Development of Digital Competences in Primary Education: Findings from a Pilot Study of the COMPDIG Project

Abstract

The COMP-DIG program, developed within the EISCOOL project funded by PNRR, implemented a digital education program aimed at third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade primary school classes, with the goal of promoting basic digital skills and preventing the risk of early school leaving. The intervention, based on the European DigComp 2.2 framework, involved 114 pupils in a total of 18 hours of workshop-based activities, characterized by a practical, inclusive, and participatory approach. The results of the assessment show a significant improvement in digital skills (Cohen’s d index ranging between 0.36 and 0.75) and confirm the educational validity of the program. The collected evidence suggests that early enhancement of digital skills can serve as a strategic lever for inclusion and a preventive factor against school dropout, particularly in socially and educationally disadvantaged contexts.