Older Australians have faced some of the greatest challenges to accessing health, welfare and business services online, and maintaining social connection, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. And yet, they are least equipped to deal with the mass shift to life online. Measuring digital skills, literacy, and participation is challenging. There are few standardised approaches. This study draws on and further develops international best practice measurement for understanding the tangible outcomes of digital skills and participation.
Impact / Outcome
Participants feel significantly more able to complete all key operational skills considered in the program. This shows that the program’s focus on foundational operational skills is effective and needed. There was a stronger, statistically significant change in four skills related to website access and the use of smartphones and tablets: installing applications on mobile devices, bookmarking a website, tracking the costs of mobile applications and even using shortcut keys.
Funding sources
Public
Key Metrics
Development of older Australians’ digital skills, safety, and confidence, to enable them to participate fully in the digital society
Operating model
Public-private partnershipYear published
01 January 2020 
Swinburne University