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Development and validation of upper secondary students’ attitudes towards digital competence instrument in Malaysia


Citation

Ghafar, Nur Faeeza Abd and Razali, Fazilah and Ayub, Ahmad Fauzi Mohd (2026) Development and validation of upper secondary students’ attitudes towards digital competence instrument in Malaysia. Journal of Education and Learning, 20 (2). pp. 1056-1065. ISSN 2089-9823; eISSN: 2302-9277

Abstract

Digital competency is increasingly vital for students in today’s technology-driven world. Despite efforts to enhance digital skills in education, measuring students’ attitudes toward digital competency remains a challenge, especially in developing contexts like Malaysia. This paper develops and validates the upper secondary students’ attitudes towards digital competency instrument (USSADCI) in Malaysia, providing a psychometrically reliable and valid tool specifically designed while addressing a gap in previous research. Using the Rasch measurement model (RMM), the USSADCI measures constructs such as digital technology application, problem-solving, interpersonal skills, data and information literacy, content creation, digital security, and digital citizenship. A survey method was employed, collecting 47 feedback from students in the urban secondary schools and 43 feedback from the rural secondary schools in the State of Perak. The analysis found that the reliability of the item was 0.96 with a separating index of 4.77. While the respondent’s reliability was 0.92 with a separating index of 3.42. The 14 items were removed due to misfit, resulting in a final 42-item instrument. The study concludes that USSADCI is a robust tool for measuring digital competence attitudes in secondary education. Future research should expand its use to other regions and demographics, exploring the longitudinal impact of digital competence attitudes on students’ academic performance and digital readiness.


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Additional Metadata

Item Type: Article
Subject: Education
Subject: Developmental and Educational Psychology
Subject: Development
Divisions: Faculty of Educational Studies
DOI Number: https://doi.org/10.11591/edulearn.v20i2.23155
Publisher: Intelektual Pustaka Media Utama
Keywords: Attitude measurement; Digital competence; Instrument validation; Rasch measurement model; Secondary education
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): SDG 4: Quality Education, SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
Depositing User: Ms. Siti Radziah Mohamed@mahmod
Date Deposited: 23 Apr 2026 00:17
Last Modified: 23 Apr 2026 00:17
Altmetrics: http://www.altmetric.com/details.php?domain=psasir.upm.edu.my&doi=10.11591/edulearn.v20i2.23155
URI: http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/124797
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