An examination of pre-service teachers' digital literacy levels based on various variables

Equipping teachers with digital literacy skills is considered crucial both for serving as role models to students and for effectively imparting the necessary knowledge and skills to them. In particular, the pre-service training process—during which teacher candidates are prepared for the profession—is a critical stage in raising a generation that is digitally conscious and can use technology effectively. In this context, the aim of this study is to examine the digital literacy levels of teacher candidates in relation to various variables. The research was conducted using a descriptive survey model, one of the quantitative research methods. The study was carried out during the 2024–2025 academic year with students enrolled in the first through fourth years of undergraduate teacher education programs (Science Education, Preschool Education, Guidance and Psychological Counseling, Social Studies Education, Primary Education, Turkish Language Education, Special Education, Elementary Mathematics Education, and English Language Education) at a state university located in the Marmara Region of Turkey. A total of 1,086 pre-service teachers participated in the study. Data were collected using the "Digital Literacy Scale," which consists of 29 items across 6 subdimensions, and a "Personal Information Form" prepared by the researcher. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS version 26. Descriptive statistics such as frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation were calculated. To determine whether there were statistically significant differences between groups, independent samples t-tests and one-way ANOVA were conducted. The results of the study revealed that teacher candidates scored high in the subdimensions of ethics and responsibility, privacy and security, and daily use; moderate in general knowledge and social dimensions; and low in the professional production dimension. Overall, their general digital literacy level was found to be moderate. No significant gender-based differences were found in the overall digital literacy levels of teacher candidates. However, female candidates had higher scores than males in the dimensions of daily use and ethics and responsibility, whereas male candidates scored higher than females in general knowledge and functional skills. Significant differences were found in digital literacy levels based on the participants' academic departments, whereas no significant differences were observed in relation to their year of study—except in the social dimension, where class level did have an effect. The level of digital literacy also varied significantly based on whether the candidates owned a personal computer, with candidates who owned one scoring significantly higher in daily use, privacy and security, and social dimensions. While no significant differences were found in general digital literacy levels based on internet usage, notable differences were observed in the privacy-security and professional production subdimensions.