EIGE

Digital skills (% of individuals with basic or above basic overall digital skills) tepsr_sp410_comp

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1. Contact

  • 1.1. Contact organisation

  • Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.

  • 1.2. Contact organisation unit

  • G4

  • 1.3. Contact name
  • Restricted from publication
  • 1.4. Contact person function
  • Restricted from publication
  • 1.5. Contact mail address

  • 2920 Luxembourg LUXEMBOURG

  • 1.6. Contact email address
  • Restricted from publication
  • 1.7. Contact phone number
  • Restricted from publication
  • 1.8. Contact fax number
  • Restricted from publication

2. Metadata update

  • 2.1. Metadata last certified
  • 31/05/2017
  • 2.2. Metadata last posted
  • 31/05/2017
  • 2.3. Metadata last update
  • 31/05/2017

3. Statistical presentation

  • 3.1. Data description

  • Digital skills indicators are composite indicators which are based on selected activities related to internet or software use performed by individuals aged 16-74 in four specific areas (information, communication, problem solving, software skills). It is assumed that individuals having performed certain activities have the corresponding skills. Therefore the indicators can be considered as proxy of the digital competences and skills of individuals.

    According to the variety or complexity of activities performed, two levels of skills ("basic" and "above basic") are computed for each of the four dimensions. Finally, based on the component indicators, an overall digital skills indicator is calculated as a proxy of the digital competences and skills of individuals ("no skills", "low", "basic" or "above basic").

    1. Information skills

    Definition in Digital Competence Framework: identify, locate, retrieve, store, organise and analyse digital information, judging its relevance and purpose.

    Activities used for calculating the information skills:

    • Copied or moved files or folders;
    • Saved files on Internet storage space;
    • Obtained information from public authorities/services' websites;
    • Finding information about goods or services;
    • Seeking health-related information.

     Levels of information skills

    • Basic: one activity (I_DSK_I_B);
    • Above basic: more than one activity (I_DSK_I_AB).

    2.    Communication skills

    Definition in Digital Competence Framework: communicate in digital environments, share resources through online tools, link with others and collaborate through digital tools, interact with and participate in communities and networks, cross-cultural awareness.

    Activities used for calculating the communication skills:

    • Sending/receiving emails;
    • Participating in social networks;
    • Telephoning/video calls over the internet;
    • Uploading self-created content to any website to be shared.

    Levels of communication skills

    • Basic: one activity (I_DSK_C_B);
    • Above basic: more than one activity  (I_DSK_C_AB).

    3.   Problem solving skills

    Definition in Digital Competence Framework: identify digital needs and resources, make informed decisions as to which are the most appropriate digital tools according to the purpose or need, solve conceptual problems through digital means, creatively use technologies, solve technical problems, update one's own and others' competences.

    Activities used for calculating the problem solving skills:

    List A – Problem solving

    • Transferring files between computers or other devices;
    • Installing software and applications (apps);
    • Changing settings of any software, including operational system or security programs.

    List B – Familiarity with online services

    • Online purchases (in the last 12 months);
    • Selling online;
    • Used online learning resources;
    • Internet banking.

    Levels of problem solving skills

    • Basic: one or more activities only from A or only from B (I_DSK_PS_B);
    • Above basic: at least one activity from A and B (I_DSK_PS_AB).

    4.  Software skills (for content manipulation)

    Definition in Digital Competence Framework: Create and edit new content (from word processing to images and video); integrate and re-elaborate previous knowledge and content; produce creative expressions, media outputs and programming; deal with and apply intellectual property rights and licences.

    Activities used for calculating the software skills (for content manipulation):

    List A

    • Used word processing software;
    • Used spreadsheet software;
    • Used software to edit photos, video or audio files.

    List B

    • Created presentation or document integrating text, pictures, tables or charts;
    • Used advanced functions of spreadsheet to organise and analyse data (sorting, filtering, using formulas, creating charts);
    • Have written a code in a programming language.

    Levels of software skills

    • Basic: one or more activities form list A and none from list B (I_DSK_S_B);
    • Above basic: at least one activity from list B (I_DSK_S_AB).

    Overall digital skill indicator

    Individuals with “above basic” (I_DSK_AB) level of skills:

    - “above basic” in all 4 domains.

    Individuals with a “basic” (I_DSK_B) level of skills:

    - at least one “basic” but no “no skills” in all 4 domains.

    Individuals with “low” (I_DSK_L) level of skills (missing some type of basic skills):

    - from one to three “no skills” in the four domains.

    Individuals with “no skills” (I_DSK_X):

    - Four “no skills” (no activities performed in all four domains, despite declaring having used the internet at least once during last 3 months).

    Individuals for whom the digital skills could not be assessed (I_DSK_NA):

    - Individuals that have not used the internet in the last 3 months).

    (For formula and references to original variables collected by the survey on ICT usage by households and individuals, please see Eurostat methodological manual 2015).

  • 3.2. Classification system

  • -

  • 3.3. Coverage - sector

  • -

  • 3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions

  • See 3.1.

  • 3.5. Statistical unit

  • Individuals.

  • 3.6. Statistical population

  • The population of individuals consists of all individuals aged 16-74 years.

  • 3.7. Reference area

  • EU Member States, Candidate countries, Iceland, Norway.

  • 3.8. Coverage - Time

  • See data availability for table tepsr_sp410

  • 3.9. Base period

  • Not applicable.

4. Unit of measure

% of the total number of individuals aged 16 to 74.

