Distance Learners’ Basic Digital Competence in Higher Education

Basic digital competence is essential for learners in higher education and especially in the field of distance education. The main purpose of this study is to understand the levels of digital competence of distance learners in Turkey according to the variables of age, gender and owing a computer. The participants were consisted of 243 distance learners studying at various disciplines of a state university. Data were collected through a survey via digital competence scale. The findings of the research indicated that basic digital competence of distance learners were high in communication and moderate in problem solving, university’s virtual tools and social communication and information and data literacy. However, distance learners are the least competent in digital content development. In addition, statistical analysis indicated that basic digital competence of distance learners did not differ in terms of gender. On contrary, significant differences existed in the information and data literacy of the students with regard to having a computer and age. The results of the study displayed that it is important to include the improvement of digital competence into the distance education to provide distance learners an opportunity to reach high basic digital competence and to facilitate learning.