Assessing the Impact of Media Literacy Interventions on Critical Thinking Skills Among Final-Year Students in the Context of Global Citizenship

Project Abstract

This study investigates how media literacy interventions influence critical thinking skills among final-year university students within the framework of global citizenship, employing a mixed-methods design across three faculties to capture cross-disciplinary variations. Grounded in constructivist and socio-cognitive theories, the research posits that structured media literacy activities—including source evaluation, bias recognition, argumentative analysis, and ethical reasoning—will significantly enhance students’ ability to identify assumptions, differentiate evidence from opinion, and construct well-reasoned, globally informed arguments. A quasi-experimental design with pretest-posttest control groups (n ? 240) assesses cognitive gains, while a parallel qualitative strand (focus groups and in-depth interviews with a purposive sample of 40 students and 12 instructors) elucidates the mechanisms, contextual influences, and perceived relevance of media literacy in fostering global citizenship competencies. Data collection spans an academic semester, integrating validated instruments such as a Critical Thinking Disposition Scale and a Media Literacy Skills Inventory, complemented by performance-based tasks, reflective journals, and authentic assessments aligned with course objectives. Expectation is that intervention participants will demonstrate statistically significant improvements in critical thinking components—analysis, evaluation, inference, and self-regulation—compared to the control group, with effect sizes moderated by prior digital literacy, disciplinary culture, and engagement with the intervention. The qualitative phase is designed to provide depth to the quantitative findings, exploring how students interpret media messages in a global context, the role of peer learning and instructor facilitation, and perceived constraints such as time, digital access, and institutional support. The study also examines potential spillover effects on academic performance, civic reasoning, and ethical deliberation across diverse demographic groups, including gender, socioeconomic status, and international student status. Anticipated contributions include a validated intervention framework for integrating media literacy into final-year curricula that accelerates critical thinking while cultivating responsible global citizens who can navigate information ecosystems, assess transnational narratives, and advocate for evidence-based policy discussions. The research addresses gaps in empirical evidence on the intersection of media literacy and critical thinking within higher education’s global citizenship paradigm and offers actionable recommendations for curriculum designers, educators, and policymakers to enhance pedagogical practices, assessment, and institutional resources. Limitations include potential self-selection bias, the challenge of disentangling media literacy effects from general tertiary education growth, and contextual variability across disciplines. Ethical considerations encompass informed consent, confidentiality, data security, and reflexivity in researcher–participant dynamics. The study contributes to a more nuanced understanding of how targeted media literacy interventions can catalyze critical thinking development and global citizenship readiness among final-year students in diverse academic environments.

Project Overview

What This Project Is About

---

A plain-language overview of how media literacy skills relate to thinking clearly, especially for students who are finishing their degrees. The project looks at whether teaching media literacy helps final-year students think more critically about information they encounter online and in news, advertisements, and social media, within the broad idea of global citizenship. It contrasts different teaching approaches and checks if students show better evaluation, reasoning, and awareness of bias after an intervention. No technical jargon is required to understand the core idea.

---

---

The Problem It Addresses

---

Many students enter the workforce with media messages that are misleading or biased. This project asks: does learning media literacy improve students’ ability to analyze evidence, identify arguments, and question sources? It tackles gaps between daily media exposure and higher-order thinking, aiming to support responsible citizenship in a connected world.

---

---

Objectives of the Project

---

1. Assess current media literacy levels among final-year students.
2. Test how different media literacy activities affect critical thinking skills.
3. Identify which aspects of media literacy (e.g., source evaluation, bias spotting) most improve thinking.
4. Provide practical recommendations for curricula to foster global citizenship.

---

---

What You Will Do Step by Step

---

1. Review existing literature on media literacy and critical thinking.
2. Design simple interventions (workshops, activities) suitable for final-year students.
3. Collect pre- and post-intervention data using easy-to-understand assessments.
4. Analyze changes in critical thinking indicators and relate them to the interventions.
5. Compare results across different student groups or disciplines.
6. Discuss what worked, what didn’t, and why, with clear, actionable takeaways.

---

---

Expected Outcome

A clear set of findings on which media literacy practices boost critical thinking most, plus practical steps for educators to foster global citizenship through media education. The project should yield a simple, repeatable approach that departments can adopt.