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1 May 2018
Brief

A Description of U.S. Adults Who Are Not Digitally Literate

Saida Mamedova and Emily Pawlowski, AIR

Digital technologies are becoming more prevalent in daily life, both in the United States and internationally. The Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) was developed by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to try and obtain an idea of the ability for adults to successfully participate in 21st-century society and the global economy. One part of the PIAAC measures an adult's ability to use computer technology in solving problems. 

This brief uses data from the 2011-12 PIAAC study to analyze the digital literacy of adults in the United States compared to other countries. The analysis used a sample of 5,000 adults between the ages of 16 and 65 in the U.S. from different socio-demographic groups.

The brief focuses on three important questions:

  • How do different groups of adults in the United States compare on digital literacy?
  • How does the United States compare to other developed countries on digital literacy?
  • How does the United States compare to other developed countries on computer use at work and in everyday life?

Key Findings

  • Adults who are not digitally literate are, on average, less educated, older, and more likely to be Black, Hispanic, or foreign born, compared to digitally literate adults. Compared to digitally literate adults, adults who are not digitally literate have a lower rate of labor force participation and tend to work in lower skilled jobs.
  • Compared to adults internationally, a smaller proportion of U.S. adults are not digitally literate. About 16 percent of U.S. adults are not digitally literate, compared to 23 percent of adults internationally. 
  • 74 percent of U.S. adults use a computer at work, 3 percentage points higher than the international average, and 81 percent of U.S. adults use a computer in everyday life, 3 percentage points lower than the international average.
PDF icon A Description of U.S. Adults Who Are Not Digitally Literate (PDF)

Related Projects

Project

Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC)

The Program for International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIACC) is a cyclical, large-scale, direct household assessment that compares the basic skills and competencies of adults around the world. It measures relationships between individuals’ backgrounds and cognitive skills in the areas of literacy, numeracy and problem-solving. AIR provides technical, analytical, and management support to PIAAC.

Further Reading

  • Adult Education Attainment and Assessment Scores: A Cross-National Comparison
  • NCES Data Point: Adult English Literacy in the United States
  • Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC)
  • Do U.S. Adults Have the Skills Needed to Thrive in the 21st Century? Four PIAAC Studies by AIR
  • RISE Webinar Series
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Image of Saida Mamedova

Saida Mamedova

Senior Psychometrician / Statistician

Topic

Workforce
Adult Learning
Workforce Development
Job, Skill, and Competency Analysis
International Comparisons in Education

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