Beyond Technology Acceptance: Rethinking the Role of Epistemic Curiosity in Digital Literacy

Authors

  • Hunaepi Hunaepi Department of Educational Sciences, Universitas Pendidikan Ganesha, Singaraja, INDONESIA
  • Desak Made Citrawathi Department of Educational Sciences, Universitas Pendidikan Ganesha, Singaraja, INDONESIA
  • Abubakar Sidik Katili Biology Department, Universitas Negeri Gorontalo, Gorontalo, INDONESIA

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33394/ijete.v3i2.22521

Keywords:

Epistemic curiosity, Digital literacy, Technology acceptance, Purposeful digital engagement, Digital capability

Abstract

This commentary reconsiders the relationship between epistemic curiosity and digital literacy by examining how curiosity, technology perceptions, and digital engagement may contribute to capability development. It argues that favorable perceptions of usefulness and ease of use should be distinguished from demonstrated digital capability because perceived competence does not necessarily indicate what learners can perform in authentic tasks. The commentary therefore proposes purposeful digital engagement as a conceptual bridge connecting epistemic curiosity and technology perceptions with opportunities to develop digital knowledge, skills, and judgment. Purposeful engagement includes deliberate practice, source verification, iterative problem solving, feedback seeking, digital content creation, and transfer across tasks. The commentary also distinguishes interest-type and deprivation-type epistemic curiosity, suggesting that they may support different patterns of engagement depending on task demands, self-regulatory resources, feedback, and instructional scaffolding. Cultural and linguistic conditions are also considered, particularly in international learning contexts. The proposed progression is conceptual rather than causal and requires further longitudinal, experimental, cross-cultural, behavioral, and performance-based investigation. This framing emphasizes educational processes beyond technology acceptance and adoption.

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Published

2026-09-10

How to Cite

Hunaepi, H., Citrawathi, D. M., & Katili, A. S. (2026). Beyond Technology Acceptance: Rethinking the Role of Epistemic Curiosity in Digital Literacy. International Journal of Ethnoscience and Technology in Education, 3(2), 131–144. https://doi.org/10.33394/ijete.v3i2.22521

Issue

Vol. 3 No. 2 (2026): September

Section

Commentary

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Copyright (c) 2026 Hunaepi Hunaepi, Desak Made Citrawathi, Abubakar Sidik Katili

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