Analysis of Demographic and Academic Factors in ICT Competence in Engineering Students

Choque-Soto V.M.; Sosa-Jauregui V.D. · ICACIT 2025 - Proceedings: 11th International Symposium on Accreditation of Engineering and Computing Education (2025) · DOI: 10.1109/icacit66767.2025.11369510

Resumen

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) skills are important in university education; however, the existing digital divides in Latin American countries require improvements to ensure equal digital skills, especially in engineering programs. This study examines the academic performance of engineering students in digital competencies to identify patterns related to demographic, educational, and contextual variables, thus contributing to the improvement of engineering and technology education, providing a baseline for updating curricula. The analysis is based on a dataset of 6,265 students enrolled in the introductory ICT course between 2018 and 2024 at a public university in southern Peru. A descriptive and exploratory study was conducted using Data Analytics to investigate differences in performance as a function of gender, age, engineering program, geographic location, and academic period, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The results indicate that female students score slightly higher than their male counterparts, despite the higher proportion of male students in engineering programs. Additionally, younger students scored higher, and performance improved during and after the pandemic. In addition, variations in performance were observed among different engineering programs and across various regions of origin. These results reveal the relationship between demographic and contextual factors in ICT learning, demonstrating the need for data-driven research to inform decision-making and enhance engineering and technology education.

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional de San Antonio Abad del Cusco