Exploring the nexus between digital competencies and digital citizenship of higher education students: a PLS-SEM approach

Abstract

In the ever-evolving digital landscape, higher education (HE) students find themselves at the crossroads of two critical aspects: their digital competencies and their digital citizenship. Given the ubiquitous integration of digital technologies in educational settings, it is essential to investigate the relationship between students’ digital competencies and their ability to engage as responsible digital citizens. This study examined the nexus between digital competencies and citizenship among HE students. This study involved 247 students from a Ghanaian HE institution. Digital competency and citizenship scales were used as data collection instruments. The findings revealed that problem-solving, communication and collaboration, and digital content creation competencies had a significant positive influence on HE students’ digital citizenship. Conversely, safety competence has no significant influence on digital citizenship. Interestingly, data and information literacy competence have a negative effect on digital citizenship. The implications of these findings provide valuable insights for educational institutions, policymakers, and educators to foster digital competencies and promote responsible digital citizenship among HE students.