Examining digital information literacy student profiles in Turkey

Abstract

Purpose: This study aims to examine students’ attitudes and behaviors toward digital information literacy in Turkey and to analyze the relationship between student profiles and sociodemographic characteristics. Method: The study uses data from the PISA 2022 Student Questionnaire, selecting variables that represent digital information literacy. These include trusting online information, comparing sources, verifying information before sharing, discussing accuracy, and reporting misinformation. A two-step cluster analysis was conducted using IBM SPSS 27. Findings: The results identified five student profiles: conscious, skeptical but conscious, skeptical and passive, distant from digital information, and digitally literate. Students with low levels of digital literacy are mainly concentrated in the “skeptical and passive” and “distant” clusters. Significant relationships were also found between cluster membership and gender, parental education, and socioeconomic status. Conclusion: The findings indicate that digital information literacy is influenced not only by educational factors but also by socioeconomic conditions. Therefore, policies aimed at improving digital skills should be supported by socioeconomic measures. The study contributes to the literature by identifying student profiles through cluster analysis.