Examination of Middle School Students' Digital Literacy Levels

Abstract

The development of digital literacy equips students with the skills to effectively utilize technology and helps them become informed and responsible individuals in the digital world. Effective instruction in digital literacy empowers students with the necessary skills to navigate and utilize technology proficiently, thereby fostering their ability to engage critically and responsibly in the digital environment. The inaugural objective of this research is to assess the proficiency in digital literacy among middle school students. During epidemics and crises, when education is delivered digitally, it is important to assess students' levels of digital literacy. Within this framework, an effort has been undertaken to ascertain whether variables such as gender, the quantity of siblings, maternal education, and the frequency of internet connectivity exert any influence on the digital literacy aptitude of middle school students. The study adopts a quantitative research design, employing a descriptive survey model for data collection. The study population, comprising 268 middle school students in Kastamonu, was determined through an appropriate sampling technique. Subsequently, the gathered data underwent analysis via a quantitative data analysis program, and the results were subjected to interpretation. The findings reveal that the digital literacy levels of middle school students surpass the average across all dimensions. Moreover, there is a negative correlation between the number of siblings and digital literacy levels, indicating a decrease as the sibling count increases.