IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v12y2020i10p3969-d357057.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in Communication and Collaboration: A Comparative Study between University Students from Spain and Italy

Author

Listed:
  • Mercedes Llorent-Vaquero

    (Department of Pedagogy, Universidad de Jaén, 23071 Andalucia, Spain)

  • Susana Tallón-Rosales

    (Department of Pedagogy, Universidad de Jaén, 23071 Andalucia, Spain)

  • Bárbara de las Heras Monastero

    (Department of Pedagogy, Universidad de Jaén, 23071 Andalucia, Spain)

Abstract

The aim of this study is to determine the level of competence that university students from Spain and Italy have in the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) for communication and collaboration purposes. We also intend to identify possible differences and similarities between both countries, as well as factors associated with their competence that may lead to a digital gap. In order to fulfil these objectives, we performed a positivist exploratory study based on a quantitative methodology supported by a descriptive method with a survey design. The data collection is performed with a questionnaire, the data from which are analyzed through two statistical studies: a descriptive one and a causal one. The results show good competence from the students in this area, being somewhat higher in Italian students. We identified some of the factors associated with competence, such as Internet access or having a tablet. In conclusion, it is clear that politics on a global, national and local level are essential to the acquisition of digital competence, especially regarding the digital gap caused by access to resources. In this sense, governments must guarantee free and universal access to technology to all their citizens in order to diminish the digital gap between them.

Suggested Citation

  • Mercedes Llorent-Vaquero & Susana Tallón-Rosales & Bárbara de las Heras Monastero, 2020. "Use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in Communication and Collaboration: A Comparative Study between University Students from Spain and Italy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-10, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:10:p:3969-:d:357057
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/10/3969/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/10/3969/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Chetty, Krish & Qigui, Liu & Gcora, Nozibele & Josie, Jaya & Wenwei, Li & Fang, Chen, 2018. "Bridging the digital divide: Measuring digital literacy," Economics - The Open-Access, Open-Assessment E-Journal (2007-2020), Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel), vol. 12, pages 1-20.
    2. Bartikowski, Boris & Laroche, Michel & Jamal, Ahmad & Yang, Zhiyong, 2018. "The type-of-internet-access digital divide and the well-being of ethnic minority and majority consumers: A multi-country investigation," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 373-380.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Yu Zhao & María Cruz Sánchez Gómez & Ana María Pinto Llorente & Liping Zhao, 2021. "Digital Competence in Higher Education: Students’ Perception and Personal Factors," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-17, November.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Zahoor, Nadia & Zopiatis, Anastasios & Adomako, Samuel & Lamprinakos, Grigorios, 2023. "The micro-foundations of digitally transforming SMEs: How digital literacy and technology interact with managerial attributes," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 159(C).
    2. Safdar, Sarah & Ren, Minglun & Chudhery, Muhammad Adnan Zahid & Huo, Jiazhen & Rehman, Hakeem-Ur & Rafique, Raza, 2022. "Using cloud-based virtual learning environments to mitigate increasing disparity in urban-rural academic competence," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    3. Emilio Crisol Moya & Vanesa Gámiz Sánchez & María Asunción Romero López, 2021. "University Students’ Emotions When Using E-Portfolios in Virtual Education Environments," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-16, June.
    4. Andrii Karkach & Tetyana Semigina, 2021. "Цифрові Компетентності Соціальних Працівників Як Передумова Готовності До Навчання Літніх Людей [Social Workers’ Digital Competencies as a Prerequisite of their Readyness for Education of Elderly P," Traektoriâ Nauki = Path of Science, Altezoro, s.r.o. & Dialog, vol. 7(05), pages 5008-5018, May.
    5. Mathilde Aubouin, 2023. "Determinants of the Digital Divide: Evidence from France," Annals of Economics and Statistics, GENES, issue 151, pages 37-80.
    6. Alfonso Marino & Paolo Pariso, 2021. "Digital economy: technological, organizational and cultural contexts for the development of cooperation in Europe," Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Issues, VsI Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Center, vol. 9(2), pages 363-383, December.
    7. Smirti Kutaula & Alvina Gillani & Diana Gregory-Smith & Boris Bartikowski, 2024. "Ethical Consumerism in Emerging Markets: Opportunities and Challenges," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 191(4), pages 651-673, May.
    8. Silva, Thiago Christiano & Coelho, Florângela Cunha & Ehrl, Philipp & Tabak, Benjamin Miranda, 2020. "Internet access in recessionary periods: The case of Brazil," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 537(C).
    9. Yu Song & Chenfei Qian & Susan Pickard, 2021. "Age-Related Digital Divide during the COVID-19 Pandemic in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-13, October.
    10. Guo, Xiaoxin & Zhong, Shihu, 2023. "Unintended consequences: How does digital inclusive finance affect migrants' urban settlement intentions?," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    11. Papadopoulos, Nicolas & Cleveland, Mark, 2023. "An international and cross-cultural perspective on ‘the wired consumer’: The digital divide and device difference dilemmas," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    12. Wang, Jianqiu & Yin, Zhichao & Jiang, Jialing, 2023. "The effect of the digital divide on household consumption in China," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    13. Sylvia Jenčová & Petra Vašaničová & Marta Miškufová, 2023. "Multidimensional Evaluation of EU and Slovakia in the Context of Digital Transformation," Central European Business Review, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2023(1), pages 65-95.
    14. Bartikowski, Boris & Gierl, Heribert & Richard, Marie-Odile, 2020. "Effects of ‘feeling right’ about website cultural congruency on regular and mobile websites," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 121(C), pages 420-428.
    15. Alicja Pawluczuk & Gemma Webster & Colin Smith & Hazel Hall, 2019. "The Social Impact of Digital Youth Work: What Are We Looking For?," Media and Communication, Cogitatio Press, vol. 7(2), pages 59-68.
    16. Alenka Lena Klopcic & Jana Hojnik & Stefan Bojnec & Drago Papler, 2020. "Global Transition to the Subscription Economy: Literature Review on Business Model Changes in the Media Landscape," Managing Global Transitions, University of Primorska, Faculty of Management Koper, vol. 18(4 (Winter), pages 323-348.
    17. Laroche, Michel & Teng, Lefa, 2019. "Understanding the global consumer culture: Views from eastern and western scholars, an introduction to the special issue," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 219-221.
    18. Silvia Farias-Gaytan & Ignacio Aguaded & Maria-Soledad Ramirez-Montoya, 2023. "Digital transformation and digital literacy in the context of complexity within higher education institutions: a systematic literature review," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-11, December.
    19. Nanarpuzha, Rajesh & Sarin, Ankur, 2021. "A capability pathway to subjective economic well-being: Looking beyond materialism," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 66-76.
    20. Evanschitzky, Heiner & Bartikowski, Boris & Baines, Tim & Blut, Markus & Brock, Christian & Kleinlercher, Kristina & Naik, Parikshit & Petit, Olivia & Rudolph, Thomas & Spence, Charles & Velasco, Carl, 2020. "Digital Disruption in Retailing and Beyond," SMR - Journal of Service Management Research, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, vol. 4(4), pages 187-204.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:10:p:3969-:d:357057. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.