Effects of the digital literacy intervention among university students : a semi experimental perspective at the social media platform

Abstract EN

This study is considered an exploratory effort in revealing impact of the digital literacy intervention among the university’s students.

It is methodologically based on a semi-experimental approach.

The current paper tends to investigate effects of the digital literacy intervention on students’ perceptions of the digital media literacy dimensions at social media platform.

In this regard, three digital literacy intervening sessions were designed according to Eshet conceptual comprehensive model of digital literacy (2004).

During these sessions, students were subjected to a certain set of interventions that included: photo-visual literacy, reproduction literacy, branching literacy, information literacy and socio-emotional literacy.

Intervening sessions were assigned according to a set of guidelines.

Ouirdi, Segers and Henderickx model of social media Taxonomy (2014) of users, content and function was employed as well.

Results clearly indicated that there was a disparate need for a new perspective of digital literacy according to more functional approaches.

Findings intelligibly revealed the immediate need for photo-visual digital literacy in terms of realizing and discerning the intended meanings of hostile posts.

Results also shed the light on the national security concept, which was essentially crystallized in terms of approaching digital literacy intervention.

Moreover, ideological and technological aspects were highly recommended in order to create an effective digital literacy intervention.

Results also showed the importance of equipping students with a set of competencies required for fully committed participation in a digital environment.

Therefore, promoting social media competent dimensions at higher education is considered an emerging step.

Consequently, the performed study results indicated that incorporating and developing digital literacy dimensions at the Egyptian higher education is entirely essential.