Critical digital literacy and cyber sexual harassment in higher education: a freirean perspective

  • Dian Paula April Juwan 
    Universitas Gajah Mada
    Indonesia
  • Rr. Siti Murtiningsih
    Universitas Gajah Mada
    Indonesia
  • Sonjoruri Budiani Trisakti
    Universitas Gajah Mada
    Indonesia

Abstract

Cyber sexual harassment (CSH) is becoming a bigger problem in digital academic settings, especially for college students who use online platforms a lot. While current responses frequently prioritize technical or regulatory solutions, there has been insufficient focus on pedagogical strategies that tackle the social and ethical aspects of digital violence. This study investigates the role of critical digital literacy, influenced by Paulo Freire’s humanist pedagogy, in fostering students’ critical awareness and ethical involvement concerning cyber sexual harassment. This study utilized a qualitative research design within a critical framework, involving 20 undergraduate students from three Indonesian universities. Data were gathered via semi-structured in-depth interviews and participatory observation during facilitated discussions regarding digital literacy and gender. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to look for patterns in how participants understood, experienced, and reacted to cyber sexual harassment in digital academic spaces. The results show that even though students are generally very aware of cyber sexual harassment, this awareness doesn't always lead to ethical behavior or a sense of collective responsibility. There were themes of normalcy, silence, and hesitation, as well as a lack of supportive or interventionist behaviors. Nevertheless, participants who participated in dialogical and reflective learning activities exhibited heightened awareness of digital power dynamics and the ethical ramifications of online behaviors. These results indicate that critical digital literacy can serve as an emancipatory educational approach that connects awareness with action. By encouraging conversation, thought, and critical awareness, colleges and universities can help fight cyber sexual harassment as a cultural and structural issue instead of just a problem with one person's behavior.

Keywords
  • Critical digital literacy
  • Cyber sexual harassment
  • Higher education
  • University students
  • Qualitative study
Lisensing Information
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

