Digital Context Research Articles

“It is the best Tool we have, but that doesn’t mean it’s a Good Tool”: Czech Civically Engaged Youth Actors on Tackling the Ambiguity of Using Digital Media

This paper explores the ambiguities of using digital media in youth’s civic engagement, acknowledging the unprecedented transformation of the senses of public and private, and the pivotal role of the digital context in shaping citizenship. It presents results from a thematic analysis of post-sorting interviews conducted within a Q research among civically engaged youth actors aged 13-18 (n=20) from Czechia, mapping their experiences with digital media. The study identifies six key themes that point to the ever- present balancing of the risks and opportunities in pursuing the participants’ agendas online. The results reveal a high level of online resilience and digital literacy of the participants, exposing coping strategies they adopt while navigating the online spaces. The study also reports on the transformed notion of sociality, pointing to the glocal implications for active engagement in the digital age, which allows garnering support from peer groups and communities on a transnational basis.

Problematic alcohol use, jealousy, and digital dating abuse: A dyadic analysis

Young adults engage in digital dating abuse (DDA), or threatening, monitoring, and controlling behavior towards a romantic partner through technology. Alcohol use and jealousy are well-established risk factors for in-person partner abuse but have not yet been investigated in couples in the context of DDA. Jealousy might be a relevant moderator in the digital context, potentially amplifying the negative associations between problematic alcohol use and DDA. Thus, we examine dyadic associations between young adults’ problematic alcohol use and DDA perpetration, with romantic jealousy as a moderator. Participants are young adult heterosexual couples ( N = 91 couples, M age = 21.03 years, 54.4% White, 19.2% Latino, 26.3% other). Results from actor-partner interdependence models suggest that men’s jealousy significantly moderates both the actor effect for men and the partner effect for women. In contrast, women’s jealousy significantly moderates the partner effects for both men and women. Men’s problematic alcohol use is a risk factor for their own DDA perpetration at high levels of jealousy and is a risk factor for their partner’s DDA perpetration across their own or their partner’s jealousy. Women’s problematic alcohol use is a risk factor for their partner’s DDA perpetration across levels of their jealousy. These findings underscore the importance of considering individual and relational factors in understanding DDA. The study highlights the need for dyadic interventions targeting problematic alcohol use and jealousy to prevent DDA. Future research should utilize longitudinal designs and diary studies to investigate in-the-moment processes and within-person variability.

Applying Electronic Dictionaries in Teaching and Learning Chinese as a Second Language in Digital Context: A Study within Specific Chinese Language Electronic Dictionary in Vietnam

Applying Electronic Dictionaries in Teaching and Learning Chinese as a Second Language in Digital Context: A Study within Specific Chinese Language Electronic Dictionary in Vietnam

Generation Z Satisfaction with Smart Homestays: ASCI and Web Crawler Insights from China

In the digital context, smart homestays have developed rapidly in the post-epidemic era and have become a new form of accommodation. Homestays are favored by many young people in China, such as those belonging to Generation Z. According to data concerning China’s national tourism and related reports, the demand for homestays has increased dramatically in recent years. Thus, we need to consider how to improve the smart homestay user experience. Based on the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) model, this study explores the factors that affect the user experience of smart homestays. An online survey of 370 respondents of Generation Z in China was conducted, followed by descriptive statistical analysis and hypothesis model validation using SPSS 26.0. The data show that among the five service variables (reservation, check-in, living, check-out, and information sharing), perceived value has a positive and positive impact on service variables in all aspects. Finally, machine learning is used for emotion text analysis, and the results show that users are biased towards smart homestays in the sentiment analysis of the comments. Although smart homestays have a certain amount of attention, there is still a lot of room for progress in technology and services. The purpose of this study is to improve and perfect the rules for making smart homestay service standards based on understanding the satisfaction of Generation Z when using smart homestays while also providing a theoretical basis and practical manuals for the industry to promote the development of the industry and improve user experience. Based on the research results of the above literature, it is imperative to carry out research on Generation Z, the main force of future consumption, especially in the field of artificial intelligence.

