The Effects of Covid-19 on the Digital Literacy of the Elderly: Norms for Digital Inclusion
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Date
2021
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Original Research
Abstract
Description
The current sanitary crisis due to COVID-19 has further evidenced the enormous digital
exclusion of older adults. Furthermore, the crisis has urged older adults to adopt new
technologies to facilitate their tasks, as well as to provide them with an effective means
against loneliness and social isolation caused by the confinement. In light of this, Digital
Literacy is necessary for all those excluded from the digital era, who are characterized
mainly by little or no ability to effectively use technologies. Nevertheless, detailed studies
showing the leap from mixed (Blended Learning, BL) to digital literacy in the elderly have not
been published. The objective of the present research was to analyze the level of Digital
Literacy with the Digital Literacy Evaluation (DILE) of two groups of elderly adults with
different levels of literacy (Group 1: G1, and Group 2: G2) during three stages: BL
(Aug–Dec 2019); Transition (Feb–Jun 2020); and Digital (Aug–Dec 2020). Comparisons
were made before each educational level (pre-pre-pre) and after each educational level
(post-post-post) and during consecutive periods before and after each semester (pre vs
post) and throughout different educational levels (G1: Basic 1, B1; Basic 2, B2; and
intermediate 1, I1; and G2: Intermediate 1 to 3, I1, I2, and I3). Subsequently, considering all
the elderly who had passed at least one of the literacy levels, we worked with a total sample
of 176 older adults. The comparisons showed that, before the pandemic, G1’s pre digital
literacy levels increased between B1 and B2 and that the differences continued with that
increasing trend between the B1 level and the I1 completely digital treatment, and the
same was observed for post measurements. On the other hand, for the G2, the differences
in the DILE were statistically significant between the pre-condition of I2 (before the
pandemic) and the I3 (completely digital treatment); and between the pre-conditions of
I1 and I3; the same results were obtained for post treatments. Also, pre vs post scores on
the DILE were statistically significant and older adults increased progressively their digital
literacy despite the COVID-19 pandemic and jumped to the digital age.