References
  1. Aljanahi, M. H., Aljanahi, M. H., & Mahmoud, E. Y. (2024). “I’m not guarding the dungeon”: faculty members’ perspectives on contract cheating in the UAE. International Journal for Educational Integrity, 20(1). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40979-024-00156-5
  2. Aran-Ramspott, S., Korres-Alonso, O., Elexpuru-Albizuri, I., Moro-Inchaurtieta, Á., & Bergillos-García, I. (2024). Young users of social media: an analysis from a gender perspective. Frontiers in Psychology, 15. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1375983
  3. Bacalja, A. ;, Aguilera, E. ;, & Castrillon-Angel. (n.d.). Title: Critical Digital Literacy Date: --. https://hdl.handle.net/
  4. Beck, E., Goin, M. E., Ho, A., Parks, A., & Rowe, S. (2021). Critical digital literacy as method for teaching tactics of response to online surveillance and privacy erosion. Computers and Composition, 61, 102654. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.COMPCOM.2021.102654
  5. Buchholz, B. A., DeHart, J., & Moorman, G. (2020). Digital Citizenship During a Global Pandemic: Moving Beyond Digital Literacy. In Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy (Vol. 64, Issue 1, pp. 11–17). Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaal.1076
  6. Cappiali, T. M. (2023). A paradigm shift for a more inclusive, equal, and just academia? Towards a transformative-emancipatory pedagogy. Education Sciences, 13(9), 876.
  7. Costa, C., Bhatia, P., Murphy, M., & Pereira, A. L. (2023). Digital education colonized by design: Curriculum reimagined. Education Sciences, 13(9), 895.
  8. Ćumura, L., & Petrović, V. (n.d.). PAULO FREIRE: FROM CRITICAL CONSCIOUSNESS TO THE PEDAGOGY OF THE OPPRESSED. In KNOWLEDGE-International Journal (Vol. 55, Issue 5).
  9. De Laat, M., Ryberg, T., Dohn, N. B., Hansen, S. B., & Hansen, J. J. (2020). Networked Learning 2020: Proceedings For The Twelfth International Conference On Networked Learning.
  10. Faidah, M., Rakhmawati, D., Pasu, I., Rahmasari, D., & Aji, R. N. B. (2023). Strengthening the ecosystem for preventing and handling sexual violence on campus to support achievements SDGs gender equality. E3S Web of Conferences, 450. https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202345001007
  11. Fajri, S. R., Fajri, N., Sarnita, F., Fitriani, H., Bago, A. S., Kerti Nitiasih, P., Nancy Riastini, P., & I Gede Wawan Sudatha. (2024). Digital Literacy Dan Cyber Socialization In The Context Of 21st Century Education: A Systematic Review. International Journal of Applied Science and Sustainable Development (IJASSD), 6(2), 76–91. https://doi.org/10.36733/ijassd.v6i2.9078
  12. Fonseca, J., & Borges-Tiago, T. (2024). Digital literacy education and cyberbullying combat: scope and perspectives. Strategic Innovative Marketing and Tourism, 157.
  13. Garavan, M. (2016). Paulo Freire’s pedagogy of the oppressed. In Mobilising classics (pp. 123–139). Manchester University Press.
  14. Iroegbu, M., O’Brien, F., Muñoz, L. C., & Parsons, G. (2024). Investigating the Psychological Impact of Cyber-Sexual Harassment. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 39(15–16), 3424–3445. https://doi.org/10.1177/08862605241231615
  15. Isik, O. (2025). The Power of Stories: Understanding Human Experience Through Qualitative Research. International Journal of English Literature and Social Sciences, 10(3), 618861.
  16. Lim, W. M. (2025). What is qualitative research? An overview and guidelines. Australasian Marketing Journal, 33(2), 199–229.
  17. Manggopa, H. K., & Kumampung, D. R. H. (2023). Effective strategies using digital literacy for empowering critical thinking in higher education. International Journal of Information Technology and Education, 2(3), 153–167.
  18. Martin, A., DiGiovanni, M., Acquaye, A., Ponticiello, M., Chou, D. T., Neto, E. A., Michel, A., Sibeoni, J., Piot, M.-A., Spodenkiewicz, M., & others. (2024). Pathways and identity: toward qualitative research careers in child and adolescent psychiatry. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health, 18(1), 49.
  19. Ortiz, R. M., Freude, L., Calvet, C. C., Samaranch, E. A., Mart’i, J. B., Vivancos, C., & Beltrán, A. M. (2022). RAISING AWARENESS AND COMBATTING DIGITAL GENDER BASED VIOLENCE THROUGH SERVICE-LEARNING. INTED2022 Proceedings, 1008–1017.
  20. Parra, J. D., Said-Hung, E., & Montoya-Vargas, J. (2021). (Re) introducing critical realism as a paradigm to inform qualitative content analysis in causal educational research. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 34(2), 168–182.
  21. Pineda-Mar’in, C., Vallejo-Medina, P., Guillen-Riquelme, A., Gonzalez-Ferrer, J., & Montesano, A. (2025). Design and Validation of the Cyber Sexual Harassment Scale-Professor Student. Violence Against Women, 10778012251319306.
  22. Reid, L., Button, D., & Brommeyer, M. (2023). Challenging the myth of the digital native: A narrative review. Nursing Reports, 13(2), 573–600.
  23. Sander, I. (2024). Critical datafication literacy–a framework for educating about datafication. Information and Learning Sciences, 125(3/4), 270–292.
  24. Setyaningsih, R., Santoso, D. H., & Nurwahid, A. F. (2024). Digital Literacy Of Social Media Users In Preventing Online Gender-Based Violence In Indonesia. Journal of Ecohumanism, 3(8), 5886–5894.
  25. Straubhaar, R. (2013). Pushing oneself toward critical consciousness: A self-study of a Freirean educator. InterActions: UCLA Journal of Education and Information Studies, 9(2).
  26. Swindell, A., Greeley, L., Farag, A., & Verdone, B. (2024). Against Artificial Education: Towards an Ethical Framework for Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) Use in Education. Online Learning, 28(2), n2.
  27. Tezgiden-Cakcak, Y. (n.d.). Reading Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed: Why did it feel empowering to me? Lendo a Pedagogia do Oprimido de Paulo Freire: Por que ela me pareceu empoderadora? https://orcid.org/0000-0001-
  28. Waddell, M., & Clariza, E. (2018). Critical digital pedagogy and cultural sensitivity in the library classroom: Infographics and digital storytelling. College & Research Libraries News, 79(5), 228.
  29. Watts, R. J., Diemer, M. A., & Voight, A. M. (2011). Critical consciousness: Current status and future directions. New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development, 2011(134), 43–57.
  30. Wilhelm, C. (2021). Gendered (in) visibility in digital media contexts. Studies in Communication Sciences, 21(1), 99–113.
  31. Williams, J. E. (2019). Paulo Freire Pedagogy of the Oppressed Book Appreciation. SAGE Publications Sage CA: Los Angeles, CA.
  32. Wynn, M. O. (2025). Beyond Competency: Developing Critical Digital Capabilities in Nursing Students Through Freirean Pedagogy. Nursing Inquiry, 32(2), e70011.

Downloads

PDF

Statistic

Abstract Views
: 374 times
PDF
: 144 times