clear differences in the extent to which

they perceive a need to improve their skills. Level 2constitutes 37 per cent of the population as a whole.

The job user willing to learn

A total of 14 per cent of the Norwegian population is

found in the category of job users willing to learn.Here, women form the majority, most of whom havean education at the university college or university level

or vocational training. The job user willing to learn iseconomically active, and mainly employed in the healthand care services. She has access to a PC at work, anduses ICT mainly in the work context. She feels that shecan easily familiarize herself with new technology, and

she envisages a future need for improving her digital

skills, in relation to the job as well as to private life.The job user willing to learn derives motivation forusing ICT tools mainly from the feeling that they are

a help in daily tasks, make it easier to stay abreast ofdevelopments at work and strengthen her opportunitiesin the labour market. She has learned to use ICT toolsby independent trial and error, from workplace-basedtraining courses and through guidance provided bycolleagues. In order to improve her skills, she wishesto participate in workplace-based training and receivesguidance from colleagues and friends/family members.Time constraints are perceived as the most prominent

obstacle to further developme

The Digital Citizen SEC

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