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Project Title:Pretesting of special module on ICT at work, working conditions & learning digital skills (English Version)
  1. General Information: *Note: The item was tested both in English and German.*
  2. Introduction: English version: The following questions concern the usage of information and communication technologies (computers and the internet) for your working activities. In case of multiple activities, please refer always to your main paid job.

    German version: Die folgenden Fragen beziehen sich auf die Nutzung von Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologien (Computer und Internet) für Ihre beruflichen Aktivitäten. Im Fall von mehreren Aktivitäten beziehen Sie sich bitte immer auf Ihren Hauptberuf.
  3. Question Text: English version: Think about your main paid job: Do you use computers, laptops, smartphones, or other computerised equipment at work?

    German Version: Denken Sie an Ihre Hauptbeschäftigung: Verwenden Sie Computer, Laptops, Smartphones oder andere computergesteuerter Ausstattung bei der Arbeit?
  4. Answer Categories English version:
    Yes

    No


    German version:
    Ja

    Nein


    1. Recommendations: Question: The issue of question 3 is that several respondents in both countries struggle with and silently misunderstand the term “computerised equipment.” Therefore, we recommend substituting the term “computerised equipment” with a different term that captures the intended devices more clearly. Another solution would be to provide a definition of computerised equipment.
      In addition, we recommend substituting the term “Hauptberuf” with the term “Hauptbeschäftigung” in the German version of the question. The term “Hauptberuf” does not really exist in the German language: “Die folgenden Fragen beziehen sich auf die Nutzung von Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologien (Computer und Internet) für Ihre beruflichen Aktivitäten."
      "Im Fall von mehreren Aktivitäten beziehen Sie sich bitte immer auf Ihre Hauptbeschäftigung. Denken Sie an Ihre Hauptbeschäftigung: Verwenden Sie Computer, Laptops, Smartphones oder andere computergesteuerte Ausstattung bei der Arbeit?“
      Answer categories: No changes recommended.
  1. Cognitive Techniques:Information image/link to cognitive pretesting Comprehension Probing.
  2. Findings for Question: Question 3 asked respondents whether they use computers, laptops, smartphones, or other computerised equipment at work in their main job. Respondents could choose between the answer categories “Yes” and “No.” All categories were exclusive categories and, therefore, percentages add up to 100 percent. The majority of British and German respondents selected the answer category “Yes” (British respondents: 81.33 percent; German respondents: 82.86 percent). Only 18.67 percent of the British respondents and 17.14 percent of the German respondents chose “No” at this question.

    Only respondents that selected the response “Yes” at question 3 received the comprehension probe that inquired which tools respondents would consider to be “computerised equipment”. As a consequence, 26 respondents (14 English speaking respondents and 12 German speaking respondents) did not receive this question due to the filter in question 3.

    The main intention of Probe 4 was to get a better understanding how the term “computerised equipment” is understood by the respondents and which type of devices the respondents include in their definition of “computerised equipment.” The comprehension probe revealed a large variety of different interpretations of the term “computerized equipment.” Respondents in both countries thought of various devices, office tools, computer equipment, production facilities, and entertainment devices. Therefore, the first finding with regard to this probe is that respondents do not associate one specific type of device with the term “computerized equipment.”

    However, the most important distinction with regard to the probe findings is whether respondents’ associations are “in scope” or “out of scope.” The term computerized equipment was defined as equipment used, for example, to control machines or to access the internet (e.g., machines connected to the internet, handheld devices to register signatures or orders in restaurants, etc.). Following this definition, only a minority of respondents mentioned “in scope” devices, such as hand-held scanners (German respondents: 3.45 percent), card readers (German respondents: 1.72 percent), label maker readers (German respondents: 1.72 percent), or machines/robots (German respondents: 6.90 percent). Some respondents did not provide specific devices but circumscribed such devices by providing definitions such as devices that require batteries (British respondents: 3.28 percent) or an internet connection (British respondents: 4.92 percent), devices that are computer-controlled (German respondents: 5.17 percent) or devices that work like a computer (British respondents: 3.28 percent, German respondents: 3.45 percent).

    Unfortunately, several respondents also provided “out of scope” definitions of the term “computerized equipment,” by mentioning devices such as desktop computers (British respondents: 60.66 percent, German respondents: 13.79 percent), laptops (British respondents: 55.74 percent, German respondents: 3.45 percent), smartphones (British respondents: 37.70 percent, German respondents: 8.62 percent) or tablets (British respondents: 27.87 percent, German respondents: 6.90 percent). However, the prevalence of these “out of scope” definitions varies across countries. Far more British respondents than German respondents associate “computerized equipment” with such devices. This means that the German translation potentially captures the intended meaning of this term more clearly. In contrast, about 17 percent of the German respondents answer that they do not understand this technical term.

    For a more detailed breakdown of the respondents‘ answers please refer to the tables in the attached PDF document.
  1. Question Topic: Digitalization/ Use of digital systems
  2. Construct: Usage of ICT for working activities