This document discusses a pilot study conducted among law students at the University of Osijek regarding their engagement with e-democracy and media literacy. The findings indicate that students are largely underinformed and underrepresented in e-democracy activities, with significant portions expressing a lack of influence in governmental processes. The study highlights the need for increased focus on e-democracy in academic curricula to enhance student participation and awareness.

1. Students of Law and E-Democracy: Are
They Information Literate at All?
Kornelija Petr Balog
Ljiljana Siber
University of Osijek, Croatia

2. E-democracy and e-government
• e-democracy
– meeting of information technology (IT) and
democracy
• e-government
– part of e-democracy
– the efficient delivery of government/state
information to citizens
ECIL, Dubrovnik, October 20-23, 2014 2

3. E-democracy in Croatia
• right to the access to information
– regulated by the Constitution and Access to Information
Act
• e-democracy and e-government
– underused but positive trends (E-Citizens portal since May
2014! https://www.gov.hr/#e-gradjani)
• research from 2011 (Digital Information-documentation Agency of
the Croatian Government - HIDRA)
– local admin. websites offer useful information, but poorly
organized
– no online discussion forums with citizens
ECIL, Dubrovnik, October 20-23, 2014 3

4. J. J. Strossmayer University
– 17 members:
• 11 faculties
• 5 departments
• 1 academy
ECIL, Dubrovnik, October 20-23, 2014 4

5. Students of law, e-democracy and IL
• small-scale pilot-study conducted among
students of law at Osijek University on e-government
and e-democracy information,
but also on media literacy
• students of law
– identified as those who are professionally directed
to such information and have to be able to find,
evaluate and apply it
ECIL, Dubrovnik, October 20-23, 2014 5

6. Instrument, methodology and sample
– May 2014
– paper survey
• media literacy
• e-democracy
– 171 law students
• survey reached 59% of the
1st year population and 64% of the 4th
year population enroled in academic year 2013/2014
ECIL, Dubrovnik, October 20-23, 2014
1st year
69%
4th year
31%
Sample
6

7. Online activities in the sample
6 most represented activities
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 120%
6 least represented activities
Local gov. rep.
Student Board
Forums, blogs
Online petitions
Price comparison websites
ECIL, Dubrovnik, October 20-23, 2014
Hobbies
Photos
Scholarships, exams, etc.
Watch films
E-mails
Social networking
4th year
1st year
12%
14%
7%
9%
3%
3%
34%
30%
26%
19%
13%
8%
E-banking
4th year 1st year
7

8. Active participation in e-democracy
activities at various levels
ECIL, Dubrovnik, October 20-23, 2014
Activity National level
N (%)
Regional level
N (%)
Local level
N (%)
Legal entity with
public jurisdiction
N (%)
No activity
N (%)
1st
year
4th
year
1st
year
4th
year
1st year 4th year 1st year 4th year 1st year 4th year
Exercise of
democratic rights
in decision-making
processes
(issues of public
interest)
8 (6.8) 5 (9.4) 5 (4.2) 2 (3.8) 8 (6.8) 5 (9.4) 13 (11.0) 14 (26.4) 94 (79.7) 37 (69.8)
Public policy
modification
5 (4.3) - 3 (2.6) - 6 (5.1) 6 (11.3) 1 (0.9) 2 (3.8) 108
(92.3)
47 (88.7)
E-consultation 1 (0.8) - 2 (1.7) - 5 (4.2) 1 (1.9) 2 (1.7) 1 (1.9) 111
(94.1)
51 (96.2)
8

9. Influence on work of public servants
Yes
1%
ECIL, Dubrovnik, October 20-23, 2014
No
71%
Undecided
28%
Perception of influence
9

10. Patterns of official information seeking
habits
Preferred sources of information
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
ECIL, Dubrovnik, October 20-23, 2014
100%
HIDRA
Some other Croatian ministry
Local county
Local government
European Union
Croatian Ministry of Justice
Croatian Parliament
Croatian Government
Libraries
The University in Osijek
Faculty of Law Osijek
Series1
10

11. Level of trust
ECIL, Dubrovnik, October 20-23, 2014
2.5
2.1
3.8
2.5
Online newspapers and
magazines
Social network websites Webpages of the
national, regional, or local
government
High level of security and
data protection (gov. sites)
Level of trust
Mean
11

12. Satisfaction with information found at
the official websites
ECIL, Dubrovnik, October 20-23, 2014
4.00
3.50
3.00
2.50
2.00
1.50
1.00
0.50
0.00
Ease of access to
information
Accuracy Usefulness Stability of access to
data
Axis Title
Satisfaction
Mean*
12

13. Conclusions
• student dedicate majority of their online time
to hobbies, leasure, and entertainment
• activities connected with e-democracy –
underrepresented
• 4th year students – slightly more active in e-democracy
• interest primarily for issues connected with
immediate academic tasks
ECIL, Dubrovnik, October 20-23, 2014 13

14. • students do not exercize their rights (either as citizens
or as future legal system workers)
• reasons:
– perception of no influence on the work of civil servants
– present curriculum
• survey outcomes:
– 61.4 % became aware of the issue
– course instructors decided to dedicate more attention to e-democracy
within their courses in following academic
years
ECIL, Dubrovnik, October 20-23, 2014 14

15. Thank you for your
attention!
kpetr@ffos.hr
ljsiber@pravos.hr
ECIL, Dubrovnik, October 20-23, 2014 15