Flemish students rank among top in digital skills

Flemish students rank impressively high in digital literacy, according to an international survey assessing computer skills among students in their second year of secondary school. Flanders placed just below the top-performing nations, with only South Korea and the Czech Republic scoring significantly higher in digital skills.

The International Computer and Information Literacy Study (ICILS), taken by 133,000 students across 34 countries, including most EU member states, the United States, and Kazakhstan, evaluates students’ abilities in digital literacy and critical thinking. 

Flemish students demonstrated particularly high proficiency in digital literacy tasks, such as formulating search queries and evaluating online sources. The test also assessed computational thinking, a skill set focused on problem-solving and logical analysis. Here too, Flemish students performed well, with only Taiwan, South Korea, and the Czech Republic achieving higher scores.

The study also examined how gender, language, and socioeconomic factors influence digital skills. Results showed that girls generally excel in digital literacy, while boys score higher in computational thinking. Additionally, Flemish students who speak Dutch at home tend to outperform those who do not. ​ 

The ICILS survey further revealed that multitasking affects academic performance. 67% of Flemish students admitted to frequently texting or watching videos while doing homework. 

(JPO)

^{#FlandersNewsService | A Flemish student uses the digital learning platform Smartschool © BELGA PHOTO DIRK WAEM}