Assessing the Impact of Digital Literacy Competency on Academic Outcomes: A Theoretical Model Validation Study

As technology becomes integral to education, especially with the emergence of advanced artificial intelligence applications, students require advanced digital literacy (DL) skills to succeed both academically and professionally. DL, defined as the ability to use digital technologies with a positive attitude toward digital learning, is explored in this study. The literature review for this study identified gaps in understanding the relationship between DL and academic performance. Current studies lack comprehensive data across university levels and majors, have limited representation of diverse student populations, and do not offer a unified understanding of the collective impact of DL skills on performance. This study aims to explore digital competence among higher education students using a tailored theoretical model, focusing on the impact of these competencies on academic performance. Employing a customized DL theoretical model that incorporates 22 competencies across three domains—computer and information skills, advanced production, and digital security—this research also considers demographic influences, such as sex and year of study. This study used partial least squares structural equation modeling and other statistical methods to investigate the relationships among these 22 competencies and their impact on students’ academic performance. The findings revealed a significant correlation between computer and information skills and student performance with variations according to demographic factors. This study enhances academic understanding of DL and offers practical insights into educational strategies and policy development in higher education. This streamlined approach to developing a DL framework addresses the changing educational needs of undergraduate students.