Secondary school 7th grade students' viwes on digital literacy skills

This study was conducted to identify and improve the digital literacy skills of middle school students. The research was designed within the scope of qualitative methodology, using a basic qualitative research design. The sample consisted of 45 seventh-grade students enrolled in public and private schools located in the Muratpaşa, Kepez, and Konyaaltı districts of Antalya during the 2023–2024 academic year. As data collection tools, the "Personal Information Form (PIF)" and a semi-structured interview form titled "Digital Literacy Levels Interview Form," developed by the researcher, were used. The collected data were analyzed using content analysis and descriptive analysis techniques. According to the findings, students had difficulty clearly defining the concept of digital literacy; however, it was observed that they made extensive use of technological communication tools. It was found that the majority of the students had high levels of digital literacy. Furthermore, most students were members of social media platforms, and the most common problem they encountered on these platforms was receiving messages from strangers. Students stated that they wanted to receive more information about digital literacy in schools and emphasized the need for seminars to be organized for this purpose. It was also concluded that students generally acquired and preferred to acquire information about internet safety and digital literacy from their families. This study is expected to contribute to the development of middle school students' digital literacy skills, support their success in the information age, and serve as a valuable qualitative contribution to the literature while guiding future research on the subject.