Purpose
This study explores the formation mechanism of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) self-efficacy among Taiwanese adolescents using PISA 2022 data. It aims to build a locally grounded model to explain how school and home environments influence ICT capabilities. The findings are intended to evaluate the effectiveness of Taiwan’s ICT education policies and provide a foundation for future improvements.
Main Theories or Conceptual Frameworks
This study investigates the structural relationships among family socioeconomic status, school resources, the frequency of ICT tool usage, and students’ ICT selfefficacy. Additionally, the role of gender is examined to determine whether significant differences exist in students’ ICT competence, as well as the direction and magnitude of those differences. This analysis also aims to explain discrepancies observed across different studies.
Research Design/Methods/Participants
This study employs structural equation modeling (SEM) to analyze Taiwan’s PISA 2022 data, systematically examining the relationships among socioeconomic background (ESCS), school ICT resources, ICT usage frequency, and ICT self-efficacy, while also exploring gender differences. This investigation addresses the critical impact of ICT self-efficacy on student development in the digital era.
The sample comprises 5,857 students (3,005 boys and 2,852 girls) from 182 schools. Maximum likelihood (ML) estimation is utilized to validate the theoretical framework, analyze relationships among observed variables, and assess model fit.
Research Findings or Conclusions
In evaluating the effectiveness of Taiwan’s digital education policies, the influence of students’ socioeconomic backgrounds on their schools’ digital resources has been mitigated through the implementation of the Digital Learning Enhancement Program for Primary and Secondary Schools. This initiative has helped balance the distribution of equipment and resources across schools, reducing inequalities traditionally caused by disparities in resource allocation and thereby promoting digital equity. Furthermore, the integration of the Technology Domain into the 12-Year Curriculum Guidelines (108 Curriculum) has also played a crucial role in increasing students’ frequency of technology use, which in turn serves as a key factor influencing their ICT self-efficacy.
Further gender-based analysis revealed notable differences in the developmental trajectory of ICT self-efficacy. Male students tend to rely more on structured support provided by schools, whereas female students are more inclined to develop confidence in using technology through autonomous exploration and hands-on experience. This divergence reflects gendered characteristics in the process of converting resources into ICT competence, indicating that under identical resource conditions, students of different genders may perceive, receive, and apply resources in different ways. Future instructional design should therefore pay greater attention to differentiated needs based on gender.
Overall, differences in students’ digital competence no longer stem from the schools themselves, but rather from their family socioeconomic backgrounds. This study confirms that family socioeconomic status promotes the frequency of digital tool use, which in turn influences students’ ICT self-efficacy. When students regularly engage in learning activities through digital tools– such as searching for learning resources, participating in online courses, or using learning platforms to track their progress– they not only enhance their practical operational skills but also develop greater familiarity and control over digital tools, ultimately cultivating higher digital confidence. This indicates that everyday digital experiences are not merely the foundation for skill development, but also an important source shaping learning beliefs.
Theoretical and Practical Contribution/Recommendations
From a practical perspective, the findings respond to the concerns raised by the OECD regarding digital equity. The results suggest that schools should actively integrate home school resources, design practice-oriented curricula to strengthen handson digital experiences, and develop gender-sensitive strategies to accommodate the differing self-efficacy pathways of male and female students.
From an academic perspective, future Taiwan PISA teams should link student data with administrative records to enhance the value of the dataset. Future studies should distinguish among digital-use contexts to investigate their specific effects on self-efficacy. Additionally, incorporating psychological variables, such as learning motivation and anxiety, may support a comprehensive model, advancing our understanding of the interactions among students’ abilities, beliefs, and behaviors in digital environments.