Comparative Analysis of Media Literacy Among Business School Students and Spanish Graduate Students: Navigating Misinformation in a Digital Era
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.34624/jdmi.v9i21.37924Keywords:
media literacy, educational context, comparative analyses, misinformationAbstract
This study examines the media literacy competencies of graduate students from diverse educational and cultural backgrounds, focusing on 150 participants from Italian business schools and Spanish graduate programs. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, we employed quantitative analyses, including ANOVA and independent samples t-tests, alongside qualitative interviews to explore the dimensions of accessing media, analysing and evaluating content, creating media, understanding misinformation, and digital literacy. The results revealed significant disparities, with Spanish students exhibiting higher competencies across all assessed dimensions. Qualitative insights indicated that their educational framework emphasised practical engagement and critical thinking, contributing to greater confidence in their media skills. In contrast, Italian students reported a more theoretical understanding, highlighting notable gaps in their media literacy education. These findings underscore the need for tailored media literacy programs incorporating experiential learning and critical analysis better to equip students for today’s complex media landscape. The study also discusses recommendations for enhancing media literacy education and suggests directions for future research to address cultural contexts and the impact of emerging technologies.
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