Romualdus Antonius Geli Koten, Hengki Mangiring Parulian Simarmata

INTEGRATION OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY AND CHARACTER EDUCATION: BUILDING A RESILIENT GENERATION IN THE ERA OF THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION 5.0

Introduction

Integration of digital technology and character education: building a resilient generation in the era of the industrial revolution 5.0. Build a resilient Gen 5.0: Integrate digital tech & character education. This review covers digital literacy, ethical citizenship, challenges, and new models for youth character development.

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the integration of digital technology in character education in the era of the Industrial Revolution 5.0 through a systematic literature review approach to 50 selected studies published in the 2020–2025 period. The results of the study show that digital literacy is the main foundation that strengthens the formation of students' character, especially in terms of honesty, responsibility, empathy, and 21st century skills. The role of teachers, families, schools, and governments has proven to be crucial in supporting implementation, while the main challenges lie in the gap in technology access, human resource readiness, and curriculum adaptation. This study also identifies research gaps, namely the limitations of integrative models that connect technology, character education, and digital resilience simultaneously, as well as the lack of empirical evidence based on the Indonesian context that is in line with the Pancasila Student Profile Strengthening Project (P5) program. Thus, this article provides a conceptual contribution in the form of new research directions and policy models that emphasize digital literacy, ethics, and critical digital citizenship as instruments for shaping the character and digital resilience of the younger generation.

Review

This systematic literature review addresses a highly pertinent topic: the integration of digital technology and character education to foster a resilient generation in the Industrial Revolution 5.0 era. By synthesizing findings from 50 recent studies (2020–2025), the paper effectively establishes digital literacy as a core foundation for developing essential character traits like honesty, responsibility, and empathy, alongside crucial 21st-century skills. The abstract clearly identifies the critical roles of various stakeholders—teachers, families, schools, and governments—and outlines key challenges, including technology access disparities, human resource preparedness, and curriculum adaptation, providing a comprehensive overview of the current landscape. While the study successfully identifies important research gaps, such as the scarcity of integrative models connecting technology, character education, and digital resilience, and the lack of empirical evidence specifically within the Indonesian context and its P5 program, the abstract could benefit from further clarification on how the "conceptual contribution" (new research directions and policy models) is directly derived and justified by the systematic review itself. The full paper should elaborate on the methodological rigor supporting these proposed directions. Additionally, while the title highlights "building a resilient generation," the findings primarily detail character formation and digital literacy; a more explicit discussion on how these elements collectively contribute to overall resilience would strengthen the paper's central argument. Despite these minor points for potential elaboration, this study offers a significant contribution to the fields of education and technology. It provides a timely and comprehensive mapping of existing research, identifying both strengths and critical areas requiring further attention. The emphasis on digital literacy, ethics, and critical digital citizenship as foundational elements for character and digital resilience is particularly valuable. This article promises to be an instrumental resource for guiding future research, informing policy development, and shaping educational practices aimed at preparing the younger generation for the complexities of the digital future.

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