Competence for internet use: Integrating knowledge, skills, and attitudes

Abstract

The activities in which internet users engage and their individual empowerment are an expression of what we call their internet competence. That is, the level of internet knowledge, internet skills, and internet attitudes. However, studying the implications of internet competence for internet use is not straightforward as measuring access to the internet. Even recognizing the key role of knowledge, skills and attitudes in this context, limited research focus on the potential relationship among them. Therefore, in the present study, we investigated to what extent internet competence predicted internet use. We conducted a survey with high school and college students. We collected data from subject's sociodemographic background and validated and checked the reliability of the scales applied in our context. We performed an ordinary least square regression model, which revealed that internet knowledge, internet skills, and internet attitudes predicted internet use. Only information skills coefficient was not statistically significant. We could add to the debate that internet knowledge is not the same as internet skills. It must be addressed separately and included as a predictor of internet use. Our findings still support that technical-related internet skills have an important role to use the internet. However, content-related internet skills, internet knowledge, and internet attitudes are less device dependent. As the internet evolves, they must be addressed together in education efforts as they are critical in a scenario where information and communication are mediated through this technology.