Assessing Digital Competence Among Health Science Undergraduates: a Critical Analysis

Abstract

Introduction. Strategic management between the educational realm and technology is possible as long as teachers and students have adequate and timely development of digital competencies. Although current generations are receptive to technology, academic activities that require critical thinking and problem-solving with digital support pose challenges and sometimes difficulties. Objective. To assess digital competencies in students from various healthcare disciplines through self-perception. Method. The Questionnaire for Assessing Student Digital Competence in Higher Education was used to gather information from a sample of 186 students in the healthcare field. Subsequent analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics. Results. The results indicated that, overall, students rated themselves in an intermediate range in terms of digital competence, suggesting a moderate perception of their digital abilities. Conclusion. Although most students reported having basic digital skills, many perceived challenges when using technology for academic tasks requiring information management, research, critical thinking, creativity, and innovation. Continuously improving students' digital competence and guiding their use of technology to solve complex problems can add significant value in the field of e-health, preparing them to fully leverage the opportunities technology offers in academic and professional settings.

Keywords

• Computer literacy
• education, medical
• universities
• students
• health occupations