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Digital interactive information technologies in political education and civic participation of students of Chinese universities

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Abstract

The purpose of this article is to study the impact of the use of digital interactive information technologies in Chinese political education on the civic participation of Chinese and foreign students. The study involved 347 Chinese and 298 foreign students China University of Political Science and Law University, School of Marxism (Shanghai); East China University of Political Science and Law (Shanghai); China Youth University of Political Studies (Beijing), who studied using digital interactive information technologies (experimental group 2); the control group consisted of 285 Chinese and foreign students who, during the experiment, studied political disciplines without the use of digital interactive information technologies. To investigate the students’ civic participation, the authors used a special semi-structured questionnaire, as well as the method “Diagnostics of the socio-psychological attitudes of a person in the motivational-need sphere” by O. Potemkina and the method “Motivation of professional activity” by K. Zamfir modified by A. A. Rean. Both Chinese and foreign students who received political education using digital interactive information technologies during the experiment turned out to be significantly more active in civilian life than those who studied without using these technologies.

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This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

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Correspondence to Hongrui Chen.

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Appendix 1

Appendix 1

No.

Statement

Answer

Strongly agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly disagree

1.

Political education is very important for a professional career

     

2.

Civic engagement depends more on the person’s character than on his/her political education

     

3.

I always participate in elections

     

4.

Civic participation allows influencing political decision-making

     

5.

I am involved in human rights organizations

     

6.

I distrust political institutions

     

7.

I took part in protest promotions

     

8.

I am volunteering

     

9.

I am involved in charitable organizations

     

10.

Participation in democratic practices at the university distracts from studies

     

11.

Political education helps self-determination

     

12.

I blog on social media

     

13.

I care about climate change

     

14.

Solving environmental problems does not depend on the students’ civic participation

     

15.

I do not support the values of Western democracy

     

16.

Participation in elections is an activity for pensioners

     

17.

Signing petitions is an effective form of civic participation

     

18.

I am a member of a political party

     

19.

I am not interested in a political career

     

20.

The development of digital technologies contributes to the democratization of society

     

21.

The basics of political science should be a compulsory subject in all faculties of the university

     

22.

Civic participation has a positive impact on social and psychological well-being

     

23.

Civic participation allows controlling the socio-political system

     

24.

Political education contributes to the development of personal potential

     

25.

I believe that political education at the university is…

 

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Chen, H. Digital interactive information technologies in political education and civic participation of students of Chinese universities. Educ Inf Technol 29, 3903–3921 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-023-11951-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-023-11951-x

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