ICILS 2013 is an international comparative study of students’ computer and information literacy (CIL). Students’ skills in collecting and managing information, and producing and exchanging information were assessed. In total 21 countries/education systems participated in the study. In Norway approximately 2500 grade 9 students from 138 schools completed the test and answered a questionnaire. Teachers, school principals and ICT-coordinators answered questionnaires about ICT in schools.

In the ICILS study a test has been developed to assess students’ digital skills, which makes it possible to do comparisons within and across countries. The aspects measured by the test are derived from a theoretical framework. A comparison of the ICILS framework and the Norwegian framework for digital skills revealed a high degree of thematic overlapping. The ICILS study is based on a model in which students’ computer and information literacy is evaluated against home background, students’ personal characteristics and characteristics of the school and the community.

In most countries there are digital divides linked to access, use and skills. There are small traces of divides in access and use of computers in Norway, but a clear divide in students' skills. In total 24 percent of the Norwegian students perform at the lowest proficiency level or below. Data analyses show that gender (girls perform better that boys), students’ educational aspirations and socioeconomic background are the variables that primarily explain the variance in test scores in Norway.