Students Digital Maturity and Its Implications for Sustainable Behavior

Marcin Awdziej, Magdalena Jaciow, Marcin Lipowski, Jolanta Tkaczyk and Robert Wolny ()
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Marcin Awdziej: Department of Marketing, Kozminski University, 03-301 Warszawa, Poland
Magdalena Jaciow: Department of Digital Economy Research, Faculty of Economics, University of Economics in Katowice, 40-287 Katowice, Poland
Marcin Lipowski: Department of Marketing, Faculty of Economics, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University in Lublin, 20-031 Lublin, Poland
Jolanta Tkaczyk: Department of Marketing, Kozminski University, 03-301 Warszawa, Poland
Robert Wolny: Department of Digital Economy Research, Faculty of Economics, University of Economics in Katowice, 40-287 Katowice, Poland

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 9, 1-22

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the transition to remote and hybrid teaching and learning, highlighting the importance of digital maturity among university staff and students. Digital maturity includes technological proficiency and skills necessary to navigate and use digital tools for personal learning and development, as well as responsible and ethical use of technology, digital citizenship, and critical thinking. Developing digital maturity among students is critical to promoting sustainable practices and success in a digitally connected world. This article examines the impact of students’ digital maturity on online learning engagement and explores the relationship between digital maturity, acceptance of universities’ digital transformation, online education satisfaction, student engagement, and sustainable behavior. The study randomly selected 358 students from three Polish universities who completed an online survey (CAWI). The results indicate that digital competences positively affect the students’ acceptance of the digital transformation of the university. Personal innovation and motivation for formal digital learning also influence acceptance. Accepting the digital transformation has a positive impact on online learning satisfaction. Engagement in online learning has minimal impact on informal digital learning. The positive moderating effects of commitment to sustainable development on satisfaction and commitment to distance learning and informal digital learning were insignificant. The study suggests that universities need to promote digital maturity among all stakeholders, and students need to improve their digital competences to take full advantage of the educational offer of universities.

Keywords: digital maturity; digital transformation of higher education; student engagement; sustainable behavior; online learning (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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