Journal of General Education and Humanities
Vol. 5 No. 3 (2026): June

The Transformation of Humanistic Values in Education in the Digital Age: An Analysis of the Role of Critical Literacy in Shaping Student Character

Dewi Mutiah (Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Kesehatan Cirebon)
Fahmi Muhammad Ilham (Muhammadiyah University of Cirebon)
Restu Banu Aji (Islamic University of Al-Ihya, Kuningan)
Iwan Setiawan (Pamulang University, Banten)
Adlan Khoirul Abdi (Al-Azhar University, Cairo)



Article Info

Publish Date
18 Jun 2026

Abstract

The rapid expansion of digital technology has reshaped higher education practices, particularly in how students access, process, and use academic information. However, this transformation also raises concerns regarding the weakening of humanistic values and students’ critical awareness in engaging with digital content. This study aims to examine the transformation of humanistic values in the digital learning environment and to analyze the role of critical literacy in shaping students’ character. This research is empirical in nature and applies a qualitative field research approach. Data were collected from 50 university students through observation, semi-structured interviews, and documentation of academic activities. The findings reveal that digital platforms are widely integrated into students’ learning processes, with Learning Management Systems (LMS) showing the highest usage rate at 80%, followed by academic search engines (72%) and digital journals (68%). Despite this high level of engagement, students’ critical literacy skills, particularly in evaluating source credibility and reflecting on the impact of information, remain underdeveloped. The study also identifies that humanistic values, such as academic integrity, responsibility, and mutual respect, continue to be reflected in students’ academic interactions, although they have not yet been fully internalized. These findings suggest that effective integration of digital technology must be accompanied by strengthening critical literacy and reinforcing humanistic values to foster students who are reflective, ethical, and responsible in navigating digital information.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

gehu

Publisher

Subject

Humanities Languange, Linguistic, Communication & Media Mathematics Other

Description

The Journal of General Education and Humanities (GEHU) is a peer-reviewed scholarly online journal. The GEHU is published quarterly in February, May, August, and November. The GEHU is a non-profit journal whose publication is free of charge. The articles should be original, unpublished, and not ...