This is an educational questionnaire, designed to evaluate and develop student’s knowledge, skills, and attitudes related to Digital Competence.
These tests have been developed within the Italian National Research Project -"Internet in the School and concerns with accessibility, equality andinformation management", PRIN-Miur, 2006) ( for further information ).
It is aimed at 15-16 yr. old students,it is free and it can be used following a simple request to do so; schools that wish to use it can access it via the Internet, using this website.
At the end of the test pupils can see the results and get feedback.

Before the test

• Test participation requirements: students with normal reading ability, prior knowledge of some specific terms ( a list is provided below ) and the chance for each student to individually use a personal computer with an Internet connection;
• an activation request must be sent (see below);
• the educational aim must be explained to the students. Students can check their scores at the end of the test and receive suggestions and educational feedback on the individual items, especially on the open-ended questions;
• the type of test (complete or combined) has to be selected;
• students should first do the trial test.

During the test
Test Takers (TTs)s must take the test individually, in a calm and quite environment, with no disturbing elements. The teacher informs students about the time allotted, which is calculated by multiplying the number of items for 2 minutes (an extra FIVE minutes’ time is added / a fluctuation band of 5 minutes is allowed). Some minutes before the set time limit, the test invigilator must communicate the residual time to the test takers. On completion of the test, test takers must not speak to those who have not yet finished.
Please note that the DCA tests are anonymous. On activation, the applicant teacher receives a number of encoded accounts equal to the number of the test takers. He/she can decide whether or not to match each TT with his/her account or not.

After the test
Test Takers can immediately verify their scores and read the instructional feedback provided by the authors. At that point the teacher can introduce a discussion about the test and its topics.

The questionnaires requires Test Takers to know some specific terms.

Technological dimension:
Internet, software, virus, web site, URL, e-mail, file, connection, HTML,Internet, server, audio file, browser, video clip, hard disk, folder, chat,blog, wiki, web forum, scanner, digitalization, logical operator, computerprogram, operating system, RAM, CD-ROM, DVD, control panel, ADSL, virus, MMS.
Cognitive dimension:
Link, spreadsheet, Internet, search engine, source, reliable information,hypertext.
Ethical dimension:
Internet site, Internet connection, e-mail, chat, blog, provider, mailing list.
Teachers should verify that Test Takers areproficient with these terms, prior to attempting the questionnaires