Unveiling Utopian Civic Engagement: Empowering Digital Natives through Digital Literacy for a Better Future

Deni Zein Tarsidi; Karim Suryadi; Dasim Budimansyah; Rahmat Rahmat

doi:10.57235/ijrael.v2i2.681

Unveiling Utopian Civic Engagement: Empowering Digital Natives through Digital Literacy for a Better Future

Deni Zein Tarsidi⁽¹⁾, Karim Suryadi⁽²⁾, Dasim Budimansyah⁽³⁾, Rahmat Rahmat⁽⁴⁾,

(1) Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia
(2) Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia
(3) Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia
(4) Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia

Corresponding Author

Abstract

This study aims to uncover the potential of empowering digital natives through digital literacy to strengthen utopian civic engagement for a better future. The research methodology employed in this study is grounded theory, with data collected through in-depth interviews with 15 digital natives respondents in Bandung, Indonesia. The collected data was then analyzed using NVivo version 12 Plus for Macbook software. The study's findings indicate that digital literacy promotes positive social media use and enhances digital natives' civic engagement. Digital natives with high digital literacy tend to have greater social and political awareness, enabling them to identify and address complex social issues through active participation in online discussions and actions. Furthermore, digital literacy helps shape their civic identity and a sense of belonging to online communities. The conclusion of this research provides a deeper understanding of the potential for empowering digital natives through digital literacy for utopian civic engagement.

References

Aavakare, M. (2019). Subject: Information Systems Title: The Impact of Digital Literacy and Information Literacy on the Intention to Use Digital Technologies for Learning: A Quantitative Study Utilizing the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology.

Apriyanto, A., Setiawardani, W., & ... (2021). Critical Pedagogy: the Role of Student Digital Literacy in Understanding Critical Pedagogy. PrimaryEdu-Journal …, 5(2), 223–235. http://e-journal.stkipsiliwangi.ac.id/index.php/primaryedu/article/view/223

Bowyer, B., & Kahne, J. (2020). The digital dimensions of civic education: Assessing the effects of learning opportunities. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 69(June), 101162. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appdev.2020.101162

Buckingham, D. (2002). The Making of Citizens: Young People, News and Politics. Routledge. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=alaGAgAAQBAJ&pgis=1

Charmaz, K. (2014). Constructing Grounded Theory. Sage Publication. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.4135/9781452276564

Childers, C., & Boatwright, B. (2021). Do Digital Natives Recognize Digital Influence? Generational Differences and Understanding of Social Media Influencers. Journal of Current Issues & Research in Advertising, 42(4), 425–442. https://doi.org/10.1080/10641734.2020.1830893

Cowles, J. (2009). The Internet as Utopia: Reality, Virtuality, and Politics. Oshkosh Scholar, IV(November), 81–89. www.uwosh.edu/grants

Dias-fonseca, T., & Potter, J. (2016). Media Education as a Strategy for Online Civic Participation in Portuguese Schools. 9–17. https://doi.org/10.3916/C49-2016-01

Fuchs, C. (2011). Foundations of critical media and information studies. Taylor & Francis.

Gilster, P. (1997). Digital literacy. John Wiley & Sons.

Handoko, W., Setyoko, P. I., & Kurniasih, D. (2023). Journal of Local Government Issues ( LOGOS ) Youths ’ Digital Literacy Skills : Critical Thinking to Participate in Elections. 6(1), 19–34.

Hartley, M., Winter, A., Nunery, L. D. I., Muirhead, B., & Harkavy, I. (2005). Factors Influencing Civic Engagement at Australian and U.S. Research Universities: Two Illustrative Examples. Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement, 10(2), 25–47.

Jenkins H, Shresthova S, Gamber-Thompson L, et al. (eds). (2016). By Any Media Necessary: The New Youth Activism. New York University Press.

Jung, Y. (2015). A New Culture of Learning: Cultivating the Imagination for a World of Constant Change. Studies in Art Education, 56(3), 281–283. https://doi.org/10.1080/00393541.2015.11518969

Kneuer, M. (2016). E-democracy: A new challenge for measuring democracy. International Political Science Review, 37(5), 666–678. https://doi.org/10.1177/0192512116657677

Leonard, L., Mokwele, T., Siebrits, A., & Stoltenkamp, J. (2016). “Digital Natives” require basic digital literacy skills. The IAFOR International Conference on Technology in the Classroom. January. https://repository.uwc.ac.za/handle/10566/2372

Levitas, R. (2010). The concept of Utopia. In The Cambridge Companion to Utopian Literature. https://doi.org/10.1017/CCOL9780521886659.001

