Action research to improve the digital competency levels of middle school students

Developing students to use information and communication technologies effectively, efficiently and safely in daily life and in the education process, with ethical and responsible awareness, and ensuring that they have the digital competencies that are a necessity of digital transformation and the age and organizing studies to reduce the problems they experience in this regard is important as it will contribute to the development of students' digital competencies. In this context, the purpose of the research was determined as the development of digital competencies of seventh grade secondary school students. In order to achieve this aim, the action research design was used in the study. Criterion sampling method, one of the purposeful sampling methods, was used to determine the participants in the study. In this regard, the participants of the study were 20 students studying at the seventh grade level in a middle school with a low socio-economic level, located in a village far from the city center of Adana, in the spring semester of the 2021-2022 academic year. The competencies to be included in the implementation process of the research are discussed taking into account the Digital Competency Determination Survey (DY-BA), digital competency models and the explanations in DigComp and are discussed under the units of "Information Literacy", "Digital Content" and "Ethics and Security" as 10 themes and 45 categories was considered as learning outcome. As data collection tools, "Digital Competence Self-Assessment Form (DY-ÖDF), Digital Competence Level Determination Test (DYD-BT) and Digital Competence Level Interview Form" were used to determine the current situation before the action applications and at the end of the action applications, in order to determine the change in the digital competencies of the students. The basic data collection tools used in the action process are researcher diary, observer teacher course evaluation form, performance task, evaluation sheet and self-evaluation form. At the end of the application process, an interview form was also used to evaluate the entire teaching process. Within the scope of data analysis, descriptive statistical techniques were used to analyze quantitative data, while qualitative data were analyzed with descriptive analysis. In line with the validity and reliability studies, Pearson correlation and Cohen's kappa coefficient were calculated for the quantitative data within the scope of DYD-BT; regarding qualitative data, long-term interaction, depth-oriented data collection, triangulation, expert review, participant confirmation, detailed description, purposeful sampling and coder reliability techniques were used. According to the current situation assessment findings, it was determined that the students had digital competencies at basic levels in the information literacy and digital content unit, and at a point very close to the intermediate level in the "ethics and security" unit. For this reason, it was thought that students' digital competence levels were generally low before the application and that they needed to be improved, and that students' digital competence levels could be increased through an action research. Thereupon, during the action research process that was planned and implemented, it was determined that there were problems regarding lesson duration, classroom management, keyboard use, completion speed of computer applications, motivation, it was that there were problems regarding students' difficulty in learning some concepts.. In addition, technical problems such as internet and computer slowness and internet disconnections were also experienced in the research. Solutions to the identified problems were suggested and the solutions were reflected in the next cycle. After teaching, it was concluded that the students' digital competence levels increased to advanced levels in all units and in total and showed positive development. In addition, it has been determined that students can better explain the concepts and information regarding the subjects included in digital competence training, express the program features and functions better, and consider themselves more competent in digital competence. In line with the findings regarding the evaluation of the teaching, it was concluded that the students' opinions about digital competence teaching were generally positive.