Oportunidades digitales previas, autoeficacia y brecha de segundo nivel en la educación superior ecuatoriana: Prior digital opportunities, self-efficacy and the second-level divide in Ecuadorian higher education

Mayra Alexandra Dávila Muñoz; Wendy Litanep Menéndez Pinargote

doi:10.33936/cognosis.v11i4.8640

Authors

Mayra Alexandra Dávila Muñoz Escuela Superior Politécnica Agropecuaria de Manabí Manuel Félix López. Ecuadsor. https://orcid.org/0009-0004-7502-6210
Wendy Litanep Menéndez Pinargote Escuela Superior Politécnica Agropecuaria de Manabí Manuel Félix López. Ecuador. https://orcid.org/0009-0009-3479-472X

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33936/cognosis.v11i4.8640

Abstract

Digital participation in higher education depends not only on connectivity but also on prior learning opportunities, computer self-efficacy, and the suitability of available devices for academic demands. The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between prior digital opportunities, computer self-efficacy, and technological access conditions with the academic experience of university students in Ecuador. A quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional, and correlational study was conducted with an analytical sample of 334 students. The results showed that prior digital opportunities were associated with current self-efficacy, although this relationship was no longer significant when retrospective self-efficacy and current technological conditions were considered jointly. Among students who had completed at least one module, current self-efficacy was higher than that retrospectively reported for the pre-university period. Better Internet connection quality was also associated with higher current self-efficacy, whereas reliance on a mobile phone as the primary study device was related to lower self-efficacy and a greater likelihood of module repetition. The findings show that the digital divide in higher education extends beyond connectivity and involves accumulated opportunities, confidence in performing computer-related tasks, and the functional adequacy of technological access. Consequently, the findings highlight the importance of early diagnostic assessment, digital skills bridging support, and institutional access to appropriate devices.

KEYWORDS: digital divide; computer self-efficacy; digital competence; higher education; mobile learning.

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Prior digital opportunities, self-efficacy and the second-level divide in Ecuadorian higher education