The Role of Civic Education in Building Media Ethics Among Students at STAI Natuna

Authors

  • Muci Herliyanto Sekolah Tinggi Agama Islam Natuna, Indonesia
  • Abu Bakar Sekolah Tinggi Agama Islam Natuna, Indonesia
  • Vinni Helvionita Sekolah Tinggi Agama Islam Natuna, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.61255/itej.v4i2.1678

Keywords:

Civic Education, Digital Citizenship, Islamic Moral Values, Media Ethics, Students

Abstract

The growing use of digital communication has increased the need for university students to develop responsible media behavior alongside digital competence, making Civic Education increasingly relevant to the formation of ethical digital citizenship. This study aimed to examine STAI Natuna students’ understanding of media ethics, identify how Civic Education values are implemented in shaping ethical behavior in digital media, and formulate an integrative model for strengthening media ethics within the institutional context. A qualitative field-study design was employed involving 15 purposively selected informants consisting of students, Civic Education lecturers, and academic leaders. Data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews, participant observation, and document analysis and were analyzed using the interactive model of Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña through data condensation, coding, thematic development, data display, and verification. The findings revealed a persistent knowledge-practice gap: students generally understood basic principles of responsible media use but did not always apply them consistently when facing peer pressure, unverified information, and socially sensitive digital interactions. Civic Education contributed to students’ ethical awareness, yet its implementation remained predominantly cognitive and was not systematically integrated into the OBE-oriented curriculum. The study consequently developed an integrative model combining civic and Islamic moral values, curriculum integration, contextual and case-based learning, moral courage, and institutional-social reinforcement. The study concludes that strengthening media ethics requires a systematic educational approach that connects ethical knowledge with reflective practice and supportive institutional environments.

Abstract views: 1 , PDF downloads: 0

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Aderibigbe, S. A., Idriz, M., Alzouebi, K., AlOthman, H., Hamdi, W. B., & Companioni, A. A. (2023). Fostering tolerance and respect for diversity through the fundamentals of Islamic education. Religions, 14(2). https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14020212

Agus, A. A., Rizal, A., Muhajir, M., & Jamalong, A. (2025). From awareness to action: Rethinking high school civic education for the digital generation in Indonesia. Cogent Education, 12(1), 2534156. https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2025.2534156

Akbar, M. C., & Armiyanti, S. (2023). Character education in the digital era: Overcoming hate speech through social media ethics awareness among students. International Journal of Economic, Technology and Social Sciences (INJECTS), 4(2), 279–287.

Anom, E., & Rassanjani, S. (2026). Digital ethics, cultural values, and self-regulation of social media activities in Indonesia and Malaysia. Frontiers in Communication, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1745680

Assante, G. M., Popa, N. L., & Momanu, M. (2022). How personal values and critical dispositions support digital citizenship development in higher education students. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.990518

Aulia, U. Y., & Oktaviani, L. (2026). Enhancing civic engagement through podcasting: A modern approach for higher education. Media Practice and Education, 27(2), 179–200. https://doi.org/10.1080/25741136.2024.2426074

Bosio, E., Torres, C. A., & Gaudelli, W. (2023). Exploring values and knowledge in global citizenship education: Theoretical and empirical insights from scholars worldwide. PROSPECTS, 53(3), 195–202. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11125-023-09658-5

Castellanos, M., Wettstein, A., Wachs, S., Kansok-Dusche, J., Ballaschk, C., Krause, N., & Bilz, L. (2023). Hate speech in adolescents: A binational study on prevalence and demographic differences. Frontiers in Education, 8. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2023.1076249

Choi, M., & Cristol, D. (2021). Digital citizenship with intersectionality lens: Towards participatory democracy driven digital citizenship education. Theory Into Practice, 60(4), 361–370. https://doi.org/10.1080/00405841.2021.1987094

Chung, F. M.-Y. (2023). Implementing moral and character education policy through music integration: Perspectives of school leaders in Hong Kong. Cogent Education, 10(2), 2286416. https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2023.2286416

Consoli, T. (2024). Different media education approaches predict distinct aspects of digital citizenship. Frontline Learning Research, 12(4), 113–137. https://doi.org/10.14786/flr.v12i4.1555

Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2023). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (6th ed.). SAGE Publications.

