ICILS 2028 - International Computer and Information Literacy Study

The IEA study ICILS 2028 is the fourth cycle, following ICILS 2013, 2018 and 2023. The international comparative study examines the digital competencies of eighth grade students and the conditions under which these competencies are acquired. For the first time, DIPF | Leibniz Institute for Research and Information in Education is leading the project organization in Germany in cooperation with Ruhr University Bochum.

Project Description

The International Computer and Information Literacy Study (ICILS) is an international comparative study of school performance that provides reliable empirical findings on the proficiency levels of eighth grade students using digital technologies and information. Since its implementation, Germany has consistently participated in this international comparison, taking part in ICILS 2013 (Bos et al., 2014), ICILS 2018 (Eickelmann et al., 2019) and ICILS 2023 (Eickelmann et al., 2024). This participation provides comprehensive insight into the computer and information-related competencies of young people and into current trends in competency levels in Germany. Further information on the international organization can be found here.

Following the previous cycles, the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) is conducting the fourth cycle of the study, ICILS 2028.

As in previous cycles, ICILS 2028 focuses on two domains of skills: (1) computer and information-related competencies (since ICILS 2013) and (2) competencies in computational thinking (an additional international module since ICILS 2018). In addition, context questionnaires will be used to survey students, teachers, school administrators and IT-Coordinators on the contextual factors influencing the acquisition of digital competencies – such as technical equipment and attitudes. A major expansion of the content of ICILS 2028 will be the introduction of new tasks and questions for both competency domains as well as for the context questionnaire. This reflects the growing importance of (generative) artificial intelligence (AI) for information retrieval, solving algorithmic problems and educational processes in general. At the same time, the topic of digital well-being will be systematically incorporated into the core of the study for the first time. This focus aims to capture students’ subjective experiences with digital media and technologies. As a result, ICILS 2028 will not only become a central tool for measuring technical and cognitive competencies, but also a comprehensive platform for researching the social, emotional and ethical dimensions of digital education in today’s world.

The ICILS study will be conducted in response to the growing importance of using digital media safely and competently in all areas of life and work. This raises the question of which skills children and adolescents possess in this area, how these skills have developed over time and how they can be fostered in schools.

Project Objectives

  • Assessing the current state of “digital education” among eighth-grade students for the purposes of educational monitoring, both at the national level and in international comparison
  • Enabling comparisons, including comparisons regarding the developmental trends in countries that have already participated in ICILS 2013, 2018 and/or 2023, including Germany
  • Addressing substantial pedagogical and technological advancements
  • Examining the competency area of “computational thinking” and, for the first time, enabling comparisons across multiple measurement points (in this case, a ten-year period)
  • Investigating the significance of digital competencies for students’ digital well-being

Funding:

In Germany, the study is funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space (BMFTR; formerly: Federal Ministry of Education and Research). As the study is part of the European Education Monitoring Program, the international participation fees are co-funded by the European Commission. In Germany, the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs has granted field access in all federal states and supports the implementation of the study.

Partnership:

This project is being carried out in partnership with:

Members of the national consortium:

Duration: 01/2026 – 12/2030

Status: Ongoing

Project Management: Frank Goldhammer

Project Team: Carolin Hahnel (Ruhr University Bochum), Franziska Maier-Bosch, Britta Upsing (Parental leave replacement), Patrick Paschke (Ruhr University Bochum), Erik Grützner