Reflection on the consequences of so-called liquid modernity (Bauman, 2000) and on its future includes the question of the existence and functioning of the individual in a digitalized environment. With the development of new digital spaces, the understanding of citizenship is also changing, becoming increasingly individualized, while the digital world calls civic identity into question and challenges it to be redefined. Digital citizenship is one of the contemporary concepts that is gaining importance due to the unprecedented challenges and demands brought about by the emergence and development of the network society. It is situated within the broader framework of digital competences – it is a cross-cutting content area within several digital competences and represents the ability to use digital technologies responsibly, ethically, and safely, while simultaneously respecting human rights and duties in the digital space (Vuorikari et al., 2023). It goes beyond technical literacy and primarily encompasses the value-based and behavioral dimension of digital competences. In contemporary society, one of the primary environments in which children and adolescents are situated is the virtual environment, which occupies an ever-growing portion of their daily routines. Through digital participation, children and adolescents are already engaging informally in political activities. Digital participation varies considerably depending on a child’s cultural and social capital; therefore, digital inequality is one of the more common consequences within global digital systems. The need for the systematic integration of digital citizenship content into educational processes has in recent years become increasingly evident at the level of the European Union and is gradually being transferred into the national education policies of Member States. In this regard, the role of teachers as key agents in implementing these contents cannot be overlooked. It is necessary to take into account their administrative and pedagogical workload, their level of competence for teaching digital citizenship content, the question of measurability of educational objectives, and their attitudes toward digital technologies and the perceived impact of these technologies on the
development of children and adolescents. This master’s thesis examines the attitudes, knowledge, and viewpoints of primary school teachers regarding the role of schools in fostering digital citizenship, focusing more on education about digital technologies and their impact on everyday life than on education through digital technologies. The research contributes to understanding teachers’ professional readiness and competence in addressing the challenges of a digitalized society and encourages a more in-depth discussion on the role of schools in shaping responsible digital citizens. The theoretical part of the thesis first explores the transformation of the concept of citizenship in the digital age and describes the social, political, and technological changes that condition the emergence of digital citizenship. It then focuses on and analyzes the impact of digital technologies on children and adolescents and the related (digital) inequalities. In the central part of the theoretical framework, the European concept of (digital) citizenship is presented and discussed—its origins, development, and domains. Furthermore, the need for the early and systematic integration of digital citizenship into the school environment is justified and argued, as it can function as both a preventive and corrective mechanism for reducing (digital) inequalities. The concluding part of the theoretical chapter explains the role that knowledge, skills, attitudes, and individual dispositions—specifically those of teachers—play in the successful implementation of reforms within the school system. In the empirical part, a quantitative study was conducted based on six research questions focusing on familiarity with the concept of digital citizenship, the perceived importance of individual competences in everyday life, self-assessment of competence in fostering digital citizenship in the classroom, and teachers’ attitudes toward the role of schools in developing digital citizenship. The study included 104 teachers who, in
the 2024/25 school year, taught at the first and second level, third level, or at all levels in one of the Slovenian primary schools. The aim of the study was to analyze primary
school teachers’ knowledge, self-assessed competence in teaching digital citizenship, attitudes, and viewpoints regarding digital citizenship. The online questionnaire
examined whether differences among teachers exist with regard to teaching level, stage of professional development, and previous experience with education in digital
citizenship. Based on the research findings, the concluding part of the master’s thesis formulates and presents concrete guidelines intended to enhance understanding of digital citizenship and to support the more effective integration of digital citizenship content into primary schools, as well as to reduce differences among teachers related to teaching level, stage of professional development, and previous experience with education in digital citizenship.
|
