SMARTPHONES, INTERNET BANKING, AND ONLINE EDUCATION: HOW DID THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC INFLUENCE THE SKILLS FOR THE DIGITAL AGE

Abstract

Digital technologies became one of the most important means of communication during the Covid-19 pandemic. Due to online learning and working from home, the pressure to increase ICT competencies has increased. This paper aims to analyse the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the skills for the digital age. The research data consists of two samples. The first was collected from October 2018 to June 2019 and the second from September 2020 to January 2022, i. e. during the period of anti-pandemic restrictions. The samples are representative of the Czech population. The hypotheses about the Covid-19 pandemic interference with the sociodemographic factors of age and gender and its significant impact on using smartphones, internet banking, and the internet to find information to further education were tested. The statistical significance of hypotheses were tested using ?2 statistics and Pearson G2 statistics for two-way (C ? R) and contingency tables. The change in the use of smartphones and internet banking in the COVID-19 pandemic era was proved. Internet use for further education significantly changed only in the group of respondents in middle adulthood.