The Effect of a Digital Literacy-Based University English Course on Learners’ Problem-Solving Competence

The purpose of this study was to examine how a digital literacy-based university English course affects learners’ problem-solving competence. The study implemented task-oriented, digital literacy-based instruction using various technologies. Its impact on learners’ problem-solving competence was analyzed by comparing pre- and post-test results for overall problem-solving competence, five competence factors, and nine sub-factors. The results from 104 university students are as follows. First, the students’ overall problem-solving competence increased significantly, showing statistically significant improvement. Second, all five factors of problem-solving competence showed improvement compared to the pre-test. However, statistically significant differences were observed only in two factors: ‘planning/executing’ and ‘generation of alternatives’. Third, analysis of the nine sub-factors of problem-solving competence showed that all but the ‘evaluation’ factor improved. Among them, four factors—planning ability, execution and adventure sensitivity, divergent thinking, and feedback—showed statistically significant improvement. As a result, digital literacy-based university English courses positively influenced learners’ problem-solving competence. These findings offer implications for developing practical strategies for implementing digital literacy-based English courses at the university level.