The Determinants of Digital Citizenship Skills in Online Safety among Higher Education Students: A Case Study of UiTM Kota Bharu

Abstract

In today’s digitally connected environment, where students rely extensively on online platforms, strong digital citizenship skills—particularly in online safety—are essential for navigating the digital space responsibly, ethically, and securely. This study examined factors influencing online safety–related digital citizenship skills among undergraduate students at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Kota Bharu, focusing on internet attitude, computer self-efficacy, and internet skills. A quantitative cross-sectional design was employed, using data collected from 317 students via an online questionnaire. Stratified random sampling was applied across two faculties—FPP (Faculty of Business and Management) and FSKM (Faculty of Computer and Mathematical Sciences)—to ensure balanced representation. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, Pearson correlations, and multiple linear regression. The results showed no significant differences in digital citizenship skills by gender or faculty. However, digital citizenship skills demonstrated strong positive correlations with internet attitude and internet skills, while computer self-efficacy exhibited a weaker yet significant relationship. Regression findings indicated that all three factors significantly predicted digital citizenship skills, with internet attitude emerging as the strongest predictor. These findings underscore the importance of targeted educational initiatives aimed at enhancing digital citizenship, particularly by cultivating positive internet attitudes and strengthening students’ technical competencies.