Building Digital Democratic Literacy Through Innovative Civic Education Models in the Era of Technological Integration

Andrie Hasugian, Dadang Sundawa, Kokom Komalasari, Sapriya Sapriya, Sari Hottua Sihombing

Abstract

The rapid integration of digital technologies has transformed civic life, reshaping how individuals access information, engage in dialogue, and participate democratically. While digital platforms provide unprecedented opportunities for youth engagement, they also amplify risks such as disinformation, online intolerance, and ideological polarization. In Indonesia, the world’s third-largest democracy, these dynamics highlight the urgent need to cultivate digital democracy literacy among students. This study investigates how innovative civic education models can address these challenges by integrating technological tools with democratic values. Employing a qualitative case study design, the research involved 20 secondary school students, five civic education teachers, and two policy experts at SMP Penabur Bandung. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, participatory observations, and document analysis, and analyzed using thematic coding and categorization. The findings reveal four key dimensions: persistent challenges of students’ digital democracy literacy in the era of technology integration, the transformative role of innovative civic education models such as project-based learning, online deliberations, and gamified platforms in building critical engagement, the importance of civic education in bridging normative democratic ideals with practical digital competencies, and strategies for optimizing technology use through teacher training, curricular reform, and community partnerships. The study concludes that innovative civic education models not only enhance critical thinking and ethical reasoning but also prepare Indonesian youth to participate responsibly in digital democracy while remaining grounded in national values such as Pancasila and Bhinneka Tunggal Ika.

Keywords

civic education; digital democracy literacy; innovative pedagogy; qualitative research; technological integration

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References

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.20961/ictte.2025.114726

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