Development of A Digital-Based Democratic Education Model to Strengthen Political Tolerance in Students

Abstract

The urgency of this research lies in the increasing political polarization among the younger generation, especially students, caused by the misuse of digital media as a space for political discussion. The purpose of this research is to analyze and develop an effective digital-based democracy education model to strengthen students' political tolerance in the digital era. The method used is research and development (R&D) design with quantitative and qualitative approaches. This research includes needs analysis, model development, expert validation, limited trials, and extensive implementation. The results show that: Democracy education in higher education has strong support from universities, including the rector, with 87% of respondents stating the importance of strengthening democracy education. Lecturers also play an active role in providing understanding to students through learning that instills the values of social justice, inclusivity, respect, and tolerance. This was positively received by 88% of students. In addition, interaction between students from various regions, cultures, and tribes encourages the growth of mutual respect and peaceful coexistence in the campus environment. As many as 90% of students show a strong attitude of political tolerance as a result of the educational process. The conclusion is that democratic education received high support from universities (87%) and was positively accepted by students (88%). Lecturers play a role in forming a tolerant character through the value of diversity. Interaction between students strengthens the attitude of political tolerance (90%) in the campus environment