Adults, Computers and Problem Solving : What’s the Problem?.

192 Pages·2015·3.132 MB·English

by  OECD

OECD Skills Studies OECD Skills Studies
Adults, Computers and Problem Solving:
Adults, Computers
What’s the Problem?
and Problem Solving:
The report provides an in-depth analysis of the results from the Survey of Adult Skills related to problem solving
in technology-rich environments, along with measures concerning the use of ICT and problem solving. The What’s the Problem?
Nordic countries and the Netherlands have the largest proportions of adults (around 40%) who score at the
higher levels in problem solving, while Ireland, Poland and the Slovak Republic have the smallest proportions
of adults (around 20%) who score at those levels. Variations in countries’ proficiency in problem solving using
ICT are found to reflect differences in access to the Internet and in the frequency with which adults use e-mail.
The report finds that problem-solving proficiency is strongly associated with both age and general cognitive
proficiency, even after taking other relevant factors into account. Proficiency in problem solving using ICT
is related to greater participation in the labour force, lower unemployment, and higher wages. By contrast,
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a lack of computer experience has a substantial negative impact on labour market outcomes, even after EC
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controlling for other factors. The discussion considers policies that promote ICT access and use, opportunities S
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for developing problem-solving skills in formal education and through lifelong learning, and the importance of ills
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problem-solving proficiency in the context of e-government services. tu
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Contents d
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Chapter 1. Problem solving in technology rich environments and the Survey of Adult Skills lt
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Chapter 2. Proficiency in problem solving in technology-rich environments , C
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Chapter 3. Differences within countries in proficiency in problem solving in technology-rich environments m
Chapter 4. Proficiency in problem solving in technology-rich environments, the use of skills and labour p
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market outcomes te
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Chapter 5. Some pointers for policy a
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Related publications P
r
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• OECD Skills Outlook 2013: First Results from the Survey of Adult Skills b
• The Survey of Adult Skills: Reader’s Companion lem
• Literacy, Numeracy and Problem Solving in Technology-Rich Environments: S
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Framework for the OECD Survey of Adult Skills lv
in
• OECD Skills Studies series g
http://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/education/oecd-skills-studies_23078731 : W
h
a
Related website t’s
The Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC) th
e
http://www.oecd.org/site/piaac/ P
r
o
b
le
m
Consult this publication on line at http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/9789264236844-en ?
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2015
ISBN 978-92-64-23683-7
87 2015 01 1P

Adults, Computers
And problem solving:
WhAt’s the problem?
This work is published on the responsibility of the Secretary-General of the OECD. The opinions
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the OECD member countries.
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please cite this publication as:
OECD (2015), Adults, Computers and Problem Solving: What’s the Problem?, OECD Publishing.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/9789264236844-en
ISBN 978-92-64-23683-7 (print)
ISBN 978-92-64-23684-4 (PDF)

Series: OECD Skills Studies
ISSN 2307-8723 (print)
ISSN 2307-8731 (online)
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Foreword
Information and communication technologies (ICT) permeate every aspect of our lives, from how we “talk” with friends
to how we participate in the political process. The volume of information now accessible at the click of a mouse or the
touch of a fingertip is overwhelming. But how skilled are we at using these technologies, and the information we can
collect through them, to solve problems we encounter in daily life, such as using e-mail to communicate with a friend
or knowing how to work with a spreadsheet?
Based on results from the 2012 Survey of Adult Skills, a product of the OECD Programme for the International Assessment
of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), this report reveals the extent to which today’s adults can and do use computers to solve
problems in their work and personal lives. The report shows that the ability to use computers is not only becoming an
essential skill, but proficiency in computer use has an impact on the likelihood of participating in the labour force and
on workers’ wages. It also shows that there are many adults in all countries that participated in the Survey of Adult Skills
who do not possess sufficient skills in managing information in digital environments and are not comfortable using
ICT to solve the kinds of problems that they are likely to encounter at work or in everyday life. These adults are at a
considerable disadvantage in 21st-century societies.
As this detailed examination makes clear, adults’ proficiency in problem solving using ICT includes both proficiency
in the cognitive skills needed to solve problems and the ability to use digital devices and functionality to access and
manage information. Governments need to ensure that all adults have access to digital technologies and networks, and
are given opportunities to develop their proficiency in using them, whether in formal education, on-the-job training, or
through lifelong learning activities. Opting out of this increasingly wired world is no longer a viable option.
Andreas Schleicher
Director
Directorate for Education and Skills
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Adults, Computers And problem solving: WhAt’s the problem? © OECD 2015

