Structural Relationship on Factors Influencing Digital Literacy of College Students

In the era of rapid development of science and electronic technology, cultivating students’ digital literacy has become one of the key goals. This study aims to explore the causal relationship between students’ cognitive engagement, behavioral engagement, emotional engagement, and digital literacy. For this purpose, 454 college students participated in the survey held in March 2022. According to the results of the structural equation model, (1) students’ cognitive engagement significantly influenced emotional engagement, behavioral engagement, and digital literacy. (2) Students’ cognitive and behavioral engagement is related to their digital literacy. (3) Emotional engagement could not predict digital literacy. (4) Behavioral engagement moderated the relationship between cognitive engagement and digital literacy. This study emphasizes socio-emotional ability, which critically explores the value of online information between meaningful information and fake news. In conclusion, higher education should be designed to cultivate each dimension by clearly recognizing the sub-dimensions of digital literacy.