Digital capital and digital inequalities among students

Keywords: higher education, digital capital, digital inequalities, index of students` digital capital, students

Abstract


The aim of the paper is to analyze the characteristics of students` digital capital, with a particular focus on education and digital inequalities. It is assumed that students` digital capital is relatively high, as they are digital natives. Auxiliary hypotheses relate to characteristics of digital capital in education, as well as the dependence of digital capital on students` socio-demographic and educational characteristics. The analysis is based on the data from a survey conducted on a sample of 438 students. For the purposes of the analysis, a five-dimensional index of students` digital capital was constructed. The results partially confirm the main hypothesis and an auxiliary one, while the hypotheses regarding digital capital in education and the impact of educational portfolio are fully confirmed.

References

Addeo F., D’Auria V., Delli Paoli A., Punziano G., Ragnedda M., Ruiu, M. L. (2023). Measuring digital capital in Italy. Frontiers in Sociology, 8: 1144657. http://doi.org/10.3389/fsoc.2023.1144657.

Aissaoui, N. (2022). The digital divide: a literature review and some directions for future research in light of COVID-19. Global Knowledge, Memory and Communication, 71(8/9), 686–708. http://doi.org/10.1108/GKMC-06-2020-0075.

Amankwah-Amoah, J., Khan, Z., Wood, G., Knight, G. (2021). COVID-19 and digitaliza- tion: The great acceleration. Journal of Business Research, 136, 602–611. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.08.011.

Ben Youssef, A., Dahmani, M., Omran, N. (2010). Students’ E-skills, Organizational Change and Diversity of Learning Process: Evidence from French Universities in 2010. ZEW Discussion Papers, No. 12–031, Zentrum für Europäische Wirtschaftsforschung (ZEW), Mannheim, Germany. Available at: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/58256.

Blomquist, C., Hägglund, A. (2021). Forced Digitalization as a Result of COVID-19. Umeä: Umeä School of Business, economics and statistics (degree project). Available at: https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1574276/FULLTEXT01.pdf.

Bourdieu, P., Passeron, J. C. (1990). Reproduction in Education, Society and Culture. London: SAGE.

Bozkurt, A., Tu, C-H. (2016). Digital identity formation: socially being real and present on digital networks. Educational Media International, 53(3), 153-167. http://doi.org/10.1080/09523987.2016.1236885.

Bradić-Martinović, A. (2022). Digital skills of Serbian citizens. Belgrade: Institute of eco- nomic sciences. [In Serbian]

Bradić-Martinović, A., Nedović, N., Zdravković, A. (2020). Internet as an educational resource – analysis of preferences of students in Serbia (20–23). In: Innovations in modern education. Novi Sad: Faculty of technical sciences. [In Serbian]

Bradić-Martinović, A., Pavlović, D., Zdravković, A. (2019). Students’ digital skills in Serbia. In: Quality of higher education (210–213). Novi Sad: Faculty of technical sciences. [In Serbian]

Bygstad, B., Øvrelid, E., Ludvigsen, S., Dæhlen, M. (2022). From dual digitalization to digital learning space: Exploring the digital transformation of higher education. Computers & Education, 182, 104463. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2022.104463.

Calderón Gómez, D. (2019). Understanding Technological Socialization. A Socio-Generational Study of Young Adults’ Techno-Biographical Trajectories in the Region of Madrid. Medijske studije, 10(20), 12–30. https://doi.org/10.20901/ms.10.20.1

Castells, M. (1996). The Information Age, vol. 1: The Rise of the Network Society. Oxford: Blackwell.

Castro Benavides, L. M., Tamayo Arias, J. A., Burgos, D., Martens, A. (2022). Measuring digital transformation in higher education institutions – content validity instrument. Applied Computing and Informatics, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https:// doi.org/10.1108/ACI-03-2022-0069.

Chinn, M., Fairlie, R. (2007). The Determinants of the Global Digital Divide: A Cross- Country Analysis of Computer and Internet Penetration. Oxford Economic Papers – New Series, 59(1), 16–44. http://www.jstor.org/stable/4500086.

Clamore, W., Saloma, C. (2023). Digital capital and belonging in universities: quantifying social inequalities in the Philippines. Frontiers in Education, 8, 1137121. https://doi. org/10.3389/feduc.2023.1137121.

Diaz-Garcia, V., Montero-Navarro, A., Rodriguez-Sanchez, J-L., Gallego-Losada, R. (2022). Digitalization and digital transformation in higher education: A bibliometric analysis. Frontiers in Psychology, 13: 1081595. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1081595.

Dinić, B. (2022). Digital Violence. Novi Sad: Filozofski fakultet. [In Serbian]

Dolan, J. (2016). Splicing the Divide: A Review of Research on the Evolving Digital Divide Among K–12 Students. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 48(1), 16–37. http://doi.org/10.1080/15391523.2015.1103147.

Fernández, A., Gómez, B., Binjaku, K., Kajo Meçe, E. (2023). Digital transformation initi- atives in higher education institutions: A multivocal literature review. Education and Information Technologies, 28, 12351–12382. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-022-11544-0.

Hatuka, T., Zur, H., Mendoza, J. A. (2021). The urban digital lifestyle: An analytical frame- work for placing digital practices in a spatial context and for developing applicable policy. Cities, 111, 102978. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2020.102978

Janschitz, G., Penker, M. (2022). How digital are ‘digital natives’ actually? Developing an instrument to measure the degree of digitalization of university students – the DDS-Index. Bulletin of Sociological Methodology, 153(1), 127–159. https://doi. org/10.1177/07591063211061760.

Kišjuhas, A. (2023). What holds society together? Emotions, social ties, and group soli- darity in leisure interaction rituals. Leisure Studies, http://doi.org/10.1080/02614367.2023.2183979.

Kovačić, Z., Vukmirović, D. (2008). ICT Adoption and the Digital Divide in Serbia: Factors and Policy Implications. Proceedings of the Informing Science & IT Education Conference (InSITE2008) (363–387). Varna: Informing Science Institute. https://doi. org/10.28945/3247.

Kowalski, R. M., Limber, S. P., Agatson, P. W. (2012). Cyberbullying: Bullying in the Digital Age. UK: Wiley-Blackwell.

Kuráková, I., Vallušová, A., Marasová, J. (2021). Measuring the digital divide in the V4 countries using the digital divide index. Journal of Economics and Social Research, 22 (1), 77–93. https://doi.org/10.24040/eas.2021.22.1.77–93.

Kuzmanović, D., Pavlović, Z., Popadić, D., Milošević, T. (2019). Use of Internet and digital technologies among children and young people in Serbia. Beograd: Institut za psiholog- iju Filozofskog fakulteta u Beogradu. Available at: https://www.unicef.org/serbia/media/12511/file/koriscenje_interneta_i_digitalne_tehnologije_kod_dece_i_mladih_u_Srbiji.pdf. [In Serbian].

Kuzmanović, D. (2017). Empirical validation of digital literacy construct and analysis of pre- dictors of achievement. (doctoral dissertation). Filozofski fakultet, Beograd. Available at: https://nardus.mpn.gov.rs/handle/123456789/9324. [In Serbian]

Kuzmanović, D. (2022). Formal education in Serbia during the corona virus pandemic. Užice: Užički centar za prava deteta. Available at: https://ucpd.rs/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/ formalno-obrazovanje-tokom-pandemije_-final.pdf. [In Serbian].

Kuzmanović, D. (2022). From “digital natives” to “digital morons” – youth and digital divides. Kultura, 176, 55–75. http://doi.org/10.5937/kultura2276055K. [In Serbian].

Lumsden, K., and Harmer, E. (eds.) (2019). Online Othering: Exploring Digital Violence and Discrimination on the Web. UK: Palgrave Macmillan.

Lythreatis, S., Singh, S., El-Kassar, A. N. (2022). The digital divide: A review and future research agenda. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 175, 121359. https:// doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2021.121359.

McCrindle, M., Fell, A. (2019). Understanding generation Z: Recruiting, training and lead- ing the next generation. Australia: McCrindle Research Pty Ltd. Available at: https://generationz.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Understanding_Generation_Z_report_McCrindle.pdf

Milovanović, S. (2013). Digital divide in Serbia from the demographic perspective. Zbornik radova Filozofskog fakulteta u Prištini, 43(2), 301–319. [In Serbian]

Mitrović, Đ. (2022). Digital divide and vulnerable groups in Serbia. Available at: https://library.fes.de/pdf-files/bueros/belgrad/19700.pdf:

Morgan, B. (2010). New literacies in the classroom: digital capital, student identity, and third space. International Journal of Technology, knowledge and society, 6, 221–239. http://doi.org/10.18848/1832-3669/CGP/v06i02/56094.

