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Digital Literacy and ICT Use: Key Predictors of Mathematics Achievement in Schoolchildren

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Title: Digital Literacy and ICT Use: Key Predictors of Mathematics Achievement in Schoolchildren
Language: English
Authors: Elisa Caponera (ORCID 0000-0003-3266-0372), Valentina Colonnello (ORCID 0000-0002-4204-7312), Francesco Annunziata (ORCID 0000-0001-9639-1445), Laura Palmerio (ORCID 0000-0002-6594-805X), Paolo M. Russo (ORCID 0000-0002-0575-5360)
Source: European Journal of Psychology of Education. 2026 41(1).
Availability: Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://link.springer.com/
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 20
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Grade 5
Intermediate Grades
Middle Schools
Grade 8
Junior High Schools
Secondary Education
Descriptors: Digital Literacy, Educational Technology, Mathematics Achievement, Grade 5, Grade 8, Computer Uses in Education, Correlation, Foreign Countries, Socioeconomic Status
Geographic Terms: Italy
DOI: 10.1007/s10212-025-01055-0
ISSN: 0256-2928
1878-5174
Abstract: Despite the widespread integration of ICT into education, research linking students' everyday ICT use to mathematics performance has yielded inconsistent results. A key gap in the existing literature is the limited attention to factors such as actual digital literacy and the specific purposes for which ICT is used. This study addresses this gap by examining the relationship between students' performance in the International Computer and Information Literacy Study (ICILS) and their results in the national mathematics assessment. The analysis is based on data from 2309 students who participated in the national mathematics assessment in fifth grade and again took both the ICILS and the national mathematics assessment in eighth grade. A structural equation model incorporating the study variables explained 43% of the variance in students' mathematics scores. After controlling for socioeconomic status (SES) and prior mathematics achievement, the findings indicate that digital literacy significantly contributes to mathematics performance. Specifically, students with higher ICILS scores at the beginning of the school year achieved better mathematics outcomes by the end. In contrast, the frequency of ICT use for study or social communication was not linked to digital literacy or improved mathematics performance. These findings suggest that enhancing students' ICT skills is a promising strategy for improving mathematics performance. The study highlights that growing up with digital devices does not automatically equate to sophisticated digital skills. It supports the argument that the focus of the "digital divide" should shift toward differences in the development of digital skills, rather than merely access to technology.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1502669
Database: ERIC
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Elisa+Caponera%22">Elisa Caponera</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3266-0372">0000-0003-3266-0372</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Valentina+Colonnello%22">Valentina Colonnello</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4204-7312">0000-0002-4204-7312</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Francesco+Annunziata%22">Francesco Annunziata</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9639-1445">0000-0001-9639-1445</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Laura+Palmerio%22">Laura Palmerio</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6594-805X">0000-0002-6594-805X</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Paolo+M%2E+Russo%22">Paolo M. Russo</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0575-5360">0000-0002-0575-5360</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22European+Journal+of+Psychology+of+Education%22"><i>European Journal of Psychology of Education</i></searchLink>. 2026 41(1).
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  Data: Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://link.springer.com/
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  Data: Despite the widespread integration of ICT into education, research linking students' everyday ICT use to mathematics performance has yielded inconsistent results. A key gap in the existing literature is the limited attention to factors such as actual digital literacy and the specific purposes for which ICT is used. This study addresses this gap by examining the relationship between students' performance in the International Computer and Information Literacy Study (ICILS) and their results in the national mathematics assessment. The analysis is based on data from 2309 students who participated in the national mathematics assessment in fifth grade and again took both the ICILS and the national mathematics assessment in eighth grade. A structural equation model incorporating the study variables explained 43% of the variance in students' mathematics scores. After controlling for socioeconomic status (SES) and prior mathematics achievement, the findings indicate that digital literacy significantly contributes to mathematics performance. Specifically, students with higher ICILS scores at the beginning of the school year achieved better mathematics outcomes by the end. In contrast, the frequency of ICT use for study or social communication was not linked to digital literacy or improved mathematics performance. These findings suggest that enhancing students' ICT skills is a promising strategy for improving mathematics performance. The study highlights that growing up with digital devices does not automatically equate to sophisticated digital skills. It supports the argument that the focus of the "digital divide" should shift toward differences in the development of digital skills, rather than merely access to technology.
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