When we realized that digital competence is not related to age

October 2025

“I’m too old for this.”

A phrase we hear often at UPI Žalec. This time, it was uttered by Jože, a man in his early sixties, when he opened the online classroom for the first time. His hand rested on the mouse, and his gaze was fixed on the screen, as if he were observing something that didn’t belong to him.

“This is for young people,” he added. “They were born with this.”

Ana, a program participant barely twenty years old, was also sitting in the room. When she opened the same system, she needed help logging in because she hadn’t remembered her password and didn’t know how to reset it. A few minutes later, Jože, who had by then successfully logged in, sat down next to her and explained where to click.

The scene was quiet, almost unnoticeable. But meaningful.

That day, it wasn’t about who was younger or older. It was about something else: the ability to recognize what we don’t know—and to decide to fill that gap.

In the past, age was synonymous with knowledge

In traditional settings, age signified experience, wisdom, and authority. The young listened, and the old taught. Knowledge was linked to life’s trials.

Digital technology has turned this logic on its head. Younger generations have grown up with screens, apps, and social media. They intuitively master certain functions, recognize icons more quickly, and click with confidence.

But that doesn’t mean they don’t have gaps.

And it doesn’t mean that older people lack potential.

DigComp Competence 5.4—recognizing gaps in one’s own digital competencies—is not about age. It’s about awareness. About the ability to say to ourselves: I don’t know this yet. And that’s okay.

Stereotypes as a Silent Barrier

When Jože says he’s too old for this, he isn’t stating a fact, but expressing a belief—a belief he has adopted from broader social discourse.

• “Young people are digital”
• “Older people don’t understand technology”
• “This isn’t for my generation”

Such statements become an inner voice.

At UPI Žalec, we observe that the first step in developing digital competencies is often the dismantling of these beliefs. Not through lectures, but through experience.

When someone successfully completes a task they previously deemed “too difficult for their age,” something shifts within them.

Gaps are not a defeat, but a starting point

At one of the workshops, we asked participants to write down what they didn’t know or didn’t understand about the digital environment. At first, there was a sense of unease. Admitting ignorance isn’t easy.

But as they began to speak up, it became clear that the gaps were diverse and independent of age. Younger participants mentioned security settings, older ones working in the cloud, and the middle generation file organization.

There was no single pattern.

Recognizing gaps did not signify weakness. It meant a roadmap. When you know where you are, you can plan your path.

Reflection in the context of UPI Žalec

As an organization, we also had to identify our own gaps. Do we assume that a certain group needs more help? Do we unconsciously adjust our expectations based on age?

The project encouraged us to adopt a more individualized approach. Instead of looking at the year of birth, we look at the starting point. Instead of assuming, we ask.

Digital competence is not a generational trait. It is the result of learning, practice, and openness.

When a Belief Changes

A few weeks after that first statement, Mr. Jože prepared a short digital presentation about his hobby. As he stood in front of the group, confidently clicking through the slides with his mouse, he said, “Well, I guess I’m not too old after all.”

It wasn’t a joke. It was a correction of his own belief.

Competency 5.4 isn’t just about recognizing what’s missing. It’s also about recognizing what we’ve already mastered. And understanding that development isn’t tied to age.

When we let go of the idea that digital skills are reserved for one generation, space opens up for learning. And that is where real progress begins—not in comparison, but in awareness.