Defensive Journalism in Bangladesh: Consequences of the Digital Security Act on Journalism Practice

This study uses interviews with 15 digital journalists in Bangladesh to determine how the country’s Digital Security Act (DSA) 2018, which makes publishing information critical of the government a punishable offence, has influenced journalistic norms and autonomy. Findings show that DSA has led to fear of jail or even disappearance among journalists, limiting journalists’ perceived levels of professional autonomy. While previous research shows that journalists may practice self-censorship in such contexts, this research identifies a range of strategic practices that journalists in Bangladesh have developed to publish relevant information while avoiding the consequences of the DSA. Collectively, we refer to these strategies as a practice of ‘defensive journalism’. This study adds to our understanding of the relationship between safety, autonomy, and self-censorship specifically in a non-Western, digital context.

Research on the Pathway to Cultivating College Students' Innovation and Entrepreneurship Abilities in a Digital Context

In the context of accelerating globalization and digitization, the innovation and entrepreneurship abilities of college students have become vital for driving economic and social development. This paper explores how higher education institutions can cultivate these abilities in a digital environment, analyzes the contradictions between the current educational system and market demand, and proposes targeted solutions. The research indicates that utilizing advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data, and online learning platforms is steering innovation and entrepreneurship education in universities towards a more personalized and diversified approach. A new theoretical model is constructed that emphasizes the significance of digital educational tools, personalized learning paths, and evaluation systems. Furthermore, specific recommendations for educational policymakers, higher education institutions, and educational technology developers are summarized. This study provides theoretical support and practical guidance for digital innovation and entrepreneurship education, aiming to enhance college students' overall quality and their ability to face future challenges.

A Digital Identity Intervention Incorporating Social Media Activities Promotes Identity Exploration and Commitment Among Emerging Adults

ABSTRACT Identity interventions that support young people by promoting adaptive identity processes have traditionally been designed for in-person group settings, making them time and resource intensive to implement. Here, we examine the feasibility and efficacy of the Bay Area Adult Development Program, a digital intervention program that combines reflection activities (adapted from past positive development programs) with social media activities (designed to leverage the affordances of social media for information access and social connection) to promote positive identity development among emerging adults. Following a pilot trial to assess the intervention procedure, a randomized controlled trial was conducted (Nenrolled = 267; Ncompleted = 141). Results showed that participants who completed both reflection and social media activities experienced increases in personal identity exploration and commitment (i.e. exploration in breadth, exploration in depth, commitment making, identification with commitment) and increases in exploration of vocational identity (i.e. in-depth career exploration), compared to those in the control condition. Moreover, the combination of reflection and social media activities was a more efficacious intervention treatment, compared to reflection alone. We provide evidence for the feasibility and efficacy of a digital intervention for emerging adults while pointing to future research directions on identity development in the digital context.

Editors’ Introduction: Connectivity and Diversity in Music Cognition

Scholarly interest in the context of music listening and its influence on music cognition and connection is flourishing after decades of a predominantly individualistic approach. This article introduces a special issue that explores research on the theme of connectivity and diversity in music cognition research arising from the ICMPC16-ESCOM11 conference. The conference itself, held online during the later stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, transcended national borders, bringing together researchers and practitioners from multiple continents in a digital context. In this introduction, we set the scene for this topic as it related to the conference. The included papers are the outcome of workshops held as part of the conference. The first paper in the special issue explores the use of embodied consciousness as part of pedagogical strategies to help music performers connect with embodied memories that can support their understanding of the work they are performing. The second paper considers uses of music in the early stages of motherhood, including a comparison between the active choice to regularly sing or listen to music and its perceived effects for the mother and her infant. The papers and associated commentaries offer a window into the rich research theme of connectivity and diversity that is likely to be influential over the years to come.

Contextualizing linguistic acculturation and alcohol use among Hispanic college students in the social digital environment.

