Abstract
The objective of this study was to analyze scientific evidence on media competence among students in regular basic education, considering its formative dimensions and pedagogical strategies. A systematic literature review was conducted using a qualitative synthesis approach, following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Twenty studies published between 2022 and 2026 involving primary and secondary education students were analyzed. The findings were organized into four dimensions: cognitive, communicative, socioemotional, and pedagogical-sociocultural. The results highlighted the importance of critical thinking, information evaluation, digital safety, and contextualized educational interventions. It is concluded that frequent technology use does not guarantee the development of media competence. Therefore, intentional pedagogical strategies are necessary to strengthen students' critical and communication skills, as well as their responsible participation in digital environments.
References
[1] L. Kerslake and J. Hannam, “Designing media and information literacy curricula in English primary schools: Children’s perceptions of the internet and ability to navigate online information,” Irish Educational Studies, vol. 41, no. 1, pp. 151–160, 2022, doi: 10.1080/03323315.2021.2022518.
[2] D. Taibi, L. Scifo, N. Bruno, and G. Fulantelli, “Social media literacy to support a conscious use of social media in adolescents and improve their psychological well-being: A pilot study,” Sustainability, vol. 15, no. 17, Art. no. 12726, 2023, doi: 10.3390/su151712726.
[3] A. Iglesias Rodríguez, Y. Martín González, and A. Hernández Martín, “Evaluación de la competencia digital del alumnado de Educación Primaria,” Revista de Investigación Educativa, vol. 41, no. 1, pp. 33–50, 2023, doi: 10.6018/rie.520091.
[4] Ş. M. Pala, “Media literacy skills of seventh grade secondary school students: The predictive power of communication skills,” Participatory Educational Research, vol. 11, no. 5, pp. 24–40, 2024, doi: 10.17275/per.24.62.11.5.
[5] J. Pagán-Castaño, J. Sánchez-García, L. Callarisa-Filiol, and E. Pagán-Castaño, “The influence of new media literacy to develop critical thinking in high school students,” Culture and Education, vol. 36, no. 4, pp. 1044–1069, 2024, doi: 10.1177/11356405241290420.
[6] I. Blažević and N. Klein, “Digital media and internet safety among primary school students during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Revija za Elementarno Izobraževanje, vol. 15, no. 2, pp. 127–144, 2022, doi: 10.18690/rei.15.2.127-144.2022.
[7] L.-C. Lin et al., “Effects of media literacy intervention on weight-control products digital marketing targeting adolescents,” Behavioral Sciences, vol. 14, no. 11, Art. no. 1023, 2024, doi: 10.3390/bs14111023.
[8] S. L. Cuervo-Sánchez, J. I. Martínez-de-Morentin, and C. Medrano-Samaniego, “Una intervención para mejorar la competencia mediática e informacional,” Educación XX1, vol. 25, no. 1, pp. 407–431, 2022, doi: 10.5944/educxx1.30364.
[9] M. Jahiri, G. Qerimi, and D. Gërguri, “Exploring critical thinking of smartphone use from elementary school students in Kosovo,” Journal of Media Literacy Education, vol. 16, no. 3, pp. 107–119, 2024, doi: 10.23860/JMLE-2024-16-3-8.
[10] Y. Wang, X. Gu, J. Geng, X. Wei, and L. Lei, “Relationships among selfie-viewing on social media, thin-ideal internalization, and restrained eating in adolescents: The buffering role of media literacy,” Cyberpsychology: Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberspace, vol. 18, no. 1, 2024, doi: 10.5817/CP2024-1-2.
[11] A. Hosseinzadeh, M. Karami, M. S. Rezvanian, M. Saeidi Rezvani, M. Noghani Dokht Bahmani, and J. van Merriënboer, “Developing media literacy as complex learning in secondary schools: The effect of 4C/ID learning environments,” Interactive Learning Environments, vol. 32, no. 10, pp. 5978–5993, 2024, doi: 10.1080/10494820.2023.2244562.
[12] W. Ren, X. Zhu, and J. Yang, “The SES-based difference of adolescents’ digital skills and usages: An explanation from family cultural capital,” Computers & Education, vol. 177, Art. no. 104382, 2022, doi: 10.1016/j.compedu.2021.104382.
[13] E. Theophilou, D. Hernández-Leo, and V. Gómez, “Gender-based learning and behavioural differences in an educational social media platform,” Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, vol. 40, no. 6, pp. 2544–2557, 2024, doi: 10.1111/jcal.12927.
[14] M. J. Page et al., “The PRISMA 2020 statement: An updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews,” BMJ, vol. 372, Art. no. n71, 2021, doi: 10.1136/bmj.n71.
[15] P. Herrero-Diz, M. Sánchez-Martín, P. Aguilar, and J. A. Muñiz-Velázquez, “La vulnerabilidad de los adolescentes frente a la desinformación: Su medición y su relación con el pensamiento crítico y la desconexión moral,” Revista Española de Pedagogía, vol. 81, no. 285, 2023, doi: 10.22550/REP81-2-2023-04.
[16] X. Liu and D. Zhang, “Learning critically and confidently: A correlation study of the new media literacy and English learning self-efficacy of junior high school students,” International Journal of TESOL Studies, vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 88–104, 2025, doi: 10.58304/ijts.20250106.
