Abstract:

Highly surrounded by technology since an early age, digital natives are characterized by an unprecedented status of high digital proficiency and constitute the group with the most significant potential to meet the challenges of the 4th Industrial Revolution. However, despite their technological immersion, this profile of individuals often lacks critical computer literacy skills, which are widely assumed to be inherent and socially intrinsic digital skills. In previous research, we proposed a methodology for the self-assessment and assessment of critical computer literacy skills of digital native students, aimed at the analysis and comparison of perceived and effective skills, their perceived relevance and the detection of possible incorrect overvaluation of skills in the labour market entry profile. In this paper, we present the results obtained among a wide group of Brazilian students, for the two-stage proposed self-efficacy and effective skills assessment methodology. Results show that digital natives tend to over evaluate their computer literacy skills when entering the labour market and that these skills consist of basic competencies that are also overlooked by educational programs, which tend to rely on prior informal knowledge acquisition based on the handling of digital devices. Triangulation of results reveals a current need to adjust training programs according to the recommendations that are put forward, namely concerning the current training needs of digital natives, the necessary organizational adjustments in training programmes and the improved alignment with market entry requirements for the 21st graduates.

Keywords:

Digital natives, digital literacy, computer literacy, soft skills.