Linguistic acculturation is a predictor of alcohol use among Hispanic college students, but existing linguistic acculturation measures do not capture language use in the social digital context (e.g., social media). Guided by erosion theory and past empirical findings, this study operationalized two dimensions of social digital linguistic acculturation (SDLA) and examined the interactive effects of SDLA with immigration generation-a demographic proxy for acculturation-in relation to alcohol use intentions and behaviors. Online questionnaires were completed by 246 Hispanic college students in central Texas between the ages of 18 and 29 (Mage = 21.0, SD = 2.4; 82.1% female) who reported current alcohol use. Measures included two dimensions of SDLA (SDLA-English and SDLA-Spanish) with items developed for this study and supported by exploratory factor analysis, immigration generation as a demographic proxy for acculturation, and three alcohol outcomes (intentions to use alcohol, alcohol consumption, and binge drinking). We specified three regression models in which immigration generation moderated the pathways between SDLA-English and SDLA-Spanish and each alcohol outcome. Contrary to hypotheses, lower rather than higher SDLA-English was related to greater intentions to use alcohol, greater alcohol consumption, and more frequent binge drinking when immigration generation was higher rather than lower. More aligned with expectations, lower SDLA-Spanish was related to more frequent binge drinking when immigration generation was higher. The link between SDLA and alcohol engagement is nuanced. This study's findings may be partially explained by acculturative stress in the context of social digital engagement, warranting further exploration. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

A New Mathetic (The Science of Learning) and Didactic (The Science of Teaching) Concept

The concept of Learngaming integrates Darwin’s natural selection theory into a learning and teaching framework designed to prepare individuals for the demands of the 21st century. It focuses on entrepreneurial learning through play, fostering the development of key skills such as efficiency, flexibility, and creativity. In contrast to traditional educational approaches, which emphasise rote learning and exams, Learngaming promotes active, nonlinear, and collaborative learning environments that reflect the dynamic, digital context of modern life. The methodology uses digital "LEARNGames" to simulate real-world challenges, allowing learners to adapt and thrive in uncertain environments by encouraging risk-taking and instant feedback. This method proves particularly effective in teaching 21st-century skills, as demonstrated in projects with gifted children, where learners showed improved retention and engagement through play-based learning. By shifting from a teacher-centred model to a learner-driven, game-based approach, Learngaming enhances both personal and collective learning outcomes, preparing individuals to succeed in an ever-evolving society.

Unveiling digital mirrors: Decoding gendered body poses in instagram imagery

Social media platforms have had a significant impact on people's everyday lives worldwide and imagery on social media has become a vital means of practicing views of the self and communicating them to others. Albeit a significant proportion of people frequently upload self-representations on social media, this source of information on individuals, groups, and societies remains under-examined within the social sciences and neighboring disciplines. In our study, we focus on gender-stereotypical body-posing in self-portraits on social media. While sociology has examined gender stereotypes for decades, research lacks empirical evidence on representations in digital contexts as well as novel forms of stereotyping. We present a scalable and transferable methodology for analyzing body poses in images by combining neural network pose detection with an unsupervised learning approach and applying this methodology to data from the social media platform Instagram. Based on a clustering algorithm applied to gender-annotated imagery, we identify 150 body posing clusters. Our results reveal significant gender differences in 20 percent of clusters, many of which represent gender-stereotypical body poses addressed in sociological literature. Moreover, we can identify new stereotypical poses related to smartphone technology and social media trends. This study represents a novel approach to utilizing large-scale image data for social science research and contributes to a better understanding of the consolidation and reproduction of gender stereotypes in digital realms.

