Due to the growing interest in resilience research, resilience has been contextualised at the individual, family, community, national, and cultural levels (Southwick, 2014). At an individual level, resilience is generally understood as the ability to cope with life’s challenges, stress, and adversity (Waugh & Koster, 2015). Since the era of big data, researchers have studied the impact of digital technologies on health outcomes. Undeniably, digital technologies can promote human health and development in many ways (Cordeiro, 2021). However, people may encounter risks when using digital technologies, and it is neither possible nor desirable to shield them entirely from these risks (Sun et al., 2022).
Interestingly, most people adopt a positive attitude and behaviour to cope and seek to reduce the occurrence of negative outcomes. Clearly, individuals have witnessed the digital revolution and shown new forms of resilience in digital contexts.
This new form of resilience in the digital sphere is known as digital resilience. The concept of digital resilience was originally applied within information technology fields. Early studies on digital resilience focused on organisations’ technologies and enhancing their ability to adapt and safeguard their systems’ normal operation when facing information technology challenges (Fraga-Lamas & Fernández-Caramés, 2019; van der Kleij & Leukfeldt, 2019).
Digital literacy and combating disinformation are among the top three digital skills required in the 21st century. Teachers need the knowledge and skills to enable their students to think critically, make informed choices online, and stay safe, while continuously developing their resilience in the digital world.
In this context, the West University of Timișoara, through the Teachers4.0 Digital Project, is organising an exclusive and in-depth university course entitled Combating Misinformation and Promoting Digital Media Skills through Education and Training, aimed at students in the field of education (pre-service teachers).
In our teaching sessions, we focus on empowering protective factors and weakening risk factors related to certain traits that may emerge in the digital environment. Building digital resilience requires a personalised approach. Some students may be more receptive and aware of online risks, while others may need more structured activities that encourage reflection on their experiences and the development of solutions to challenging situations. Furthermore, encouraging open dialogue about online experiences can help students develop critical and emotional skills that enable them to navigate the digital environment safely.
Digital resilience cannot be developed without gradual and controlled exposure to the online environment. When children are supported in developing digital resilience, they are not only better protected but also able to explore more opportunities for learning and development through the internet. The school environment can serve as a safe space for students to express their concerns and learn to manage their online experiences in a healthy and balanced way.
To foster this competence, teachers from the Teachers4.0 Digital Project address ten topics (modules) that teach students how to cope with challenges in the online environment. The project activities are in line with the regulations and rules proposed by the European Commission regarding online safety and the development of digital resilience. An article published by the European Commission shows us that “…in today’s complex digital and media landscape, it is crucial that citizens are aware of the risks of information manipulation and foreign interference and are well-equipped to identify malign activities, including the spread of false or misleading content and the use of manipulative techniques”.
The European Commission is raising awareness of the increasing complexity and risks of information manipulation and promoting digital and media literacy. A range of tools and initiatives has been designed to promote critical thinking and empower individuals and communities to recognise, resist, and respond effectively to information manipulation and foreign interference.
Digital and media literacy are vital for building societal resilience against information manipulation. The ability to access, critically understand, and interact with media is essential. Digital and media literacy enable students to navigate the modern digital news environment and make well-informed choices. It is especially important to learn how to recognise information manipulation from an early age; thus, education plays a crucial role in ensuring a media-literate public.
References
- Cordeiro, J.V. (2021). Digital technologies and data science as health enablers: an outline of appealing promises and compelling ethical, legal, and social challenges. Front Med (Lausanne). 8:647897. 10.3389/fmed.2021.647897 [DOI].
- Fraga-Lamas, P., Fernández-Caramés, T.M. (2019). A review on blockchain technologies for an advanced and cyber-resilient automotive industry. IEEE Access. 7:17578–98. 10.1109/ACCESS.2019.2895302 [DOI]
- Southwick, S.M. (2014). Bonanno GA, Masten AS, Panter-Brick C, Yehuda R. Resilience definitions, theory, and challenges: interdisciplinary perspectives. Eur J Psychotraumatol. 5:25338. 10.3402/ejpt.v5.25338 [DOI].
- Sun, H., Yuan, C., Qian, Q., He, S., Luo, Q. (2022). Digital Resilience Among Individuals in School Education Settings: A Concept Analysis Based on a Scoping Review. Front Psychiatry. 31;13:858515. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.858515. PMID: 35432032; PMCID: PMC9008236.
- van der Kleij, R., Leukfeldt, R. (2019). Cyber resilient behavior: integrating human behavioral models and resilience engineering capabilities into cyber security. In: Proceedings of the International Conference on Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics. Cham: Springer, p. 16–27. 10.1016/j.aap.2021.106515 [DOI]
- Waugh, C.E., Koster, E.H. (2015). A resilience framework for promoting stable remission from depression. Clin Psychol Rev. 41:49–60. 10.1016/j.cpr.2014.05.004 [DOI] .