Exploring digital literacy challenges and strategies among international students studying abroad
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32674/fhpg3y40Keywords:
Digital literacy, International Students, Digital Literacy Barriers, Digital Literacy Improvement, Studying AbroadAbstract
This research explores how international students in Malaysian higher education develop digital literacy, the barriers that impede such development, and strategies that may enhance institutional support. To understand their experiences using digital tools within an academic context, semistructured interviews were conducted with international students in a qualitative design. The results showed that confidence develops through repeated use and structured support, and barriers include complexities of software applications, integration challenges across different platforms, and limited chances for hands-on training. Participants called for targeted workshops, peer mentorship, improved resource access, and early integration into the curriculum. This paper offers practical suggestions useful to universities seeking to foster international students' adjustment to digitally mediated learning environments.
References
Double check in-text and references here; there are a few extra
Al-Balas, M., Al-Balas, H. I., Jaber, H. M., Obeidat, K., Al-Balas, H., Aborajooh, E. A., Al-Taher, R., & Al-Balas, B. (2020). Distance learning in clinical medical education amid COVID-19 pandemic in Jordan: current situation, challenges, and perspectives. BMC medical education, 20, 1-7. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-020-02257-4
Ali, A., & Smith, E. (2023). Unlocking the Past: Exploring the Riches of the Research Consortium Archives. Research Consortium Archive, 1(01), 1-9.
Anderson Jr, M. (2022). Students with Disabilities Use of Online Learning Accommodations in Higher Education Walden University].
Ankrah, S., & Omar, A.-T. (2015). Universities–industry collaboration: A systematic review. Scandinavian journal of management, 31(3), 387-408. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scaman.2015.02.003
Baharuddin, M. F., Masrek, M. N., & Mohamed Shuhidan, S. (2023). Assessing the level of digital literacy among selected Malaysian school teachers. Journal of Information and Knowledge Management (JIKM), 2, 451-462.
Balakrishnan, V. (2017). Key determinants for intention to use social media for learning in higher education institutions. Universal access in the information society, 16, 289-301. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10209-016-0457-0
Barton, G., Hartwig, K., Hu, Y., Kavanagh, M., & Watson, M. (2021). Investigating the Benefits and Challenges of Workplace Volunteering Experiences for International Students’ Employability Literacies. Journal of International Students, 12(3), 777-793. https://doi.org/10.32674/jis.v12i3.3493 DOI: https://doi.org/10.32674/jis.v12i3.3493
Bawden, D. (2008). Origins and concepts of digital literacy. Digital literacies: Concepts, policies and practices, 30(2008), 17-32.
Birt, L., Scott, S., Cavers, D., Campbell, C., & Walter, F. (2016). Member checking: a tool to enhance trustworthiness or merely a nod to validation? Qualitative health research, 26(13), 1802-1811. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1049732316654870
Cartile, A. (2020). Barriers to digital literacy: Learning to program. Proceedings of the Canadian Engineering Education Association (CEEA). DOI: https://doi.org/10.24908/pceea.vi0.14177
Chan, G. H. (2022). The social capital accumulation in the contemporary era. Internet Research, 32(6), 1930-1951. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/INTR-12-2020-0711
Clarke, V., & Braun, V. (2017). Thematic analysis. The journal of positive psychology, 12(3), 297-298. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2016.1262613
DiMaggio, P., & Bonikowski, B. (2008). Make money surfing the web? The impact of internet use on the earnings of US workers. American sociological review, 73(2), 227-250. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/000312240807300203
Eshet, Y. (2004). Digital literacy: A conceptual framework for survival skills in the digital era. Journal of educational multimedia and hypermedia, 13(1), 93-106.
Falloon, G. (2020). From digital literacy to digital competence: the teacher digital competency (TDC) framework. Educational technology research and development, 68(5), 2449-2472. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-020-09767-4
Fusch, P., & Ness, L. (2015). Data saturation in qualitative research. Qual Rep, 20(9), 1408-1416. DOI: https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2015.2281
Guest, G., Bunce, A., & Johnson, L. (2006). How many interviews are enough? An experiment with data saturation and variability. Field methods, 18(1), 59-82. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1525822X05279903
Gutierrez-Angel, N., Sanchez-Garcia, J.-N., Mercader-Rubio, I., Garcia-Martin, J., & Brito-Costa, S. (2022). Digital literacy in the university setting: A literature review of empirical studies between 2010 and 2021. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 896800. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.896800
Hague, C., & Payton, S. (2010). Digital literacy across the curriculum (Vol. 4). Futurelab Bristol.
Ittefaq, M., Zain, A. ., Arif, R., Ahmad, T. ., Khan, L., & Seo, H. (2025). Factors influencing international students’ adoption of generative artificial intelligence: The mediating role of perceived values and attitudes. Journal of International Students, 15(7), 127-154. https://doi.org/10.32674/fnwdpn48 DOI: https://doi.org/10.32674/fnwdpn48
Jw, C. (2009). Research design-qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. SAGE, Ca; ofprnia.
Kurelović, E. K., Tomljanović, J., & Davidović, V. (2016). Information overload, information literacy and use of technology by students. International Journal of Educational and Pedagogical Sciences, 10(3), 917-921.
Lee, R. S. (2020). Artificial intelligence in daily life. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-7695-9
Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1988). Criteria for Assessing Naturalistic Inquiries as Reports.