Teaching reading in digital era: Exploring Indonesian in-service teachers’ perceptions and challenges

This illustrative case study investigation was conducted to learn how Indonesian in-service teachers perceived teaching reading in a digital era and the challenges they encountered. The data were submitted by a total of 30 teachers who participated in the subject post for Indonesian junior high schools. Data collection strategies include participatory classroom observation, interviews, and guided written reflection. The data were analyzed using the constant comparative method. The study’s findings highlight issues concerning teachers’ perceptions and teachers’ challenges while teaching reading in a digital setting. As many as 63% of teachers believe that the proportion of time teachers spend to practice reading skills from online sources is 40%–50% of total teaching hours at school. Furthermore, 40% of them believe that the criteria for teacher success in reading is when pupils improve their reading comprehension skills. The analysis also revealed that teachers encountered a number of challenges: (1) lack of knowledge about models and media for learning to read in a digital context, (2) lack of students’ ability to read multi-text sources, and (3) lack of motivation and awareness among students in reading. The findings of this study impact the understanding and training requirements of junior high school teachers concerning reading instruction methods in a digital context. Future studies should focus on innovation and the development of learning models to improve the quality of reading comprehension in a digital environment.

Pixels to Paychecks: Understanding The Determinant of Latent Entrepreneurial Transition in Digital Context

In the ever-changing landscape of China’s digital economy, comprehending the transition drivers from latent to active participation in entrepreneurship is critical. This research explores the factors shaping the decisions of latent entrepreneurs to become active entrepreneurs in a digital context. Using simple random sampling, this study randomly selected 18 industries within China’s major cities. This study collected cross-sectional data from 485 respondents in high-tech and low-tech industries across six major Chinese cities and tested the model using partial least structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Statistical findings conducted by SmartPLS reveal a nuanced interplay between personal factors and external traits in shaping the transition to active entrepreneurship. In particular, entrepreneurial competence, digital skills and literacy, and adaptability are crucial personal factors influencing this transition. Access to the necessary technology, startup cost, market and customer base, and government support are external traits found to significantly shape individual decisions to venture into digital entrepreneurship. Surprisingly, Logistics and Transportation (LAT) had no substantial impact on the transformation. This investigation strengthens entrepreneurship theory while also providing policymakers and industry actors with practical insights. Personalized training for entrepreneurs, spending on digital infrastructure, evidence-based regulations, and enhanced business innovation initiatives are among the recommendations.

Classroom Feedback In The Digital Age: A Comprehensive Analysis

In the present era, we all are dependent on technology, as it simplifies various aspects of life, enhancing connectivity, efficiency and accessibility across diverse areas. Technology has transformed the traditional practice of giving feedback. This study is aimed at exploring effective feedback and its different approaches. It provides a comprehensive analysis of how teachers should give classwork feedback to their students within digital contexts. This paper will explore the various modalities of feedback and will highlight the feedback ranging from text-based comments to video and audio responses. This analysis suggests the key principles for delivering constructive feedback that fosters growth and development of the students in the digital age.

The Cognitive Map Mechanism in Digital Reading: An Experimental Study on the Influence of Textual Representation on Cognitive Effects

ABSTRACTThe Cognitive Map Mechanism explains that different textual representations influence cognitive effects by affecting how readers mentally organize and navigate information. The application of this mechanism in digital reading remains underexplored. We conducted a lab experiment(N = 148) manipulating low/medium/high textual representation through non−/micro−/combined‐annotation modes. Our aim was to clarify how the cognitive map based digital reading variations impact reading comprehension, performance calibration, and reading speed. Sufficient results showed that high‐level textual representation provides superior cognitive effects in all dimensions. It is interesting to discover that medium‐level textual representation impaired cognitive effects compared to low‐level representation. Specifically, metacognition negatively moderated the influence of textual representation level on reading speed, suggesting that texts with both micro‐annotations and graphic organizers can provide comprehensive cues and visual correlations to build cognitive map, thereby enhancing cognitive effects. Our study contributes novel insights for future research and practical implementation of cognitive‐oriented strategies in digital context.