Currie, D. H., & Kelly, D. M. (2022). Critical media literacy for uncertain times: Promoting student reflexivity. Journal of Media Literacy Education, 14(2), 15–26.

Dahliyana, A., Cahyati, S., Kurniawaty, I., Warlim, W., & Thambu, N. A. (2026). Measuring civic competence in digitally mediated civic learning: Evidence from a participatory online education model. Frontiers in Education, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2026.1823357

Dujani, S. N. A. A., Handayani, N. F., Pardosi, J., Wingkolatin, & Suryaningsi. (2026). Examining outcome-based education on civic disposition and civic skills among civic education students at Mulawarman University. Jurnal Educative: Journal of Educational Studies, 11(1), 65–84. https://doi.org/10.30983/educative.v11i1.11441

Elecalde, R. G., García, J. C., Martos, A. L. B., & Arnáez, B. S. (2024). Digital and social-civic skills in future primary education teachers: A study from the didactics of social sciences for the improvement of teacher training in competences. Education Sciences, 14(2). https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14020211

Erol, M. (2025). Digital citizenship education supported by blended learning in primary school. International Online Journal of Primary Education (IOJPE), 14(2), 15–31.

Estellés, M., & Doyle, A. (2025). From safeguarding to critical digital citizenship? A systematic review of approaches to online safety education. Review of Education, 13(1), e70056. https://doi.org/10.1002/rev3.70056

Fajri, I., Budimansyah, D., & Komalasari, K. (2022). Digital citizenship in civic education learning: A systematic literature review. Jurnal Ilmiah Peuradeun, 10(3), 833–854. https://doi.org/10.26811/peuradeun.v10i3.755

Fenech, R. M., & Zammit, L. (2025). Empowering responsible digital citizens: Insights from Maltese Personal, Social and Career Development (PSCD) teachers on the impact of technology on students’ wellbeing and curriculum relevance. Pastoral Care in Education, 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1080/02643944.2025.2500367

Händel, M., Berges, M.-P., Gläser-Zikuda, M., Kammerl, R., Kudlich, H., Martschinke, S., & Pirner, M. L. (2025). Who is savvy about digital ethics? Differences between teacher education, law, and computer science students. Education and Information Technologies, 30(17), 25177–25196. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-025-13714-2

Huda, M., & Hashim, A. (2021). Towards professional and ethical balance: Insights into application strategy on media literacy education. Kybernetes, 51(3), 1280–1300. https://doi.org/10.1108/K-07-2017-0252

Irwanto, I., Bahfiarti, T., Unde, A. A., & Sonni, A. F. (2025). Social network analysis of information flow and opinion formation on Indonesian social media: A case study of youth violence. Adolescents, 5(2). https://doi.org/10.3390/adolescents5020018

Iskandar, R., Maksum, A., & Marini, A. (2025). Digital citizenship literacy in Indonesia: The role of privacy awareness and social campaigns. Social Sciences & Humanities Open, 12, 101697. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssaho.2025.101697

Japar, M., Casmana, A. R., Adha, M. M., & Fadhillah, D. N. (2024a). Students’ perspectives on civic education through digital citizenship in the virtual era. European Journal of Educational Research, 13(1), 89–102. https://doi.org/10.12973/eu-jer.13.1.89

Japar, M., Casmana, A. R., Adha, M. M., & Fadhillah, D. N. (2024b). Students’ perspectives on civic education through digital citizenship in the virtual era. European Journal of Educational Research, 13(1), 89–102. https://doi.org/10.12973/eu-jer.13.1.89

Jones, L. M., Mitchell, K. J., & Beseler, C. L. (2024). The impact of youth digital citizenship education: Insights from a cluster randomized controlled trial outcome evaluation of the Be Internet Awesome (BIA) curriculum. Contemporary School Psychology, 28(4), 509–523. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40688-023-00465-5

