A survey on rate of media literacy among Isfahan University of Medical Sciences’ students using Iranian media literacy questionnaire

INTRODUCTION: Media literacy is a 21(st) century approach to education. It provides a framework to access, analyze, evaluate, and create messages in a variety of forms - from print to video to the Internet. Also, it builds an understanding of the role of media in society as well as essential skills of inquiry and self-expression necessary for citizens of a democracy. The purpose of this research was to determine the rate of media literacy among Isfahan University of Medical Sciences’ students using Iranian Media Literacy Questionnaire (IMLQ). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a survey research in which the data were collected by a researcher-made questionnaire. Its validity and reliability were confirmed by Library and Information Sciences specialists and Chronbach's alpha (r = 0.89), respectively. Statistical population consisted of all students in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (7000 cases) and the samples were 364. Sampling method was random stratified sampling. Data were analyzed by descriptive (frequency distribution, mean) and inferential (T-test, ANOVA, and one-sample t-test) statistics through SPSS16 software. RESULTS: The findings showed that the mean level of media literacy among Isfahan University of Medical Sciences’ students was 3.20 ± 0.558 (higher than average). The highest mean was skill in avoiding confusion and focus on activates such as watching television, listening to radio, reading newspaper, and using internet; and the lowest mean was skill in membership and subscription in useful society networks. The mean of evaluation of media messages dimension was more than others. The lowest mean of dimensions was for selective and purposeful use of media with 2.99 ± 0.761. Comparison between gender, married status, educational degree, and college type and the rate of media literacy among Isfahan University of Medical Sciences’ students showed no significant difference. CONCLUSION: The results showed that the rate of media literacy among Isfahan University of Medical Sciences’ students was higher than average. But students didn't have enough skill in membership and subscription in useful society networks and Skill in tracking news about your favorite artists and musicians. Generally, all students and education practitioners should pay special attention to factors affecting in improving media literacy as a basic capability in using media.