Beyond self-perception: Evaluating digital literacy across multimedia formats using the atomic digital literacy framework and ICAS benchmarks
John K. E. Edumadze 1 * , Gladys Ewurama Edumadze 2 , Richard Arkaifie 1 , Alexander Kissiedu 1 , Benedict Atta Biney 1 , Daniel G. Essel 1 , Alex Osei-Gyasi 1 , Evans Ankomah 1 , Okyere-Darko Addai 1 , Dagbe E. K. Amenumey 1
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1 Directorate of ICT Services, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, GHANA2 Directorate of Consular & General Services, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, GHANA* Corresponding Author

Abstract

This study explored how university students perceive and assess their own digital literacy, focusing on how these self-evaluations align with the international competitions and assessments for schools (ICAS) computer skills levels. Drawing on responses from 1,520 students at the University of Cape Coast, the research examined patterns across gender, college affiliation, program type, and academic level. A structured questionnaire based on the atomic digital literacy framework was used to capture students’ self-assessed ability to collect, compose (organizing, manipulating, and formatting), and communicate digital content in different media formats–text, numeric data, images, sound, and video. Data were analyzed with SPSS and AMOS to evaluate both the reliability of the instrument and the relationships among its components. The results showed a very dependable instrument with strong internal consistency (α = .946) and clear evidence of construct validity. The exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses revealed a coherent two-factor structure distinguishing between the “analytical work” (textual and numerical) and expressive or multimedia creation (visual, auditory, and video) dimensions of digital literacy. Males and students in STEM disciplines generally indicated higher competence than their female and non-STEM peers, although the variations across academic levels were not statistically significant. When their self-assessments were compared with the ICAS computer skills levels, most fell somewhere in the level 3–intermediate computer skills but not fluent mastery (advanced and proficient, which are level 4 and level 5, respectively). The research suggests that university curricula should incorporate multimodal production and interdisciplinary digital practices to foster a more holistic and transformative approach to digital literacy.

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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

Journal of Digital Educational Technology, Volume 6, Issue 2, October 2026, Article No: ep2612

https://doi.org/10.29333/jdet/18536

Publication date: 08 May 2026

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