CRITICAL THINKING AND DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP

 

Fostering a Culture of Responsible Analysis in the Digital Age

Introduction

In today's democratic societies, media literacy and critical thinking are essential for combating disinformation. At the university level, these skills enable students to develop analytical abilities and become responsible and ethical digital citizens.

 Methodology

A study conducted at a Peruvian public university with 138 second-year education students used a questionnaire to assess their level of media literacy and critical thinking. The design was quantitative and non-experimental, seeking to identify the relationship between these two variables.

 Results

The findings showed a moderate positive correlation (r = 0.702) between media literacy and critical thinking. This means that the greater the ability to analyze media, the greater the development of critical thinking in students.

Discussion

Integrating media literacy into university curricula is not just an option, but a necessity. Students who learn to ethically question, analyze, and produce digital content are better prepared to face the challenges of contemporary society: fake news, media manipulation, and polarizing discourse.

Conclusions

The research confirms that strengthening media literacy enhances critical thinking. For educators and policymakers, this finding is key: including this content in higher education contributes to developing more aware, responsible digital citizens capable of actively participating in democratic life.

"How do you apply critical thinking when you browse social media?”