The regulating and mediating roles of digital competencies on science literacy in PISA: The impacts of ICT use within and beyond School

Abstract

Although information and communication technologies (ICT) in education has been widely studied, the specific ways digital competencies and varying ICT use patterns influence science literacy remain insufficiently underexplored. The rapid evolution of the digital age has made ICT an essential component of learning, yet effective digitalization requires more than technological access, it demands the development of students’ digital competencies, encompassing skills in information access, analysis, communication, and problem-solving. These competencies are vital not only for academic success but also for participation in a technology-driven society. Science education offers a critical setting for exploring this relationship, as it inherently fosters both digital competencies and science literacy, defined as the capacity to understand, evaluate, and apply scientific knowledge in real-world contexts. International assessments such as the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) demonstrate the importance of digital tools in enhancing scientific reasoning and conceptual understanding. However, the extent to which different ICT use contexts, within school, beyond school, and across time, mediate or regulate the impact of digital competencies on science literacy remains unclear. This study investigates (1) the direct effects of students’ digital competencies on science literacy, (2) the mediating roles of digital inquiry-based learning (ICTINQ) and subject-related ICT use (ICTSUBJ), and (3) the regulating roles of extracurricular ICT use (ICTECA), regulated school use (ICTREG), and temporal use patterns (ICTWKDY, ICTWKEND). By clarifying these relationships, the research addresses a critical gap in understanding how digital engagement supports scientific reasoning and problem-solving in modern education.