(Special Issue) Empirical Study on Developing Digital Literacy Among Middle-aged and Older Adults: Perspectives From the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology and Learning Beliefs
Author: Yi-Hui Liu (Department of Senior Service Management, National Taichung University of Science and Technology)
Vol.&No.：Vol. 70, No. 4
Date：December 2025
Pages：157-190
DOI：https://doi.org/10.6209/JORIES.202512_70(4).0006
Abstract：
Research Motivation and Purpose
With the rapid advancement of digital devices and online infrastructure, this study focuses on older adults to understand their experiences with technology use and to provide proactive measures to narrow the digital gap. Through supportive education and training, positive perceptions of technology use among middle-aged and older adults can be reinforced, thus reducing the multiple disadvantages of the so-called gray digital divide and enhancing their confidence and motivation to use digital devices. Accordingly, this study aims to examine the digital divide in lifelong learning, a disparity that has been highlighted in the post-pandemic era. By examining digital literacy in adult education, this study investigates the digital divide in lifelong learning in Taiwan. Drawing on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), adult learning beliefs, and digital literacy perspectives, it explores the introduction of digital literacy courses and proposes recommendations for mitigating the digital divide among middle-aged and older adults.
Literature Review
From an international perspective, this study intends to reflect on the post-pandemic needs and insights for adult education in Taiwan. Compared to compulsory and higher education during the past few years of the pandemic, adult education has faced significant challenges in delivering well-prepared and refined digital or online courses. Moreover, in today’s information society, without digital literacy, it is difficult to safeguard basic human rights such as access to information, education, and social participation. Consequently, this literature review examines the phenomenon of the gray digital divide, the theoretical underpinnings of the UTAUT, learning beliefs, and digital literacy course design. These discussions serve as a basis for decisions on how to enhance digital literacy among middle-aged and older adults.
Research Method
This study focuses on learners aged 55 and above, seeking to determine whether learning beliefs and the UTAUT are shaped by digital literacy and to explore how the introduction of “digital literacy courses” impacts learning beliefs and the UTAUT among middle-aged and older learners. Previous studies indicate that “digital literacy” is a crucial factor influencing whether older adults choose to engage in digital learning. Additionally, differences in “UTAUT” factors and “digital literacy” among learners exert varying effects on “learning beliefs.”
In this research design, participants were divided into two groups: one that did not participate in digital literacy courses and another that did, followed by questionnaire administration. In the non-participating group, 382 questionnaires were collected, of which 28 invalid responses were removed due to incomplete or uniform answers. In the group that participated in digital literacy courses, 120 questionnaires were collected, with four invalid responses removed. After excluding a total of 32 invalid questionnaires, 470 valid samples remained, yielding a 93.6% usability rate. Once the questionnaire was drafted, three experts reviewed the wording and content, making revisions to ensure appropriateness for middle-aged and older respondents. IBM SPSS Statistics 26.0 was then used to perform quantitative statistical analysis of the data.
Research Results
This study focuses on enhancing digital literacy among middle-aged and older learners in the post-pandemic era, incorporating both the UTAUT and learning beliefs. It confirms the applicability of the UTAUT, particularly in significantly influencing learning beliefs among middle-aged and older learners. According to the findings, the introduction of digital literacy courses helps narrow the gray digital divide in this population and has a pronounced effect on strengthening their confidence in digital learning and enhancing their learning beliefs. The results indicate that incorporating digital literacy courses can significantly increase the positive influence of the UTAUT on learning beliefs, with digital literacy exhibiting a partial mediating effect between the two. This finding highlights the vital bridging role of digital literacy in the process through which middle-aged and older learners adopt emerging technologies and form learning beliefs.
Furthermore, middle-aged and older learners continue to face certain challenges regarding digital literacy. The findings of this study reveal a significant positive relationship between the UTAUT and digital literacy, with digital literacy serving as an essential mediation factor in elevating learning beliefs. These outcomes suggest that middle-aged and older learners indeed have room for growth in developing and applying digital literacy, aligning with the literature that indicates potential disadvantages for older adults in a digital society.
Discussion and Recommendations
(1) Providing Learners With Diverse Digital Literacy Course Designs
In accordance with the digital needs and cognitive characteristics of middle-aged and older learners, course design should be tiered and the long-term benefits after course implementation should be tracked, including learners’ continued application of digital skills and cross-context adaptability. In addition, a blended learning model that combines online and face-to-face formats and is tailored to middle-aged and older adults may enhance learning flexibility and effectiveness while improving the experiences and learning outcomes of learners.
(2) Developing Support Systems through Intergenerational or Community-based Learning
Family and social support systems may be integrated to create intergenerational co-learning models. By embracing cross-generational co-learning, family participation and intergenerational interactive motivation can be infused, coupled with resource provisions and course incentives, to attract greater participation from middle-aged and older learners. Such efforts put social inclusion into practice, providing middle-aged and older learners with sufficient skills and confidence to engage wholeheartedly in digital technology-related courses.
(3) Continuing to Deepen Research on Digital Literacy among Middle-aged and Older Adults
Future research could employ more refined sample classifications and incorporate background variables such as participants’ health status, retirement situation, and caregiving responsibilities to explore their impact on digital learning behaviors and outcomes. This approach would enrich the research model and potentially uncover deeper influences on learning behavior. Additionally, long-term research designs combined with practical implementations, such as randomized controlled trials, would help foster trust, recognition, and cooperation from both participants and institutions regarding random assignment, thereby further enhancing the randomness and inferential validity of the research design.
Keywords：middle-aged and older learners, gray digital divide, digital literacy, Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT)