Improvement of digital citizenship awereness of primary school students with peer learning

The aim of this study was to improve the digital citizenship awereness of fourth grade primary school students by using peer learning method. The research was carried out with embedded experimental design using both quantitative and qualitative methods. The Digital Competence Scale for Elementary School Students, which was developed to be used in the selection of participants who are primary school students in Eskişehir, was used to determine the peer tutors. The data of the research consisted of Digital Citizenship Education Program Awareness Test, observation, interviews, diaries and student products. In the research, it was found that students gained awareness about digital citizenship, peer learning was conducted under the guidance of instructors with the help of instructions, instructors who spoke the same language with their peers became accustomed to teaching roles over time and faced problems related to the teaching process, and the instructors had the opportunity to evaluate themselves. At the end of the process of the Digital Citizenship Education Program carried out with peer learning, the positive effect of using the peer learning method in the development of the digital citizenship awareness levels of the fourth grade students of primary school has been proved statistically. Based on the results of the research, it is suggested that the peer learning method can be used in teaching different subjects and at various grade levels, and that using this method with action research and multi-group experimental designs will make positive contributions to the field. Keywords: Peer learning, Digital citizenship, Digital competence, Primary/Elementary education, Awareness