Digital citizenship among economics students: the synergy of internet political activism, technical skills, critical perspective and networking agency

This study examines digital citizenship among higher education Economics students, focusing on the interplay between technical skills, critical perspective, networking agency, and political activism on the internet. Using a cross-sectional survey design and convenience sampling, data from 247 Economics students at the University of Cape Coast, Ghana were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). Results show that technical skills has a significant positive influence on critical perspective and networking agency, while critical perspective has significant positive influence on both internet political activism and networking agency. However, technical skills had a significant negative relationship with internet political activism. The mediation analysis revealed that critical perspective partially mediates the positive effects of technical skills on both internet political activism and networking agency, while networking agency does not directly influence internet political activism. These findings highlight the nuanced relationships between digital competencies and their implications for fostering informed and active digital citizenship. Practical and theoretical implications are also discussed.