5. Reference Period

Calendar year.

6. Institutional Mandate

7. Confidentiality

  • 7.1. Confidentiality - policy

  • Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 on European statistics (recital 24 and Article 20(4)) of 11 March 2009 (OJ L 87, p. 164), stipulates the need to establish common principles and guidelines ensuring the confidentiality of data used for the production of European statistics and the access to those confidential data with due account for technical developments and the requirements of users in a democratic society.

  • 7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment

  • Not applicable.

8. Release policy

  • 8.1. Release calendar

  • Not applicable.

  • 8.2. Release calendar access

  • Not applicable.

  • 8.3. Release policy - user access

  • In line with the Community legal framework and the European Statistics Code of Practice Eurostat disseminates European statistics on Eurostat's website (see item 10 - 'Accessibility and clarity') respecting professional independence and in an objective, professional and transparent manner in which all users are treated equitably. The detailed arrangements are governed by the Eurostat protocol on impartial access to Eurostat data for users.

9. Frequency of dissemination

In general yearly.

10. Accessibility and clarity

  • 10.1. Dissemination format - News release

  • Not applicable.

  • 10.2. Dissemination format - Publications

  • See dedicated section on Digital economy and society, Publications

  • 10.3. Dissemination format - online database

  • See data availability for table tepsr_sp410

  • 10.4. Dissemination format - microdata access

  • Not applicable.

  • 10.5. Dissemination format - other

  • Not applicable.

  • 10.6. Documentation on methodology

  • Methodological Manuals (see dedicated website on Digital economy and society/Methodology http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/ict ).

  • 10.7. Quality management - documentation

  • National Statistical Institutes provide Eurostat with quality reports. Summaries are published in the country specific notes.

11. Quality management

  • 11.1. Quality assurance

  • The Methodological Manual provides guidelines and standards for the implementation of the Surveys on ICT usage in households and by individuals in the Member States and other countries. The use of Eurostat model questionnaires improves comparability of results of these surveys.

  • 11.2. Quality management - assessment

  • Data are collected from reliable sources applying high standards with regard to methodology and ensuring a high degree of comparability across countries. The rating on comparability over time is medium (3-<5 years without any breaks in time series due to methodological reasons).

12. Relevance

  • 12.1. Relevance - User Needs

  • The indicator was developed in cooperation with users in the European Commission (DG CNECT) based on the Digital competence Framework https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/en/digcomp/digital-competence-framework and in the context of the Digital Single Market strategy (COM(2015) 192 final).

    Indeed, digital skills are a basis for global competitiveness, boosting jobs and growth. The internet has a vital role to play in reaching the goal of achieving high-quality education for sustainable development at all levels of education including education on issues such as media competence.

    On 10 June 2016, the European Commission adopted a new Skills Agenda for Europe which seeks to promote a number of actions to ensure that the right training, the right skills and the right support is available to people in the EU so that they are equipped with skills that are needed in a modern working environment, including the promotion of digital skills.

  • 12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction

  • The indicator is useful to describe general digital literacy and skills in using the internet over time. Aspects of accuracy, reliability, timeliness and comparability for the general population are covered satisfactory. The clarity of definition and results for subgroups is however declining; work has started in cooperation with users, NSIs and researchers to improve digital skills indicators. 

  • 12.3. Completeness

  • See data availability for table tepsr_sp410

13. Accuracy

  • 13.2. Sampling error

  • -

  • 13.3. Non-sampling error

  • -

14. Timeliness and punctuality

  • 14.1. Timeliness

  • Data were collected in the second quarter in most countries. Eurostat usually releases the results at the end of the fourth quarter of each year.

  • 14.2. Punctuality

  • The deadline 5 October for the survey year was met by almost all countries.

15. Coherence and comparability

  • 15.3. Coherence - cross domain

  • The indicators are related to one of the pillars of the digital single market "Creating a digital society" https://ec.europa.eu/digital-single-market/en/policies/creating-digital-society

    The European Commission aims for an inclusive digital society which benefits from the digital single market. Building smarter cities, improving access to e-government, e-health services and digital skills will enable a truly digital European society.

  • 15.4. Coherence - internal

  • Not applicable.

16. Cost and Burden

Not applicable.

17. Data revision

  • 17.1. Data revision - policy

  • EU aggregates are compiled when the available countries represent 60% of the population and 55% of the number of countries defining the aggregate. When further national data become available they are automatically included in the existing aggregate. Hence Eurostat aggregates may change due to the arrival of further data over and above the 60%/55% rule.

  • 17.2. Data revision - practice

  • Data transmitted by the reporting countries to Eurostat undergo detailed verifications by applying automated validation procedures at the level of variables and breakdowns. The second step of data verification consists in the time series checks. Before dissemination, results for the main indicators (for example the benchmarking indicators) are compared across countries. if after these verifications and acceptance of data inconsistencies should be found, reporting countries may be asked to verify and revise their results.

18. Statistical processing

  • 18.2. Frequency of data collection

  • In general biennial, in rotation with indicator on levels of computer skills.

  • 18.3. Data collection

  • Items used for constructing digital skills levels were generally collected through face to face or telephone interviews, see overview of data collection methods in the Methodological Manual.

  • 18.4. Data validation

  • See 17.2.

  • 18.5. Data compilation

  • -

  • 18.6. Adjustment

  • -

19. Comment

Possible improvements related to methodology and compilation techniques of digital skills indicators in cooperation with international organisations are under discussion.