Digital Identity Levels in Older Learners: A New Focus for Sustainable Lifelong Education and Inclusion

Identifying the digital identity of older adults entails an essential step for their effective digital inclusion grounded in a holistic and sustainable human development in hyperconnected societies. This paper proposes a theoretical framework with three levels of digital identity based on motives an...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Sustainability 2020-12, Vol.12 (24), p.10657
Main Authors: Muñoz-Rodríguez, José Manuel, Hernández-Serrano, María José, Tabernero, Carmen
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adults
Aging
Distance learning
Education
Environmental education
Generations
Internet access
Older people
Pedagogy
Social factors
Social interactions
Society
Sustainability
Sustainable development
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Summary:Identifying the digital identity of older adults entails an essential step for their effective digital inclusion grounded in a holistic and sustainable human development in hyperconnected societies. This paper proposes a theoretical framework with three levels of digital identity based on motives and practices: location, action, and significance. This framework was used for designing an ad-hoc scale, tested with a sample of senior learners (n = 659) aged 55 and over involved in active aging programs in Adult Education in Spain. Participants filled out a five-point 20-item Likert scale measuring their agreement with the digital identity factors, along with two complementary scales evaluating their internet uses and motivations, as well as other items on living arrangements and perceived social support. Exploratory and confirmatory analyses showed a factorial structure with three levels of digital identity for older adults. The results revealed that active older adults with diverse motives for using the internet and variety in digital practices recorded a higher digital identity level, as did those who felt more isolated or with less social support. As a conclusion, the educational implications according to instrumental, social, and motivational variables are key for the progressive construction of a digital identity in older adults and for their digital inclusion.
ISSN:2071-1050
2071-1050
DOI:10.3390/su122410657