Exploring First-Year Students’ Computer Literacy Through a Two-Step Cluster Analysis Approach

Understanding the computer literacy of students entering university is important as the shift towards online teaching, learning and assessment in higher education has become the ‘new normal’ since COVID-19. This new normal makes assumptions about the levels of computer literacy of incoming students. This paper then surveys incoming students in order to ask the following questions: What is the computer literacy of students when they enter higher education? And, how can this research inform the facilitation of students’ online teaching, learning and assessment? The survey research provides valuable insights into the computer literacy levels of students entering a South African University of Technology. Methodologically the two-step cluster analysis, which is a hybrid approach that first uses a distance measure to separate groups and then a probabilistic approach to choose the optimal subgroup model, is used. The significance of the variables (factors), such as general technology use, internet search skills, collaborative technology use, and technology for assignment submission, underscores the importance of these skills in higher education. The two-step process identified three distinct groups (clusters) of students with varying levels of computer literacy among the respondents from two engineering departments. Understanding the computer literacy levels of incoming students can inform strategic planning for integrating technology into educational practices and support services across transdisciplinary. By tailoring educational approaches to match students' existing skills and preferences, this University of Technology specifically, and universities in general, can enhance learning experiences and better prepare students for the demands of the digital age.