Digital Proficiency among Undergraduate Students: A Scale Adaptation and Level Analysis of Digital Competence, Digital Informal Learning, and Socio-Emotional e-Competence

This study investigates undergraduate students’ holistic digital proficiency by examining their digital competence, digital informal learning, socio-emotional e-competence, and internet use patterns. Data were collected from 363 undergraduate students in Türkiye. Three instruments—Digital Competence Scale, Digital Informal Learning Scale, and Socio-Emotional e-Competence Questionnaire—were adapted into Turkish and validated through confirmatory factor analysis and reliability testing. The adapted scales demonstrated strong construct validity and internal consistency. Descriptive results showed that students reported moderate to high levels of digital competence and were highly engaged in cognitive, metacognitive, and social-motivational informal learning. Internet use data showed an average of daily usage, with more time spent on social media than academic tasks. While students exhibited strong emotional e-conscience and regulation, they showed lower levels of impulsiveness control and emotional independence. The findings highlight the significance of informal learning and socio-emotional skills in developing digital proficiency and offer insights for targeted educational interventions.