Media and Information Literacy in students of a Peruvian university: evaluation and perspectives

Resumo

The lack of Media and Information Literacy (MIL) education in the educational system, especially in Peru and Latin America, limits students’ development in the digital age and faces challenges in its integration into university curricula, despite international recommendations. This quantitative, explanatory, and cross-sectional study investigated the incidence of MIL among 906 students from a public university, using the AMI-Perú-2023 survey, validated by experts. Four key dimensions of MIL were identified, supported by participants’ self-perception and statistical validation. Correlations were found between MIL levels and socio-formative factors such as cohabitation, Internet use, and career choice. Students who lived alone, depended on the computer for information, and limited their online time exhibited higher MIL levels. Additionally, using the Internet for academic activities was associated with a high level of MIL. Students in Basic Sciences, Engineering, and Biomedicine showed higher MIL levels compared to those in Social Sciences. These findings highlight the importance of integrating MIL into higher education to improve academic motivation and student engagement, preparing them for the challenges of the digital environment.