Integrating Digital Citizenship into Language Education: Enhancing Critical Digital Literacy in an Intercultural Context

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to empirically verify the effectiveness of integrating digital citizenship into the language education process in terms of increasing the level of critical digital literacy of education seekers in the context of intercultural communication, as well as identifying pedagogical conditions that ensure its effectiveness. The study was conducted in 2025 at a higher education institution in Ukraine with the involvement of 32 students aged 18–22 in the format of pilot testing of the integration model. Within a ten-week training cycle, a system of modules was introduced that combined speech activity with digital content analysis, intercultural interaction and the formation of ethical norms of online communication. The assessment was carried out before and after the model implementation according to the criteria of critical analysis of information, recognition of disinformation, quality of argumentation and adherence to ethical norms. The results showed positive dynamics. The proportion of students with a high level of digital content increased, the volume of written responses rose from approximately 70–90 to 150–180 words, and the number of reasoned statements in discussions increased twice. The level of compliance with ethical norms of online interaction increased by approximately 20–25 percent. Statistical testing confirmed differences between the initial and final indicators at a significance level of less than 0.05. The results indicate the potential of integrating digital citizenship into language education as a means of developing critical digital literacy and improving the quality of intercultural communication.