Abstract
Digital skills are thought to be a key competence of the twenty-first century. With the rapid growth of internet and communication tool (ICT) usage among both students and teachers, cooperative (co-op) education programmes, like other educational institutions, face the challenge of integrating and supporting digital skill development. However, little is known about how these skills are developed prior to entering cooperative education programmes. Against this background, a sample of 893 freshers, ranging from vocational students to co-op students, were tested according to their digital skills. The analysis shows that co-op students have a higher level of competence than vocational students. In addition, we found that in our sample social background has no impact on digital competences. The results are discussed and classified in the context of the current state of research.
Highlights
Digital skills are thought to be a key competence of the twenty-first century
The analysis shows that co-op students have a higher level of competence than vocational students
We found a difference with respect to schoolleaving certificates (χ2 (4) = 461.91, p < .001): 85% of students of cooperative higher education possessing a university entrance qualification, whereas most (63%) of the vocational education and training (VET) students possessed a lower school qualification with a General Certificate of Secondary Education in a “Hauptschule” (20%) or a “Realschule” (43%)
Summary
Digital skills are thought to be a key competence of the twenty-first century. With the rapid growth of internet and communication tool (ICT) usage among both students and teachers, cooperative (co-op) education programmes, like other educational institutions, face the challenge of integrating and supporting digital skill development. The skills and qualifications provided by the European educational system may fail to align with current and future developments They may fail to prepare pupils and students in cooperative programme in ways that encourage them to think and act responsibly and sustainably in a digital, knowledge-based network society. In this situation, a more precise understanding of the growing challenges and circumstances surrounding digitalization in both vocational education and training (VET) institutions and cooperative higher education institutions is sorely needed. As an example of the latter, in their survey involving 5863 respondents, Wild and Alvarez (2020) noted an average age of 23.08 years (SD = 2.97) for students at Baden–Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University (DHBW) These two educational pathways—VET schools and cooperative higher education programmes— address different target groups. Cooperative education study programmes claim to further educational advancement more effectively than do traditional university study programmes (Wolter 2016)
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