Digital literacy in adults in rural areas: a study of training needs
Keywords:
digital literacy; rural digital divide; training needs; adults; EcuadorAbstract
Introduction: This research addressed the need for digital literacy among adults in rural areas, a key determinant for social participation and equity. The study was conducted in Sitio Carrasco (Chone, Ecuador) during 2025 with the objective of estimating the digital literacy training needs of the adult population, integrating the analysis of digital skills, access to technological resources, and sociocultural barriers. Materials and methods: A quantitative, non-experimental, and cross-sectional approach was used with 150 participants, applying an 18-item Likert questionnaire based on the DigComp 2.2 framework. The training need was calculated by inverting the mean (5 - mean), classifying it as low, moderate, or high. Results: The results showed an overall moderate need (mean of 2.98/5), with 74.7% of the population presenting a moderate or high need. By dimension, the average digital skills score was 3.14; access to resources, 2.82; and sociocultural barriers, 2.99. The most critical indicator was connectivity and affordability (2.21), while the greatest relative strength was digital communication and collaboration (3.53). Discussion: The study focuses on connectivity as the main bottleneck and the existence of a skills gap that limits self-directed learning. Conclusions: Interventions should prioritize strategies for low internet dependence, information literacy training (search and verification), and community support to ensure adherence to and transfer of learning in rural contexts.
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