Objective This paper will provide an overview of the levels of computer and information literacy (CIL), and the variation in CIL, among lower-secondary students in Europe. Research Questions The paper addresses three research questions. 1: What variations exist between and within European countries in CIL? 2: What aspects of schools and education systems are related to CIL? 3: What characteristics of students’ use of computers and personal backgrounds are related to CIL? Construct CIL is ‘an individual’s ability to use computers to investigate, create and communicate in order to participate effectively at home, at school, in the workplace and in the community’ (Fraillon, Schulz & Ainley, 2011). The construct includes the receptive and productive capabilities relating to computer-based information processing, creating, thinking and communicating. Methods Students in the study completed a 60 minute computer-based assessment of CIL. One parameter IRT was used for scaling the test items and generating students ‘CIL scale scores. Students and teachers also completed questionnaire about their background, computer use and attitudes towards using computers. Data The paper uses data from 12 European countries that participated in the IEA International Computer and Information Literacy Study (ICILS) (Fraillon, Ainley, Schulz, Friedman & Gebhardt, 2014). This includes data from roughly 33,750 Grade 8 students, 21,900 teachers in 1800 schools. Results There was considerable variation in CIL within and across European countries. A little more than one quarter of European students were in proficiency levels three or four but one twelfth of the students were below level one. Higher scores were associated with home computer use, access to resources and learning about CIL in classes at school as well as measures of socioeconomic advantage. Significance ICILS was the first crossnational study of students’ digital literacies. The paper provides the opportunity to reflect on the results of analyses of those data and their implications for Europe.

Fraillon, J.,Ainley, J., Schulz, W., Friedman, T., & Gebhardt, E. (2014). Preparing Life in a Digital Age: The IEA International Computer and Information Literacy Study International Report. Amsterdam, the Netherlands: International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA). Fraillon, J., Schulz, W., & Ainley, J. (2013). International Computer and Information Literacy Study assessment framework. Amsterdam, the Netherlands: International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA).