Digital informal learning among Chinese university students: the effects of digital competence and personal factors

Abstract

Although informal learning with digital technology is a near universal activity among university students, the processes that influence and regulate digital informal learning (DIL) is not given. Meanwhile, digital competence is of growing importance for our current information society, and also it plays an essential role in the process of digital informal learning. However, the measurement for digital competence is a critical challenge for further understanding its development in practice. This study contributes to our understanding of students’ digital informal learning behavior by examining the effects of digital competence, along with other personal factors. Partial least square (PLS) path modeling was employed to explain the interaction and effects of these factors on students’ DIL. Students from a large-sized public university in Beijing participated in this study. The results revealed students’ personal innovativeness and digital competence are mediated by attitude to DIL to affect students’ DIL, and all these personal factors demonstrated important direct effects on students’ DIL. Additionally, significant gender differences between female and male students in certain aspects of digital competence were observed.