The relationship between ICT literacy and academic achievement among students: A meta-analysis

Students' information and communication technology (ICT) skills might support their learning processes and outcomes—or distract from them. As past studies showed mixed results, this meta-analysis examined 50 effect sizes from 45 studies of 70,350 students' ICT literacy and academic achievement in primary schools, secondary schools, and universities. Students with greater ICT literacy often had substantially higher academic achievement, moderated by several attributes. The positive link between ICT literacy and academic achievement was strongest (a) among students in senior high school, followed by elementary school, junior high school, and lowest in university; (b) among females rather than males (c) for applied skills in ICT literacy rather than theoretical ones; (d) on assignments, followed by course grades, tests, quizzes, other assessments and lowest on grade point average (GPA); and (e) in randomized controlled experiments, compared to stratified or convenience samples.