The engagement-capability gap in higher education: evidence from UK and Turkiye students
EDUCATION AND TRAINING, 2026 (SSCI, Scopus)
- Publication Type: Article / Article
- Publication Date: 2026
- Doi Number: 10.1108/et-01-2026-0103
- Journal Name: EDUCATION AND TRAINING
- Journal Indexes: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, ABI/INFORM, Aerospace Database, Agricultural & Environmental Science Database, EBSCO Education Source, Education Abstracts, Educational research abstracts (ERA), ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts (LISTA), Psycinfo, Information Science & Technology Abstracts (LISTA), Academic Search Ultimate (EBSCO), Social Science Premium Collection (ProQuest), Education Collection (ProQuest), Education Source Ultimate (EBSCO), Health Research Premium Collection (ProQuest), Materials Science & Engineering Collection (ProQuest), Pharma Collection (ProQuest), Technology Collection (ProQuest)
- Azerbaijan State University of Economics (UNEC) Affiliated: Yes
Abstract
Purpose This study examines students' self-reported digital and soft skills, together with learning-related communication practices in higher education, and explores whether these profiles differ by programme and year of study in the United Kingdom and T & uuml;rkiye. Design/methodology/approach Survey data were collected from the United Kingdom (N = 85) and T & uuml;rkiye (N = 122). Items captured learning resource use, communication practices, digital skills (DigComp 2.2-aligned) and soft skills on 5-point Likert scales. Differences across domains were examined using Friedman tests (Kendall's W). Associations were examined using Spearman correlations with 95% confidence intervals. Item-level group differences by programme/year were tested using the Kruskal-Wallis test with BH-FDR correction; significant items were followed by Dunn post-hoc tests (BH-FDR). Findings Students reported high engagement with digitally mediated learning resources and communication but lower confidence in organising digital resources, digital collaboration, creating/editing content, protecting personal data and problem-solving. After BH-FDR correction, no year-of-study differences remained significant, and only 1 of the 21 item-level programme comparisons remained significant, limited to video-call use in the United Kingdom; effect sizes were otherwise small to moderate. Across samples, face-to-face interaction remained the highest-rated mode of learning. Future research should replicate these patterns across more institutions and incorporate performance-based digital tasks to assess applied capability. Originality/value This study provides cross-contextual evidence of an engagement-capability gap in higher education, the UK and T & uuml;rkiye samples. Students report engaging in digitally mediated study practices but have lower confidence in their digital skills. The findings support scaffolded, curriculum-embedded digital production tasks and performance-based measures to assess capability.