The Role of Civic Education in Building Media Ethics Among Students at STAI Natuna

Abstract

The growing use of digital communication has increased the need for university students to develop responsible media behavior alongside digital competence, making Civic Education increasingly relevant to the formation of ethical digital citizenship. This study aimed to examine STAI Natuna students’ understanding of media ethics, identify how Civic Education values are implemented in shaping ethical behavior in digital media, and formulate an integrative model for strengthening media ethics within the institutional context. A qualitative field-study design was employed involving 15 purposively selected informants consisting of students, Civic Education lecturers, and academic leaders. Data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews, participant observation, and document analysis and were analyzed using the interactive model of Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña through data condensation, coding, thematic development, data display, and verification. The findings revealed a persistent knowledge-practice gap: students generally understood basic principles of responsible media use but did not always apply them consistently when facing peer pressure, unverified information, and socially sensitive digital interactions. Civic Education contributed to students’ ethical awareness, yet its implementation remained predominantly cognitive and was not systematically integrated into the OBE-oriented curriculum. The study consequently developed an integrative model combining civic and Islamic moral values, curriculum integration, contextual and case-based learning, moral courage, and institutional-social reinforcement. The study concludes that strengthening media ethics requires a systematic educational approach that connects ethical knowledge with reflective practice and supportive institutional environments.