Integrating Digital Literacy in EFL Learning: A Qualitative Study on Vocational Students’ Perspectives

Resky Shafira Marewangang (Faculty of Letters, Universitas Negeri Malang)
Nunung Suryati (Faculty of Letters, Universitas Negeri Malang)
Yusnita Febrianti (Faculty of Letters, Universitas Negeri Malang)

IDEAS: Journal on English Language Teaching and Learning, Linguistics and Literature
Vol. 14 No. 2 (2026): IDEAS: Journal on English Language Teaching and Learning, Linguistics and Lite

The rapid development of digital technology has transformed educational practices and increased the importance of integrating digital literacy into classroom learning. In vocational high schools, having digital skills is not just important for doing well in school, but also for getting ready for jobs in today's workforce. In this study, digital literacy is conceptualized through three interrelated dimensions including information literacy, media literacy, and information and communication technology (ICT) literacy which is consistent with the theoretical framework used to analyze the data.  However, research on digital literacy in vocational EFL contexts remains limited, as prior studies have mostly examined university students or teachers rather than vocational learners themselves. This study addresses that gap by examining how vocational high school students perceive the integration of digital literacy in EFL learning. Using a qualitative study supported by descriptive questionnaire data, the research involved 33 eleventh-grade Computer and Network Engineering (TKJ) students who completed a questionnaire, four of whom were purposively selected for in-depth interviews based on the richness of their open-ended responses. The findings show that students generally hold positive attitudes toward digital literacy, frequently using social media and AI tools to support autonomous English learning and to meet vocational needs such as operating computers and interpreting technical content. However, a discrepancy emerged between students’ reported ability to access digital information and their actual practices of critically evaluating it. Beyond its academic value, digital literacy in this vocational context was closely tied to students’ professional identity and employability. The study suggests that EFL educators should build on students’ existing digital habits while explicitly teaching critical source-evaluation strategies to help vocational learners become critically informed and digitally competent professionals.