The role of digital literacy, 21st century skills, and intercultural sensitivity in predicting democratic attitudes

This study examines the role of digital literacy, 21st century skills, and intercultural sensitivity in predicting democratic attitudes among middle school students. The research employed a quantitative relational survey design with 681 students from six middle schools. Data were collected using the Digital Literacy Scale, Democratic Attitude Scale, Intercultural Sensitivity Scale, and 21st Century Skills Scale. Analyses included descriptive statistics, independent-samples t tests, one-way analysis of variance, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression. Students’ mean scores were high for 21st century skills, intercultural sensitivity, and digital literacy and very high for democratic attitudes. Scores differed significantly by grade level for 21st century skills and democratic attitudes and by participation in intercultural activities and across the three school categories represented in the sample for all four measures. These differences were small in magnitude, and the school-category differences cannot be separated from the characteristics of the individual participating schools. All four variables were positively and significantly intercorrelated. In the regression model, 21st century skills and intercultural sensitivity were significant predictors of democratic attitudes, whereas digital literacy was not a significant independent predictor. The model accounted for approximately 41% of the variance in democratic attitudes. These findings suggest that democratic attitudes are associated with cognitive, cultural, and digital competencies considered together.