General information
Code: V5-2275 ARRS
Period: 1.10.2022 - 30.9.2024
Range on year: 0.17 FTE | 2022
Project leader at FDV: doc.dr. Simona Hvalič Touzery
Co-financiers: Javna agencija za znanstvenoraziskovalno in inovacijsko dejavnost Republike Slovenije (ARIS), Ministrstvo za digitalno preobrazbo
Research activity: Sociology
Abstract
Despite the digital transformation of contemporary society, the number of adults aged 55 and older (older adults) who use the internet remains low. These older adults lack internet skills and face significant barriers to digital inclusion. The digital inclusion of this group would reduce digital inequalities and increase the use of digital public services. The European Commission monitors digital inclusion through the The Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) to measure progress in human capital by considering citizens’ digital skills, but the DESI does not provide insight into the relationship between social and digital inequalities at all levels of the digital divide. An integrative approach is essential to understanding the underlying reasons for the disengagement of older adults and to designing and implementing strategies to reduce age-related digital inequalities with digital skills training. Thus, the main objective of this project is to facilitate the digital inclusion of older adults in Slovenia by (i) developing a deeper contextual and methodological understanding of the effectiveness of digital skills measures, (ii) conducting a comprehensive and empirically based assessment of the exposure of older adults to the three levels of the digital divide (i.e., access, skills, and tangiable outcomes), and (iii) reviewing and developing guidelines to implement age-friendly digital services. Using a mixed-methods approach, we will : 1. Conduct a comprehensive review of strategies and actions that promote the digital inclusion of older adults internationally. Specifically, we will conduct (i) a systematic analysis of strategies for the digital inclusion of older adults, (ii) a critical analysis of the different ways to improve the digital skills of older adults in the top DESI index countries, and (iii) a systematic review of the existing knowledge of the determinants of the digital inclusion of older adults in a cross-cultural comparison. 2. Conduct a qualitative study of the effectiveness of the training programmes for older adults that will be implemented as part of the Digital Inclusion Promotion Act (DIPA), examine good practices of digital skills training for them, and formulate theoretically grounded and empirically verified recommendations for the planning, implementation, and evaluation of digital skills training for older adults in Slovenia. 3. Develop and test a methodological instrument to measure aspects of the digital inclusion of older adults that builds on the DESI index and includes all three levels of the digital divide. The instrument will allow continuous monitoring of the progress in the digital skills for Slovenia’s older adults beyond the end of the project. 4. Conduct a preliminary survey in Slovenia to strengthen the conceptual and empirical understanding of the sociotechnical aspects of digital inequalities among older internet users and non-users. These aspects will relate to all levels of the digital divide. Triangulating the results of these activities, we will make recommendations for the development of age-friendly digital public services and guidelines to promote the digital inclusion of older adults and their use of digital public services. This will support a more effective achievement of DIPA’s objectives and increase the sensitivity of stakeholders and decision-makers regarding digital inequalities. The project team has more than two decades of experience conducting internationally recognised interdisciplinary research related to digital inequalities, gerontechnology, and survey methodology and has extensive experience in the research and development of age-friendly e-health and e-care services. The team has excellent international relationships with leading researchers, and the scientific and advisory board for the project is comprised of international pioneers in digital inequalities research. This ensures that the ambitious aims of the proposed project will be fully achieved.
Researchers
https://cris.cobiss.net/ecris/si/sl/project/20140
Results / Key findings
Selected publications published till the end of the project
- “I’m still struggling with it, and it scares me”: a qualitative analysis of older adults’ experiences with digital health portals during and after COVID-19. [COBISS.SI-ID 209826563]
- Disentangling the role of algorithm awareness and knowledge in digital inequalities: an empirical validation of an explanatory model. Information, communication & society. [COBISS.SI-ID 198415619]
- Digital training for older adults : motivations and desired skills among Internet users and non-users (in Slovenian). [COBISS.SI-ID 199847939]
- Digital engagement of older adults during the COVID-19 epidemic in Slovenia (in Slovenian) [COBISS.SI-ID 157431555]
- A holistic understanding of the factors that shape older adults‘ engagement in use-by-proxy : a focus group study. [COBISS.SI-ID 161794819]
International Symposium "Digital Inequalities in the Post-Pandemic World"
In June 2023 we hosted an international symposium. Distinguished scholars in the fields of digital inequalities research, internet studies and social informatics came together to discuss the impact of the pandemic on digital disparities, evaluating their effects in different societal domains and across diverse cultures. Various Slovenian stakeholders, as well as project funders, were invited.
The event featured contributions from a range of experts. Dr. Eszter Hargittai from the University of Zurich spoke about digital privileges during the COVID-19 quarantine, emphasizing how a lack of digital skills affected individuals in different social contexts. Dr. Bianca C. Reisdorf from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte presented findings on the impact of remote learning and the rise of intergenerational technological collaboration in low-income families.
The symposium also highlighted several other aspects of digital inequalities. Dr. Grant Blank from the University of Oxford presented research on the impact of digital inequalities, media-mediated health information, and mass media on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Dr. Anabel Quan-Haase from University of Western Ontario discussed the importance of digital skills in the exchange of social support among older adults. Dr. Andraž Petovčič from the University of Ljubljana (CDI) shared insights from a study on the relationship between digital inequalities and algorithmic literacy. Dr. Philipp K. Masur from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam examined generational differences in online privacy literacy.
A wide range of key stakeholders attended the event, including representatives from various faculties, associations, and organizations. The symposium received significant media coverage.
Roundtable at the International Event on Digital Inclusion of Older Adults
A roundtable discussion was held, moderated by Dr. Darja Grošelj (FDV UL – CDI), on the topic "Challenges and opportunities for digital Inclusion after COVID-19." Participants included Dr. Eszter Hargittai, Dr. Grant Blank, Dr. Anabel Quan-Haase, and Dr. Philipp K. Masur. The discussion focused on the challenges and opportunities presented by the pandemic, its impact on digital inequalities, internet skills, and the role of policymakers, NGOs, and other stakeholders in fostering digital inclusion.
The event provided both experts and the wider public with insights into the complex issue of digital inequalities and underscored the importance of measures to ensure equal access to digital technologies for all social groups.
Key words
digital divide, digital inclusion, digital inequalities, digital skills, learning in formal contexts, learning in informal contexts, older adults, socio-technical factors
Back to list of projects