Acknowledgements
The Survey of Adult Skills, a product of the OECD Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies
(PIAAC), was developed collaboratively by the participating countries, the OECD Secretariat, the European Commission
and an international consortium led by Educational Testing Service (ETS). This report was prepared by Ji Eun Chung
and Stuart Elliott, under the supervision of William Thorn, with assistance from Veronica Borg, Vanessa Denis and
François Keslair. Editorial assistance was provided by Marilyn Achiron and Célia Braga-Schich. Administrative assistance
was provided by Sabrina Leonarduzzi.
This document is one of a series of thematic reports prepared as part of the analytical work programme of the
PIAAC Board of Participating Countries jointly chaired by Dan McGrath (United States) and Patrick Bussière (Canada).
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Adults, Computers And problem solving: WhAt’s the problem? © OECD 2015

Table of Contents
ExEcutivE Summary ................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 13
about thE SurvEy of adult SkillS ........................................................................................................................................................................... 15
rEadEr’S GuidE ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 17
CHAPTER 1 ProblEm SolvinG in tEchnoloGy-rich EnvironmEntS and thE SurvEy
of adult SkillS ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 21
the importance of problem-solving skills ........................................................................................................................................................................... 22
Problem solving using ict ............................................................................................................................................................................................................ 22
living with ict ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 23
Working with ict ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 26
using ict to interact with public authorities .................................................................................................................................................................. 26
challenges in working with ict ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 27
CHAPTER 2 ProficiEncy in ProblEm SolvinG in tEchnoloGy-rich EnvironmEntS ......................................... 29
information on adults who lack basic ict skills ........................................................................................................................................................... 31
Proficiency across countries ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 34
differences in frequency of ict use ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 34
Proficiency and ict access and use ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 37
CHAPTER 3 diffErEncES Within countriES in ProficiEncy in ProblEm SolvinG
in tEchnoloGy-rich EnvironmEntS...................................................................................................................................................................... 43
Proficiency in problem solving in technology-rich environments, and computer experience,
related to various socio-demographic characteristics .............................................................................................................................................. 44
• Differences related to age ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 44
• Differences related to educational attainment ...................................................................................................................................................................... 47
• Differences related to adult education and training ........................................................................................................................................................ 48
• Differences related to gender ............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 48
• Differences related to socio-economic status ....................................................................................................................................................................... 49
• Differences related to immigrant and language background .................................................................................................................................... 49
• Differences related to ICT use .......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 51
• Differences related to literacy proficiency ................................................................................................................................................................................ 51
differences in proficiency related to specific characteristics, after accounting for other variables ..................................... 52
• Opportunities to develop skills ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 52
• Background characteristics ................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 53
• ICT use ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 54
• Literacy proficiency ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 54
differences in experience with computers related to specific characteristics, after accounting
for other variables .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 55
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Adults, Computers And problem solving: WhAt’s the problem? © OECD 2015
Table of conTenTs
CHAPTER 4 ProficiEncy in ProblEm SolvinG in tEchnoloGy-rich EnvironmEntS,
thE uSE of SkillS and labour markEt outcomES.................................................................................................................................. 57
a profile of workers’ skills in problem solving and using ict ............................................................................................................................. 58
• Current and recent workers’ proficiency in problem solving in technology-rich environments ...................................................... 58
• Proficiency in problem solving in technology-rich environments related to occupation .................................................................... 58
• Frequency of ICT use at work ............................................................................................................................................................................................................ 59
• Problem solving at work ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 61
• Adequacy of ICT skills for work ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 61
relationships among adults’ problem-solving and ict skills, frequency of ict use
and various economic outcomes ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 63
• Relationship with labour force participation .......................................................................................................................................................................... 63
• Relationship with unemployment .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 65
• Relationship with wages ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 66
relationships among adults’ problem-solving and ict skills, frequency of ict use
and various economic outcomes, after accounting for other factors ........................................................................................................... 69
• Relationships with labour force participation, after accounting for other factors ...................................................................................... 70
• Relationships with unemployment, after accounting for other factors .............................................................................................................. 71
• Relationship with wages, after accounting for other factors ...................................................................................................................................... 72
relationship with labour productivity ................................................................................................................................................................................. 74
the complex relationship between problem solving using ict and labour market outcomes ...................................................... 74
CHAPTER 5 SomE PointErS for Policy .................................................................................................................................................................. 79
adults with low proficiency in problem solving using ict ..................................................................................................................................... 80
the importance of access to and use of ict and problem-solving skills at work ................................................................................... 80
• Increasing access to ICT ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 80
• Policies to encourage greater use of ICT and problem-solving skills .................................................................................................................... 81
developing proficiency in problem solving using ict in formal education ............................................................................................... 81
E-government and proficiency in problem solving using ict ............................................................................................................................... 82
high-performing countries ............................................................................................................................................................................................................ 83
ANNEX A tablES of rESultS ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 87
ANNEX B additional tablES ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 139
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© OECD 2015 Adults, Computers And problem solving: WhAt’s the problem?