OECD. (2019). PISA 2018 Results II – Where All Students Can Succeed. Paris: Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development

Official gazette of the Republic of Serbia. (2021). Strategy of development of teaching and education in the Republic of Serbia until 2030. Available at: https://www.pravno-informacioni-sistem.rs/SlGlasnikPortal/eli/rep/sgrs/vlada/strategija/2021/63/1/reg. [In Serbian]

Petrović, D. (2013). Internet as An Interpersonal Medium – the Case of Serbia. Sociologija, 55(3), 417–438. http://doi.org/10.2298/SOC1303417P. [In Serbian]

Pohlenz, P., Felix, A., Berndt, S. (2023). How do students deal with forced digitalization in teaching and learning? Implications for quality assurance. Quality Assurance in Education, 31(1), 18–32. http://doi.org/10.1108/QAE-02-2022-0041.

Prensky, M. (2001). Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants Part 2: Do They Really Think Differently?. On the Horizon. 9 (6): 1–6. http://doi.org/10.1108/10748120110424843.

Radovanović, D., Hogan, B., Lalić, D. (2015). Overcoming digital divides in higher edu- cation: Digital literacy beyond Facebook. New Media & Society, 17(10), 1733–1749. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444815588323.

Ragnedda, M., Ruiu, M. L., Addeo, F. (2019). Measuring Digital Capital: An empirical investi- gation. New Media & Society, 22(5), 793–816. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444819869604.

Ragnedda, M., Ruiu, M. (2020). Digital capital: A Bourdieusian perspective on the digital divide. UK: Emerald Publishing Limited.

Ragnedda, M., Ruiu, M. L., Addeo, F., Delli Paoli, A. (2022). Converting Digital Capital in Five Key Life Realms. Italian Sociological Review, 12(1), 19–40. https://doi.org/10.13136/isr.v12i1.517.

Ristić, D., Kišjuhas, A. (2023). The concept of habitus in the research of digital divides and inequalities. Teme, 47(4), 891–906. https://doi.org/10.22190/TEME221221055R

Rizvi, F., and Lingard, B. (2010). Globalizing Education Policy. London: Routledge.

Rodríguez-Abitia, G., Bribiesca-Correa, G. (2021). Assessing Digital Transformation in Universities. Future Internet, 13(2): 52. https://doi.org/10.3390/fi13020052.

Sassen, S. (1998). On the Internet and the Sovereignty. Indiana Journal od Global Legal Studies, 5(2). Available at: http://www.repository.law.indiana.edu/ijgls/vol5/ iss2/9

Savić, N., Radojičić, Z. (2011). Digital Divide in the Population of Serbia. Issues in Informing Science and Information Technology, 8, 245–258. https://doi.org/10.28945/1416.

Seale, J., Georgeson, J., Mamas, C., Swain, J. (2015). Not the right kind of ’digital capital’? An examination of the complex relationship between disabled students, their technologies and higher education institutions. Computers & Education, 82, 118–128. https://doi. org/10.1016/j.compedu.2014.11.007.

Seale, J. K. (2012). When digital capital is not enough: reconsidering the digital lives of disabled university students. Learning, Media & Technology, 38(3), 256–269. http:// doi.org/10.1080/17439884.2012.670644.

Selwyn, C. (2004). Reconsidering political and popular understandings of the digital divide. New media & society, 6(3), 341–362. http://doi.org/10.1177/1461444804042519.

Selwyn, N. (2016). Digital downsides: exploring university students’ negative engagements with digital technology. Teaching in higher education, 21(8), 1006–1021. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2016.1213229.

Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia (2023). Educational Attainment, Literacy and Computer Literacy – Data by Municipalities and Cities. Belgrade. [In Serbian]

Thompson, B. (2019). The Digital Nomad Lifestyle: (Remote) Work/Leisure Balance, Privilege, and Constructed Community. International Journal of the Sociology of Leisure, 2, 27–42. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41978-018-00030-y.

Tien, F., Fu, T-T. (2008). The correlates of the digital divide and their impact on college student learning. Computers & Education, 50(1), 421–436. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2006.07.005.

UNICEF (2020). Monitoring the methods of participation and the learning process of stu- dents from sensitive groups during the distance learning educational work. Beograd: Ministarstvo prosvete, nauke i tehnološkog razvoja. Available at: https://gimnazijapatrijarhpavle.edu.rs/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/4.b-Prvi-izvestaj-osetljive-grupe- ucenje-na-daljinu.pdf. [In Serbian].

Van Dijk, J. (2005). The Deepening Divide: Inequality in The Information Society. Thousand Oaks: Sage.

Wellman, B., Hampton, K. (1999). Living Networked On and Offline. Contemporary Sociology, 28(6), 648–654. https://doi.org/10.2307/2655535

Published
2024/11/04
Section
Original scientific paper