Investigating Adolescents’ Digital Citizenship through Social Media: (Trans)Formation, Digital Literacy Practices and Influential Factors
Funding Scheme
General Research Fund (RGC)
Funding Amount
HK$1,095,862
Awarded Year
2022
Helping Hong Kong adolescents to become good digital citizens
This project explores how adolescents in Hong Kong understand and enact digital citizenship (DC) through their digital literacy practices on social media. It focuses on both the risks (e.g., cyberbullying, hacking) and opportunities (e.g., learning, socializing) of online participation, filling gaps in existing research by examining how adolescents, unlike adults, navigate DC and the factors that influence this process. This mixed-method study involving surveys and qualitative interviews with 810 adolescents, identifies individual, parental, and interpersonal influences on DC. Its findings can inform policymakers and educators on how to develop effective, culturally relevant DC education.
Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. The research team contributes towards the following SDG(s):
The study explores how adolescents in Hong Kong understand and construct digital citizenship (DC) through their digital literacy practices on social media, as well as the factors that influence this process. It aims to fill existing gaps in our understanding of the ways in which adolescents navigate the digital world, which can differ from those of adults and college students. The study examines individual, family, interpersonal, and cultural influences on DC, and documents how students engage in meaningful practices to construct their digital identities.
The findings will provide valuable insights to inform policymakers, curriculum designers, and educators on how to develop positive, culturally relevant DC education. This framework will help students maximize the benefits of digital technology while minimizing their exposure to risks such as cyberbullying and hacking. By understanding how adolescents enact DC through their digital practices, it contributes to developing effective strategies for navigating the digital landscape and fostering positive social interactions in increasingly digitalized educational environments.
The study will impact diverse groups. In the short term, beneficiaries will include students, parents, teachers, schools, and NGOs, all of which will gain access to workshops, professional development programmes, and online resources to support DC education. In the medium term, the benefits will extend to broader student populations, families, and teacher education programmes through targeted DC training, resource packages, and enhanced family-school collaboration. In the long term, society at large, policymakers, and academia will benefit from the research findings, which will inform educational reform, promote responsible digital behaviour, and encourage a supportive digital environment. Ultimately, this will foster competent digital citizens and enhance their overall well-being in the digital age.
Selected Publications
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