EVALUATION OF STUDENTS’ DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, TECHNOLOGY USAGE AWARENESS AND FUTURE-FOCUSED SCENARIO DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

This qualitative study investigates university students’ awareness and perceptions of digital citizenship, artificial intelligence (AI), technology usage, and future-oriented   scenario development. Conducted with 60 students from the Faculty of Education at the University of Kyrenia, the research utilizes semi-structured interviews to explore students’ conceptualizations of digital culture and citizenship, their readiness to integrate AI into their future teaching practices, and their views on leadership and educational strategies in the digital age. The findings reveal that students understand digital citizenship as acting ethically, safely, and responsibly in digital environments, while major barriers include inequality in digital access and lack of education on ethics and data privacy. Participants also emphasized the importance of digital skills such as AI literacy, creative thinking, and empathy. They perceive AI as a valuable tool for personalized learning, student assessment, and educational innovation. Moreover, the study highlights the need for teacher training programs to integrate AI literacy and pedagogical strategies that reflect ethical and inclusive digital practices. Scenario-based learning is proposed as a method to enhance students’ critical thinking and social responsibility in technology-mediated environments. The study concludes with recommendations to align teacher education with the demands of the digital era.

Keywords: Digital Citizenship; Artificial Intelligence in Education; Technology Awareness; Scenario-Based learning