Lim, S. S. (2020). Manufacturing Hate 4.0: Can Media Studies Rise to the Challenge? Television and New Media, 21(6), 602–607. https://doi.org/10.1177/1527476420918825

List, A. (2019). Defining digital literacy development: An examination of pre-service teachers’ beliefs. Computers & Education, 138, 146–158. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2019.03.009

Livingstone, S., & Couvering, E. Van. (2021). Converging Traditions of Research on Media and Information Literacies: Disciplinary, Critical, and Methodological Issues. Handbook of Research on New Literacies, October, 121–150. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781410618894-12

Livingstone, S., & Helsper, E. (2007). Gradations in digital inclusion: Children, young people and the digital divide. New Media and Society, 9(4), 671–696. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444807080335

Manca, S., & Ranieri, M. (2016). Is Facebook still a suitable technology-enhanced learning environment? An updated critical review of the literature from 2012 to 2015. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 32(6), 503–528. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcal.12154

Mardiana, H. (2020). The Impact of Teenagers’ Digital Literacy on the Use of Social Media. Proceedings of the The 3rd International Conference on Advance & Scientific Innovation. https://doi.org/10.4108/eai.20-6-2020.2300631

Margaryan, A., Littlejohn, A., & Vojt, G. (2011). Are digital natives a myth or reality? University students’ use of digital technologies. Computers & Education, 56(2), 429–440. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2010.09.004

Mihailidis, P. (2018). Civic media literacies: re-Imagining engagement for civic intentionality*. Learning, Media and Technology, 43(2), 152–164. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439884.2018.1428623

Min, S. J. (2010). From the digital divide to the democratic divide: Internet skills, political interest, and the second-level digital divide in political internet use. Journal of Information Technology and Politics, 7(1), 22–35. https://doi.org/10.1080/19331680903109402

Mirra, N., & Garcia, A. (2017). Civic Participation Reimagined: Youth Interrogation and Innovation in the Multimodal Public Sphere. Review of Research in Education, 41(1), 136–158. https://doi.org/10.3102/0091732X17690121

Mulyono, B., Affandi, I., Suryadi, K., & Darmawan, C. (2022). Online civic engagement: Fostering citizen engagement through social media. Jurnal Civics: Media Kajian Kewarganegaraan, 19(1), 75–85. https://doi.org/10.21831/jc.v19i1.49723

Norris, P. (2001). Digital divide: Civic Engagement, Information Poverty, and the Internet Worldwide (pp. 48–50). https://www.academia.edu/2750047/Digital_divide_Civic_engagement_information_poverty_and_the_Internet_worldwide

Nye, D. (2004). From utopia to “real-topia”—inventing the inevitable. In J. Verheul (Ed.), Dreams of paradise, visions of apocalypse: Utopia and dystopia in American culture (pp. 161–172). VU University Press.

Prensky, M. (2001). Digital Native, Digital Immigrant Part 1. On the Horizon, 9(5), 2–6.

Purwantiningsih, A., Riyanti, D., Cabe, J., Cabe, R.-P., Selatan, T., & Danang Prasetyo, I. (2022). Digital Citizenship in Indonesia: Digital Literacy and Digital Politeness Using Social Media Kewarganegaraan Digital Di Indonesia: Literasi Digital Dan Kesopanan Digital Menggunakan Media Sosial. Jurnal Ilmiah Pendidikan Pancasila Dan Kewarganegaraan, 7(November), 628–637. http://journal2.um.ac.id/index.php/jppk

Selwyn, N. (2016). Digital downsides: exploring university students’ negative engagements with digital technology. Teaching in Higher Education, 21(8), 1006–1021. https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2016.1213229

shao, L., Goli, M., Sewagegn, A. A., & Sahu, A. K. (2022). Impact of Social Media Usage on Civic Engagement towards Societal Problems: Qualitative Modelling Approach. Discrete Dynamics in Nature and Society, 2022, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/1121215

Šorgo, A., Bartol, T., Dolničar, D., & Boh Podgornik, B. (2017). Attributes of digital natives as predictors of information literacy in higher education. British Journal of Educational Technology, 48(3), 749–767. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.12451

Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. (2008). Basics of Qualitative Research : Techniques and Procedures for Developing Grounded Theory. In SAGE Publications (UK) (3rd ed., Vol. 31, Issue 4). Sage Publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/1350507600314007

Wang, Q., Myers, M. D., & Sundaram, D. (2013). Digital Natives und Digital Immigrants. WIRTSCHAFTSINFORMATIK, 55(6), 409–420. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11576-013-0390-2

Full Text: PDF