Kaitatzi-Whitlock, S. (2021). Toward a digital civil society: Digital ethics through communication education. Journal of Information, Communication and Ethics in Society, 19(2), 187–206. https://doi.org/10.1108/JICES-03-2020-0029

Kansok-Dusche, J., Ballaschk, C., Krause, N., Zeißig, A., Seemann-Herz, L., Wachs, S., & Bilz, L. (2023). A systematic review on hate speech among children and adolescents: Definitions, prevalence, and overlap with related phenomena. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 24(4), 2598–2615. https://doi.org/10.1177/15248380221108070

Luo, Y. F., Yang, S. C., & Kang, S. (2022). New media literacy and news trustworthiness: An application of importance–performance analysis. Computers & Education, 185, 104529. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2022.104529

Maharani, O., Sarwi, S., & Widiyatmoko, A. (2025). The importance of civic engagement in the Indonesian national curriculum: Literature review. Proceedings of International Conference on Science, Education, and Technology, 11, 348–356.

Margono, H., Saud, M., & Ashfaq, A. (2024). Dynamics of hate speech in social media: Insights from Indonesia. Global Knowledge, Memory and Communication, 75(5–6), 1784–1804. https://doi.org/10.1108/GKMC-11-2023-0464

Martínez-Bravo, M. C., Chalezquer, C. S., & Serrano-Puche, J. (2022). Dimensions of digital literacy in the 21st century competency frameworks. Sustainability, 14(3). https://doi.org/10.3390/su14031867

Mazid, S., Wulansari, A., & Hasanah, I. (2025). Integrating civic spirituality and civic disposition to build ethical citizen character. Jurnal Civics: Media Kajian Kewarganegaraan, 22(1), 93–100. https://doi.org/10.21831/jc.v22i1.1286

Medne, D., Lastovska, A., Lāma, G., & Grava, J. (2024). The development of civic competence in higher education to support a sustainable society: The case of Latvian higher education. Sustainability, 16(6). https://doi.org/10.3390/su16062238

Megasari, I. I., Syaifullah, Setiawan, M., & Nugraha, D. M. (2025). The role of civic education in cultivating responsible digital communication among elementary school students. e-BANGI Journal, 22(4), 888. https://doi.org/10.17576/ebangi.2025.2204.70

Mellado-Moreno, P. C., & Burgos, C. (2025). Didactics in social studies for global citizenship education: Dimensions and technological contexts. Frontiers in Education, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2025.1514027

Miglani, S., Verma, V., Agrawal, M., Singh, J., & Patel, J. (2026). Competency-based learning as a framework for holistic development of 21st century learners in school education. Discover Education, 5(1), 324. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44217-026-01268-5

Muhkam, M. F., Rahmat, & Abdulkarim, A. (2025). Civic education curriculum model in elementary schools in internalizing national values and characters. Journal of Practice Learning and Educational Development, 5(2), 491–499. https://doi.org/10.58737/jpled.v5i2.463

Murdiono, M., & Wuryandani, W. (2021). Civic and nationalism education for young Indonesian generation in the globalization era. Jurnal Civics: Media Kajian Kewarganegaraan, 18(1), 158–171. https://doi.org/10.21831/jc.v18i1.39452

Muzaki, M., Firdaus, S., & Mustajab, D. (2025). Revitalizing the value of tolerance in Islamic Religious Education (PAI) learning to face the challenges of multiculturalism. Journal of Educational Sciences, 9(6), 5804–5813. https://doi.org/10.31258/jes.9.6.p.5804-5813

Ngalimun, N. (2025). Digitalisasi komunikasi bahasa: Implikasi teknologi informasi terhadap interaksi manusia. SINTESA: Jurnal Sains & Teknologi, 1(2), 78–91. https://doi.org/10.65369/p239g078

Örtegren, A. (2024). Philosophical underpinnings of digital citizenship through a postdigital lens: Implications for teacher educators’ professional digital competence. Education and Information Technologies, 29(4), 4253–4285. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-023-11965-5

