Lack of Student Literacy in the Digital Era

Abstract

The ease of access to information through the internet and social media in the digital era should ideally be accompanied by an increase in students’ literacy skills. However, in reality, many students still struggle to filter validsources, comprehend reading materials, and critically evaluate the information they encounter. This study employs a qualitative descriptive approach, with data collected through in-depth interviews with students and a literature review on digital literacy. The findings reveal that low reading interest, the dominance of social media as an entertainment tool, limited critical thinking skills, and a lack of support from the educational environment contribute to the lowliteracy levels among students. These findings highlight the importance of strengthening information literacy as part of the effort to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 4 on Quality Education. Therefore, comprehensiveliteracy education strategies, reading culture development, and critical thinking training are essential to help students become more selective, reflective, and responsible users of information in the digital era