Improving Elementary School Students' Digital Literacy through Culture-Responsive Canva-Based Science Learning

Abstract

This study aims to describe the implementation of Canva's culturally responsive use in science learning and its effectiveness in improving elementary school students' digital literacy. The study involved 90 fourth-grade students from four elementary schools in the Andang Taruna Banyumas Cluster. This study is a descriptive qualitative study with an ethnopedagogical approach and a case study method conducted through observation, interviews, and documentation studies. The results showed that the initial level of students' digital literacy was still basic to moderate. The implementation of culture-responsive Canva in science learning was carried out through systematic planning, implementation, and evaluation. This implementation was able to improve digital literacy, as seen from several indicators, including Functional Skill and Beyond, Creativity, Collaboration, Communication, The Ability to Find and Select Information, Critical Thinking and Evaluation, Cultural and Social Understanding, and E-safety. Learning in elementary schools became more interactive, contextual, and relevant to the culture of students in Banyumas. This encouraged active student participation and improved understanding of the learning material. The findings of this study confirm that Canva, which is responsive to culture, improves the digital literacy of elementary school students. These findings also show a positive synergy between technology and culture in learning. However, this study also has limitations in terms of internet network quality and differences in the initial abilities of elementary school students. Further research is recommended to develop a culture-based digital learning model for other subjects so that it can support the digital infrastructure in schools to be more optimal.