Enterprise AI Analysis

Digital skills self-assessment tool for youth based on the DigComp framework

This study aimed to develop and validate a digital skills self-assessment tool for Serbian youth (DSATy), based on the Digital Competence Framework (DigComp). Following scale development procedures, an initial set of 54 constructed items was refined to 45 after piloting and cognitive interviews with students. In a cross-sectional survey, the questionnaire was completed by 914 secondary school and undergraduate students. Subsequently, the sample was divided into two balanced subsamples by gender and educational level: an index sample (n = 452) for exploratory factor analysis and a reserve sample (n = 462) for confirmatory factor analysis. The analyses revealed a valid and reliable seven-factor structure with 33 items, integrating four practical/technical skills (Managing Data and Collaboration, Content Creation, Device Protection, Problem Solving) and three cognitive digital skills (Evaluating Information and Content, Critical Knowledge for Online Communication, Health and Environmental Protection). This sophisticated structure of practical and cognitive digital skills was confirmed through a second-order model and measurement invariance testing across gender and educational level. Validated and reliable, DSATy fills the existing gap in Serbia for the target population by providing policymakers and educational institutions with a tool for comprehensive assessment, monitoring, and promotion of digital skills to enhance learning outcomes and prepare students for active, safe, and responsible participation in the digital society. Grounded in the European DigComp framework, DSATy also offers opportunities for future cross-cultural validation.