A model for the predictive power of university students' design thinking and digital literacy skills on intellectual experience skills

This study aims to create a model that predicts the relationship among university students' design thinking, digital literacy skills and intellectual experiences. Understanding this connection can help us improve educational practices and policies by equipping students with the 21st-century skills they need to grapple with complex information, generate new knowledge, and navigate modern challenges. Examining the connections between design thinking, digital literacy, and intellectual experience, we implemented a quantitative correlational study. The participating sample included 750 diverse university students, representing various grade levels and 25 departments across 12 universities. Convenience sampling enabled participation during the spring semester of 2023. Data collection utilized a multi-instrument approach. The participants completed the Demographic Information Form, the Digital Literacy Scale developed by Ng (2012a) and adapted and validated by Hamutoğlu et al. (2017), the Intellectual Experience Scale developed by Mayer and Caruso (1989) and adapted for this study, and the newly developed Design Thinking Scale. After collecting data through various scales, we analyzed it for validity, reliability, and underlying factors. Descriptive statistics were calculated using SPSS-24 software, while confirmatory factor analysis and structural correlations were conducted using LISREL 8.80. Additionally, PLS-SEM (partial least squares structural equation modelling) was used to examine the relationships between design thinking skills (DTS), digital literacy skills (DLS), and intellectual experience skills (IES). Statistical analysis revealed robust support for the hypothesized model. Model fit indices confirmed acceptable and a good fit, indicating strong relationships between design thinking (DTS), digital literacy (DLS), and intellectual experience (IES). DTS emerged as a significant predictor of IES (large direct effect) and DLS (medium effect size), while DLS had a smaller direct effect on IES. Notably, DTS explained 51% of the variance in IES and 6% in DLS, solidifying its position as the most influential factor in the model. Keywords: Intellectual experience, Digital literacy, Design thinking