Investigating the Digital Literacy Levels of Iraqi EFL University Students: Challenges, Opportunities and the Status Quo

The digital literacy of English-as-a-Foreign-Language (EFL) learners plays a significant role in their progress as EFL learners especially in Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) contexts. Yet, scant recent attention has been paid to the digital literacy skills of EFL learners in underprivileged, developing countries. Thus, this mixed-methods study set to investigate Iraqi EFL university students' digital literacy skills and the role of gender in this regard. Accordingly, a total of 250 senior EFL students (125 males and 125 females) were selected from five public Iraqi universities via convenience sampling method and completed the questionnaire of the study. Of these participants, a random sample of 25 students was also selected for interview sessions. The results of the study revealed that Iraqi EFL university students had generally low-to-moderate levels of digital literacy in CALL courses and gender played no meaningful role in the EFL students' digital literacy levels. Whereas they had an average level of competence in using English websites and computer-based dictionaries, they had low levels of digital literacy in using Microsoft Office Words and PowerPoint, using emails, and using English podcasts. Besides they used digital devices for both recreational and educational purposes on average. In interviews, they stated that the main challenge they faced in using digital technology was a lack of sufficient digital skills mainly due to ineffective relevant training.