Digital Microcultures and University Education

Implications for Student Identity Construction in Contemporary Contexts

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.65598/rps.6251

Keywords:

digital microcultures, student identity, higher education, social media, digital culture

Abstract

This study analyzed the relationship between digital microcultures and student identity construction in higher education using a quantitative, descriptive–correlational approach with a sample of 210 university students. The results showed that dimensions associated with digital engagement, particularly algorithmic content exposure and participation in online communities, significantly influence identity formation. The regression model explained 58% of the variance in student identity, highlighting digital environments as central spaces for socialization. Additionally, a lower level of institutional belonging was observed compared to digital engagement. The findings suggest that digital microcultures reshape university education processes, emphasizing the need to incorporate pedagogical strategies that promote critical literacy and the development of reflective identities in digital contexts.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Ajjawi, R., Gravett, K., & O’Shea, S. (2023). The politics of student belonging: Identity and purpose. Teaching in Higher Education. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2023.2280261

Allen, K. A., Kern, M. L., Vella-Brodrick, D., Hattie, J., & Waters, L. (2021). What schools need to know about fostering school belonging: A meta-analysis. Educational Psychology Review, 33(1), 1–34. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-019-09514-6

Arkorful, V., Salifu, I., Arthur, F., & Nortey, S. A. (2024). Exploring the nexus between digital competencies and digital citizenship of higher education students: A PLS-SEM approach. Cogent Education, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2024.2326722

Astleitner, H., & Schlick, S. (2024). The social media use of college students: Exploring identity development, learning support, and parallel use. Active Learning in Higher Education. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/14697874241233605

Avci, H., Baams, L., & Kretschmer, T. (2025). A systematic review of social media use and adolescent identity development. Adolescent Research Review, 10, 219–236. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40894-024-00251-1

Bond, M., Khosravi, H., de Laat, M., Bergdahl, N., Negrea, V., Oxley, E., Pham, P., Chong, S. W., & Siemens, G. (2024). A meta systematic review of artificial intelligence in higher education: A call for increased ethics, collaboration, and rigour. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 21, Article 4. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-023-00436-z

Brites, M. J., Castro, T. S., Müller, M. S., & Maneta, M. (2024). Young people learning about algorithms: Five profiles spanning from ineptitude to enchantment. Media and Communication, 12, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.17645/mac.8272

Cai, L., Wilkins, S., Zhao, L., & Zhang, Y. (2025). Student identity in transnational higher education: International branch campuses versus Sino-foreign institutes. Compare: A Journal of Comparative and International Education, 55(7), 1258–1276. https://doi.org/10.1080/03057925.2024.2393120

Costa, C., & Li, H. (2023). Digital cultural knowledge and curriculum: The experiences of international students as they moved from on-campus to on-line education during the pandemic. Learning, Media and Technology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439884.2023.2218097

Dias-Broens, A. S., Hulsbosch, A. M., van der Graaf, J., & Severiens, S. E. (2024). The definition and measurement of sense of belonging in higher education: A systematic review. Educational Research Review, 43, 100611. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2024.100611

Ehret, C. (2024). Critical literacies in algorithmic cultures. Literacy, 58(2), 157–166. https://doi.org/10.1111/lit.12363

Obiols-Suari, N., de Miguel-Molina, B., & Salvador-Benítez, A. (2023). ¿Qué echamos a la hoguera? Cancelación cultural y estudiantes universitarios/as. Revista Prisma Social, 43, 313–333.

Pérez-Torres, V. (2024). Social media: A digital social mirror for identity development during adolescence. Current Psychology, 43, 22170–22180. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-024-05980-z

Raaper, R., Hardey, M., & Aad, S. (2025). #Studytalk in marketised higher education: Student influencers as emerging support providers. Studies in Higher Education, 50(2). https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2024.2385614

Raaper, R., Hardey, M., Tiidenberg, K., & Aad, S. (2024). Negotiating authenticity: Experiences of student influencers on social media. Journal of Youth Studies. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/13676261.2024.2419085

Sánchez-Romero, E. I., López-Berlanga, M. C., & Yuste-Tosina, R. (2024). ¿Predice el miedo a sentirse excluido (FOMO) el uso problemático de internet? Revista Prisma Social, 46, 177–197.

Soh, S., Talaifar, S., & Harari, G. M. (2024). Identity development in the digital context. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 18(2), e12940. https://doi.org/10.1111/spc3.12940

Tarullo, R. (2020). ¿Por qué los jóvenes están en redes sociales? Revista Prisma Social, 29, 222–239.

Tassara-Salviati, C. F. J., Vargas-Merino, J. A., Rivarola Ganosa, I., Quispe-Huarancca, J., & Escudero-Simon, W. (2023). Competencias digitales en estudiantes universitarios. Revista Prisma Social, 41, 47–66.

Published

2026-07-30

How to Cite

Elias Guardián, A. C., Robles Rojas, M. L. C., Sillo Silllo, A., & Castillo Montes, J. A. (2026). Digital Microcultures and University Education: Implications for Student Identity Construction in Contemporary Contexts. Prisma Social Journal, (54), 542–557. https://doi.org/10.65598/rps.6251

Issue

Section

Sección abierta