Examination of self-Assessment of information technology literacy in primary school students with learning disabilities

Abstract

Background and objectives: Self-assessment plays an important role in an individual's learning and development processes, as it directly influences motivation, perseverance, and adaptability to challenges. The discrepancy between self-assessment and actual knowledge, especially the development of inaccurate self-assessments, is often explained by the Dunning-Kruger effect, which suggests that individuals tend to overestimate their abilities in areas they are less familiar with. The aim of the present study is to explore the self-assessment of students with learning disabilities in the field of IT knowledge. The specific aim of the study is to investigate students' self-perception of their IT knowledge in a baseline condition, as well as in relation to a positive reference point, and to examine the effect of solving an experiential task that provides feedback on their self-assessment.

Method: The study was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire-based data collection method, in which three questionnaires were completed by seventh and eighth grade students. The first questionnaire was a general survey measuring the baseline condition. In the second questionnaire, students were asked to compare their own knowledge to a reference point, the teacher of the digital culture subject. In the third questionnaire, the self-assessment was queried after solving a complex task set.

Results: Based on the results of statistical analysis, students' self-assessment significantly decreased after completing the tasks, while the reference point assignment did not cause a significant decrease.

Conclusions: This suggests that the solution to the complex task highlighted possible gaps in the students' knowledge, which led to a decrease in their self-assessment, or a shift towards a more realistic perspective. The research could contribute to the refinement of educational methods, particularly in supporting the development of realistic self-assessment.

Keywords: IT knowledge, self-assessment, learning disabilities, digital culture