Improving Digital Literacy Skills through Descriptive Text Learning in Students

Abstract

This Classroom Action Research (CAR) aims to enhance the digital literacy skills of 7th-grade students at SMP Bina Mulia Pontianak through a descriptive text-based learning approach. The urgency of the research is based on the rise of "infodemics" (hoaxes) and the need for innovative teaching method adaptation in the digital era. The research subjects were 22 students, and the study was conducted in two cycles, measuring four aspects of digital literacy: Access, Evaluation, Creation, and Communication. The results showed a significant increase in the students' average scores, reaching 88.2 in Cycle II from the Pre-Cycle condition (58.0). The highest improvements occurred in the Communication (52.1%) and Evaluation (45.3%) aspects, driven by structured practical assignments, including analyzing hoax cases and creating/uploading descriptive texts onto digital platforms. The scientific contribution of this research is the confirmation of the strategic role of the Indonesian Language subject, particularly through the descriptive text approach, as an effective framework for instilling critical and technical digital literacy, which is highly relevant in combating disinformation in the digital era.