Hybrid Pedagogies: Assessing the Effectiveness of Blended and Flipped Learning in Digital Learning Environments

This study assesses the effectiveness of hybrid pedagogies, particularly blended and flipped learning, in digital learning environments. Hybrid pedagogy combines traditional face-to-face instruction with online learning, offering a flexible and personalized approach that enhances student engagement, academic performance, and satisfaction. Blended learning integrates digital tools with inclass instruction, catering to diverse learning needs and improving learning outcomes. Finding of the study shows that flipped learning reverses conventional teaching models by delivering content outside the classroom, reserving class time for active, collaborative learning. Moreover, flipped learning fosters critical thinking, deeper knowledge retention, and improved academic achievement. Both blended and flipped learning models are effective in digital environments, offering innovative ways to engage students and improve learning outcomes Both pedagogical models shift educators' roles from content deliverers to facilitators, requiring professional development and new instructional strategies. These approaches also promote 21st-century skills like digital literacy, collaboration, and problem-solving, preparing students for the challenges of an evolving digital world. These hybrid pedagogies provide a flexible, personalized, and interactive learning experience, making them valuable tools in modern education. Conclusion of the study reveals that hybrid pedagogies provide a dynamic, student-centred framework that supports effective learning in digital contexts. Their successful implementation depends on adequate technological infrastructure, educator training, and continuous refinement of teaching strategies. These methods are instrumental in shaping the future of education by enhancing learning flexibility, engagement, and skill development.

Effects of Using Mobile-Assisted Digital Context in Classroom on Student Achievement

Effects of Using Mobile-Assisted Digital Context in Classroom on Student Achievement

The Try Guys Try Image Repair: Apologia in the Age of Influencers and Digital Media

The YouTube entertainment group The Try Guys weathered a public relations crisis in 2022 when fans caught Ned Fulmer, one of the co-owners of the group, engaging in public romantic behavior with one of his employees. The other three co-owners of the group removed Fulmer from their organization and announced his exit through a brief message posted to several of their social media accounts. Roughly a week later, they published a video to their channel explaining their decision. Treating their video as an example of apologia, this essay argues that The Try Guys’ rhetoric of self-defense offers a positive example of taking responsibility and decisive action in a way that actively resists online cultures of sexism. Moreover, the video reveals possibilities for apologia in digital contexts that offer practical suggestions for public relations and other practitioners.

Psychological Changes in Green Food Consumption in the Digital Context: Exploring the Role of Green Online Interactions from a Comprehensive Perspective.

The advent of the digital economy has brought new opportunities to food marketing. In China, many food businesses have begun to use interactions under specific social media topics to open up new sales channels. Green food, as a representative of environmentally related topics, is increasingly influencing consumer choices through online interactions. In light of this, this study collected data from a large group of participants engaged in online green interactions to explore the psychological mechanisms behind consumers' choices of green food in an online context. The findings indicate that online green interactions positively influence the willingness to purchase green food, with environmental self-efficacy and flow experience serving as mediators in this relationship. Information trust and consumer traits act as boundary conditions. This study not only deepens the understanding of food consumer behavior in the digital context, but also provides important references for food companies on how to more effectively utilize online interaction to promote the market expansion of green food.

Online prosocial behavior during adolescence in Belgium, Japan, Peru, and Spain: Cross-national and gender invariance and differences in four countries

ABSTRACT The role of the digital context in the development and expression of prosocial behaviors during adolescence has not yet been addressed using validated instruments in different languages. This study examines the factorial validity of the Online Prosocial Behavior Scale (OPBS) in adolescents from four different countries (Belgium N = 1714, Japan N = 1207, Peru N = 1478, Spain N = 1299) and assesses the factorial and gender invariance and differences in them. A multigroup confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) sequence was performed to test the factorial and gender invariance. The results indicate that the two-factor structure of the OPBS fits well across the full sample in each country and in the gender groups. Cross-national and gender measurement invariance was established for this instrument. Peruvian adolescents showed the highest frequency of online prosocial behaviors, both performed and received, while Japanese adolescents showed the lowest frequency. In all the countries studied, girls showed a higher frequency of online prosocial behaviors than boys. The limitations of this instrument and future lines of research in this field are discussed.