Digital Literacy of Sunday School Teachers in Filtering Religious Information in the Social Media Era

L. Joseph; Febrilianti Febrilianti; Misye Waliana; Eurene Maurendini Lefta

doi:10.58421/gehu.v5i6.2229

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.58421/gehu.v5i6.2229

Authors

L. Joseph Institut Agama Kristen Negeri Ambon
Febrilianti Institut Agama Kristen Negeri Ambon
Misye Waliana Institut Agama Kristen Negeri Ambon
Eurene Maurendini Lefta Institut Agama Kristen Negeri Ambon

Keywords:

Christian Religious Education, Digital Literacy, Religious Information, Social Media, Sunday School Teachers

Abstract

Social media provides Sunday School teachers with extensive religious learning resources, while simultaneously exposing them to anonymous sources, decontextualized biblical quotations, and materials unsuitable for children’s developmental needs. This study aimed to describe Sunday School teachers’ digital literacy, identify strengths and weaknesses, and formulate implications for professional and ecclesial development. The study was conducted at GKI Bethesda Sele Be Solu, Sorong City, from May to July 2026 using a descriptive quantitative approach supported by qualitative data. A 22-item, five-point Likert questionnaire covered seven indicators. Of the planned population of 51 teachers, nine complete questionnaires were analyzed; four informants representing coordination, institutional leadership, mentoring, and classroom practice provided supporting interview notes. Quantitative data were analyzed using scores, percentages, descriptive statistics, and Cronbach’s alpha, while interview notes were thematically analyzed and integrated during interpretation. The participants obtained 824 of 990 points (83.23%), categorized as very high. Digital ethics scored highest (88.15%), followed by child-service suitability (87.41%) and theological content and contextual assessment (86.67%); source verification scored lowest (76.30%). Cronbach’s alpha was .844, indicating good preliminary internal consistency for the available responses. Interviews showed that the Bible and official church materials functioned as primary references, but verification routines, coordination, and content adaptation were not yet standardized. The study concludes that training should translate strong ethical-theological orientations into shared procedures through lateral verification, biblical-context checking, child-suitability assessment, source documentation, and instructional material production. Because the valid response rate was 17.65%, the findings describe the analyzed group and should not be generalized to the whole population.

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