Alexander J A M Van Deursen | University of Twente (original) (raw)

Papers by Alexander J A M Van Deursen

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), Jul 31, 2022

Report on the development of real-life tasks encompassing information navigation and processing, ... more Report on the development of real-life tasks encompassing information navigation and processing, communication and interaction, and content creation and production skills Work Package 4-Deliverable 4.

Through a survey with a representative sample of Dutch Internet users, this paper examines (1) co... more Through a survey with a representative sample of Dutch Internet users, this paper examines (1) compound digital exclusion, that is, whether a person who lacks a particular type of digital skill also lacks another kind of skill; whether a person who does not engage in a particular way with the Internet is also less likely to engage in other ways with the Internet; and whether a person who does not achieve a certain outcome from using the Internet is also less likely to achieve another type of outcome. We also tested(2) sequential digital exclusion, whether certain groups were less likely to have digital skills; and whether this leads to lower levels of engagement with the Internet; resulting in a lower likelihood of an individual achieving tangible outcomes from their Internet use. The results show that compound and sequential digital exclusion is a reality.

Journal of Education and Work, Feb 10, 2022

ABSTRACT The creative industry is a sector where digitisation inevitably changes work practices a... more ABSTRACT The creative industry is a sector where digitisation inevitably changes work practices and the skill requirements are high. The rapid digitisation makes it imperative for workers to acquire digital skills beyond mere technical use. The aim of this study is twofold: (1) to offer a deeper analysis of the nature and level of 21st-century digital skills and (2) to explore the roles of both individual workers and organisations in skill development. In total, 24 interviews were conducted with founders and managing directors of creative organisations based in the Netherlands. The results show that they believe that workers’ technical skill levels are naturally high; while in fact, digital skills might require attention when content-related aspects are considered. The first priority in this case should be to raise awareness within an organisation’s management. Thereafter, intentional and structural efforts on the part of individual workers and organisations are needed to improve skill development practices in the workplace.

The youth Digital Skills Indicator was developed as part of the 'Youth Skills (ySKILLS)' ... more The youth Digital Skills Indicator was developed as part of the 'Youth Skills (ySKILLS)' project and added to the 'From Digital Skills to Tangible Outcomes' digital skills measurement toolkit. Please read the accompanying document on the underlying rationale for these scales and on how to create and use composite scales in the following document: Helsper, E.J., Schneider, L., van Deursen, A.J.A.M., van Laar, E. (2021). <em><strong>The youth Digital Skills Indicator: Report on the conceptualisation and development of the ySKILLS digital skills measure</strong></em>. KU Leuven, Leuven: ySKILLS. Available at: https://yskills.eu.

SAGE Open, 2021

Skills, such as critical thinking, creativity, communication, problem solving, collaboration, ope... more Skills, such as critical thinking, creativity, communication, problem solving, collaboration, operational skills, and information management, have become increasingly important for 21st-century employees. These skills are often referred to as 21st-century skills and influence how employees handle novel situations. They are indispensable in an economy where the knowledge and skills of employees are seen as a measure for economic potential. This systematic literature review summarizes the current academic knowledge about organizational factors that influence 21st-century skills on an individual level. A search was performed in three databases. The factors found can be sub-divided into three main categories, namely leader characteristics, job characteristics, and organizational characteristics. Transformational leadership was the factor most mentioned in the literature found. Most research found during the search was done on the level of organizational output, exposing a clear gap conc...

International Journal of Communication, 2019

The importance of 21st-century digital skills has been well established. However, research often ... more The importance of 21st-century digital skills has been well established. However, research often fails to examine how various skills relate to each other. Through a survey of a sample of 1,222 professionals working in the creative industries, we tested, by using path analysis, whether six 21st-century digital skills have a sequential and conditional nature. The sequence of the model starts with information and communication digital skills, followed by collaboration, critical thinking, and creative digital skills. All skills lead to problem-solving digital skills. The results confirm that the analyzed skills build on each other sequentially. To understand what interventions might be successful, the relations among various digital skills should be considered.

International Journal of Communication, 2017

Through a survey with a representative sample of Dutch Internet users, this article examines comp... more Through a survey with a representative sample of Dutch Internet users, this article examines compound digital exclusion: whether a person who lacks a particular digital skill also lacks another kind of skill, whether a person who does not engage in a particular way online is also less likely to engage in other ways, and whether a person who does not achieve a certain outcome online is also less likely to achieve another type of outcome. We also tested sequential digital exclusion: whether a lower level of digital skills leads to lower levels of engagement with the Internet, resulting in a lower likelihood for an individual to achieve tangible outcomes. Both types of digital exclusion are a reality. Certain use can have a strong relation with an outcome in a different domain. Furthermore, those who achieve outcomes in one domain do not necessarily achieve outcomes in another domain. To get a comprehensive picture of the nature of digital exclusion, it is necessary to account for diff...

New Technology Work and Employment, 2020

Twenty-first-century digital skills combine the higher-order skills of information management, co... more Twenty-first-century digital skills combine the higher-order skills of information management, communication, collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, and problem solving with a digital component. These skills are now considered crucial in ICT-intensive work environments. Unfortunately, there is no evidence of what organizational factors influence the 21st-century digital skills of employees. In the current study, we conducted a survey of 510 employees working in creative industries in the Netherlands to study whether organizational culture, transformational leadership, rewards, autonomy, personal development opportunities, team variety, and ICT advancement influence the range of 21st-century digital skills. The results reveal that all organizational factors contribute to at least one of the 21st-century digital skill components with the exception of an adhocracy culture. Supporting the development of 21st-century digital skills within an organization may involve accounting for...

This study brings attention to determinants of 21st-century digital skills and captures and organ... more This study brings attention to determinants of 21st-century digital skills and captures and organize past academic literature. The following skills are investigated: technical, information, communication, collaboration, critical thinking, creativity, and problem solving. The aim is to provide a comprehensive overview of the individual determinants of these skills. Research has started to measure the differences in skill level. However, since the inconsistency in terms and dimensions of skills that have been described, it is still unclear which are significant determinants. A systematic literature review is conducted to synthesize all relevant academic literature concerned with 21st-century skills determinants. The results show a lack of research concerning communication and collaboration skills. The primary focus is on technical skills. Furthermore,research is encouraged to give increasing attention to the determinants that an individual can manage such as participation in training ...

Journal of Innovation Management, 2019

In Europe, the creative industries (CIs) are experiencing growth rates well above the average of ... more In Europe, the creative industries (CIs) are experiencing growth rates well above the average of the EU’s total economic growth. However, a lack of consensus regarding how these industries work impedes the development of effective policy. In our research, we suggest a process approach to characterize the CIs. This characterization is more flexible in comparison to existing definitions. This process model can be used to easily identify job functions that are important for the development of innovative and creative products or services. Twenty-three semi-structured interviews were conducted with key players in CIs in the Netherlands. After analysis of these interviews, a process model of CIs was developed that consists of the following six steps: (1) problem analysis, (2) concept generation, (3) provisional design, (4) final design, (5) production/execution, and (6) product introduction. This model was supplemented with job functions for each step of the process. For future research, ...

The Information Society, 2019

Computers in Human Behavior, 2019