Magaldi, D., & Berler, M. (2020). Semistructured interviews. Encyclopedia of personality and individual differences, 4825-4830. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-24612-3_857
Miglbauer, M. Students ‘Extramural English as a Resource for Fostering Language Skills and Digital Competencies in Tertiary Language Education.
Mishra, P., & Koehler, M. J. (2006). Technological pedagogical content knowledge: A framework for teacher knowledge. Teachers college record, 108(6), 1017-1054. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/016146810610800610
Monteiro, A., & Leite, C. (2021). Digital literacies in higher education: Skills, uses, opportunities and obstacles to digital transformation. Revista de Educación a Distancia (RED), 21(65). DOI: https://doi.org/10.6018/red.438721
Ng, W. (2012). Can we teach digital natives digital literacy? Computers & education, 59(3), 1065-1078. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2012.04.016
Owusu-Fordjour, C., Koomson, C. K., & Hanson, D. (2020). The impact of Covid-19 on learning-the perspective of the Ghanaian student. European journal of education studies.
Pervin, N., & Mokhtar, M. (2022). The interpretivist research paradigm: A subjective notion of a social context. International Journal of Academic Research in Progressive Education and Development, 11(2), 419-428. DOI: https://doi.org/10.6007/IJARPED/v11-i2/12938
Rajab, M. H., Gazal, A. M., Alkattan, K., & Rajab, M. H. (2020). Challenges to online medical education during the COVID-19 pandemic. Cureus, 12(7). DOI: https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.8966
Reddy, P., Chaudhary, K., & Hussein, S. (2023). A digital literacy model to narrow the digital literacy skills gap. Heliyon, 9(4). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e14878
Redecker, C. (2017). European framework for the digital competence of educators: DigCompEdu.
Rosato, J., Thigpen, L., Brunson, F., Tise, J., & McGill, M. (2024). Coaching Teachers to Teach Computer Science with Equity-focused Teacher Standards. Proceedings of the 19th WiPSCE Conference on Primary and Secondary Computing Education Research, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1145/3677619.3678119
Sales, D., Cuevas-Cerveró, A., Gómez Hernández, J. A., & Cuevas Cervero, M. A. (2020). Perspectives on the information and digital competence of Social Sciences students and faculty before and during lockdown due to Covid-19. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3145/epi.2020.jul.23
Shariman, T. P. N. T., Razak, N. A., & Noor, N. F. M. (2012). Digital literacy competence for academic needs: An analysis of Malaysian students in three universities. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 69, 1489-1496. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.12.090
Sing Yun, W. (2023). Digitalization challenges in education during COVID-19: A systematic review. Cogent Education, 10(1), 2198981. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2023.2198981
Smith, E. E., Kahlke, R., & Judd, T. (2020). Not just digital natives: Integrating technologies in professional education contexts. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 36(3), 1-14. DOI: https://doi.org/10.14742/ajet.5689
Spante, M., Hashemi, S. S., Lundin, M., & Algers, A. (2018). Digital competence and digital literacy in higher education research: Systematic review of concept use. Cogent Education, 5(1), 1519143. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2018.1519143
Suengkamolpisut, Singhatong, & Viriyamano (2026)
Intercultural competence and leadership identity in blended global learning: Insights from Thai undergraduate students. Journal of International Students, 16(1), 1–24.
https://doi.org/10.32674/sa3esk64 DOI: https://doi.org/10.32674/sa3esk64
van Dijk, J. A., van Deursen, A. J., van Dijk, J. A., & van Deursen, A. J. (2014). Defining internet Skills. Digital Skills: Unlocking the Information Society, 21-42. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137437037_2
Viera, A. J., & Garrett, J. M. (2005). Understanding interobserver agreement: the kappa statistic. Fam med, 37(5), 360-363.
Walter, Y. (2024). Embracing the future of Artificial Intelligence in the classroom: the relevance of AI literacy, prompt engineering, and critical thinking in modern education. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 21(1), 15. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-024-00448-3
Warschauer, M., & Matuchniak, T. (2010). New technology and digital worlds: Analyzing evidence of equity in access, use, and outcomes. Review of research in education, 34(1), 179-225. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3102/0091732X09349791
Wilson, M., Scalise, K., & Gochyyev, P. (2015). Rethinking ICT literacy: From computer skills to social network settings. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 18, 65-80. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2015.05.001
Xu, T., Park, K., & Tian, X. (2023). Structural relationship on factors influencing digital literacy of college students. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning (Ijet), 18(19), 147-159. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3991/ijet.v18i19.38319
Zhao, Y., & Bryant, F. L. (2006). Can teacher technology integration training alone lead to high levels of technology integration? A qualitative look at teachers’ technology integration after state mandated technology training. Electronic Journal for the Integration of Technology in Education, 5(1), 53-62.
Zhao, Y., Sánchez Gómez, M. C., Pinto Llorente, A. M., & Zhao, L. (2021). Digital competence in higher education: Students’ perception and personal factors. Sustainability, 13(21), 12184. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su132112184
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
Categories
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Lilian Anthonysamy, Ooi Wei Lim, Parmjit Singh, Victor Alasa

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) [year] [author]
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
This license permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0