Polizzi, G. (2023). Internet users’ utopian/dystopian imaginaries of society in the digital age: Theorizing critical digital literacy and civic engagement. New Media & Society, 25(6), 1205–1226. https://doi.org/10.1177/14614448211018609

Prasetiyo, W. H., Sumardjoko, B., Muhibbin, A., Naidu, N. B. M., & Muthali’in, A. (2023). Promoting digital citizenship among student-teachers: The role of project-based learning in improving appropriate online behaviors. Participatory Educational Research, 10(1), 389–407. https://doi.org/10.17275/per.23.21.10.1

Rosyid, A., Aryani, A. T. D., & Arifin, S. (2025). Academic citizenship behavior in Islamic higher education: The interplay of ethical leadership and prosocial motivation. Discover Education, 5(1), 30. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44217-025-01054-9

Siregar, F. S. (2023). Literasi digital sebagai upaya antisipasi ujaran kebencian di media sosial. Jurnal SOMASI (Sosial Humaniora Komunikasi), 4(1), 68–76. https://doi.org/10.53695/js.v4i1.929

Suastika, I. N., Suartama, I. K., & Sanjaya, D. B. (2022). Urgency of social media-based civics education instruction in higher education. World Journal on Educational Technology: Current Issues, 14(3), 630–643.

Sugiyono. (2021). Metode penelitian kuantitatif, kualitatif, dan R&D. Alfabeta.

Tadlaoui-Brahmi, A., Çuko, K., & Alvarez, L. (2022). Digital citizenship in primary education: A systematic literature review describing how it is implemented. Social Sciences & Humanities Open, 6(1), 100348. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssaho.2022.100348

Vallès-Peris, N., & Domènech, M. (2024). Digital citizenship at school: Democracy, pragmatism and RRI. Technology in Society, 76, 102448. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techsoc.2023.102448

Vetrivel, S. C., Saravanan, T. P., Rajavel, N., & Arun, V. P. (2026). Education for digital citizenship and civic responsibility. In Youth civic engagement and political participation in digital spaces (pp. 23–54). IGI Global Scientific Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3373-5581-8.ch002

Warlim, W., Effendi, R., Fitria, R., Ibrahim, M. M., & Hadiati, D. N. (2026). Cross-faculty analysis of AI-enhanced civic character education on digital citizenship development. Frontiers in Education, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2025.1690799

Webster, J. (2025). Defining digital citizenship and digital citizenship education: A Delphi study. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1080/15391523.2025.2536564

Wei, L., Gong, J., Xu, J., Eeza Zainal Abidin, N., & Destiny Apuke, O. (2023). Do social media literacy skills help in combating fake news spread? Modelling the moderating role of social media literacy skills in the relationship between rational choice factors and fake news sharing behaviour. Telematics and Informatics, 76, 101910. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tele.2022.101910

Weinstein, E., & James, C. (2021). Leaning into digital dilemmas: How educators’ perspectives can inform new civics education. Teachers College Record, 123(11), 38–56. https://doi.org/10.1177/01614681221087292

Ziemes, J. F. (2024). Measuring and explaining political tolerance among adolescents: Insights from the International Civic and Citizenship Education Study 2016. Large-Scale Assessments in Education, 12(1), 17. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40536-024-00206-x

Zul, Z., Najihul Huda, M., Fuad, Z., & Abdullah, M. (2026). Integration of Islamic ethics in modern education curriculum: Challenges and opportunities: A systematic literature review. British Journal of Religious Education, 1–24. https://doi.org/10.1080/01416200.2026.2621177

Downloads

Published

2026-08-19

How to Cite

Herliyanto, M., Bakar, A., & Helvionita, V. (2026). The Role of Civic Education in Building Media Ethics Among Students at STAI Natuna. Indonesian Technology and Education Journal, 4(2), 224–241. https://doi.org/10.61255/itej.v4i2.1678

Issue

Section

Articles