[17] H. Zhang, C. Zhu, G. Sang, and F. Questier, “Effects of digital media literacy course on primary school students’ digital media literacy: An experimental study,” International Journal of Technology and Design Education, vol. 34, no. 1, pp. 1–17, 2024, doi: 10.1007/s10798-023-09824-y.
[18] C. Santos Rábago, R. García-Ruiz, and M. Bonilla-del-Río, “Competencia mediática en acción en Educación Primaria mediante una propuesta didáctica innovadora,” Edutec, Revista Electrónica de Tecnología Educativa, no. 95, Art. no. 8, 2026, doi: 10.21556/edutec.2026.95.4297.
[19] L. Kozhakhanova, A. Amirova, G. Yespolova, G. Omarova, S. Zhorayeva, and A. Kussainov, “Enhancing media literacy, academic achievement, and engagement in primary education through ICT-supported critical thinking pedagogy,” International Journal of Information and Education Technology, vol. 16, no. 4, pp. 991–999, 2026, doi: 10.18178/ijiet.2026.16.4.2569.
[20] Y.-T. Lin, C.-C. Chang, and Y.-C. Lin, “Effects of generative AI-assisted media literacy instruction on learning achievement and cognitive load among elementary school students,” International Journal of Information and Education Technology, vol. 16, no. 3, pp. 593–600, 2026, doi: 10.18178/ijiet.2026.16.3.2531.
[21] C.-M. Chen and F.-Y. Chen, “A virtual 3D metaverse learning mode based on WebQuest to facilitate primary school students’ media literacy,” Education and Information Technologies, vol. 31, pp. 2737–2786, 2026, doi: 10.1007/s10639-026-13928-y.
[2] D. Taibi, L. Scifo, N. Bruno, and G. Fulantelli, “Social media literacy to support a conscious use of social media in adolescents and improve their psychological well-being: A pilot study,” Sustainability, vol. 15, no. 17, Art. no. 12726, 2023, doi: 10.3390/su151712726.
[3] A. Iglesias Rodríguez, Y. Martín González, and A. Hernández Martín, “Evaluación de la competencia digital del alumnado de Educación Primaria,” Revista de Investigación Educativa, vol. 41, no. 1, pp. 33–50, 2023, doi: 10.6018/rie.520091.
[4] Ş. M. Pala, “Media literacy skills of seventh grade secondary school students: The predictive power of communication skills,” Participatory Educational Research, vol. 11, no. 5, pp. 24–40, 2024, doi: 10.17275/per.24.62.11.5.
[5] J. Pagán-Castaño, J. Sánchez-García, L. Callarisa-Filiol, and E. Pagán-Castaño, “The influence of new media literacy to develop critical thinking in high school students,” Culture and Education, vol. 36, no. 4, pp. 1044–1069, 2024, doi: 10.1177/11356405241290420.
[6] I. Blažević and N. Klein, “Digital media and internet safety among primary school students during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Revija za Elementarno Izobraževanje, vol. 15, no. 2, pp. 127–144, 2022, doi: 10.18690/rei.15.2.127-144.2022.
[7] L.-C. Lin et al., “Effects of media literacy intervention on weight-control products digital marketing targeting adolescents,” Behavioral Sciences, vol. 14, no. 11, Art. no. 1023, 2024, doi: 10.3390/bs14111023.
[8] S. L. Cuervo-Sánchez, J. I. Martínez-de-Morentin, and C. Medrano-Samaniego, “Una intervención para mejorar la competencia mediática e informacional,” Educación XX1, vol. 25, no. 1, pp. 407–431, 2022, doi: 10.5944/educxx1.30364.
[9] M. Jahiri, G. Qerimi, and D. Gërguri, “Exploring critical thinking of smartphone use from elementary school students in Kosovo,” Journal of Media Literacy Education, vol. 16, no. 3, pp. 107–119, 2024, doi: 10.23860/JMLE-2024-16-3-8.
[10] Y. Wang, X. Gu, J. Geng, X. Wei, and L. Lei, “Relationships among selfie-viewing on social media, thin-ideal internalization, and restrained eating in adolescents: The buffering role of media literacy,” Cyberpsychology: Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberspace, vol. 18, no. 1, 2024, doi: 10.5817/CP2024-1-2.
[11] A. Hosseinzadeh, M. Karami, M. S. Rezvanian, M. Saeidi Rezvani, M. Noghani Dokht Bahmani, and J. van Merriënboer, “Developing media literacy as complex learning in secondary schools: The effect of 4C/ID learning environments,” Interactive Learning Environments, vol. 32, no. 10, pp. 5978–5993, 2024, doi: 10.1080/10494820.2023.2244562.
[12] W. Ren, X. Zhu, and J. Yang, “The SES-based difference of adolescents’ digital skills and usages: An explanation from family cultural capital,” Computers & Education, vol. 177, Art. no. 104382, 2022, doi: 10.1016/j.compedu.2021.104382.
[13] E. Theophilou, D. Hernández-Leo, and V. Gómez, “Gender-based learning and behavioural differences in an educational social media platform,” Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, vol. 40, no. 6, pp. 2544–2557, 2024, doi: 10.1111/jcal.12927.
[14] M. J. Page et al., “The PRISMA 2020 statement: An updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews,” BMJ, vol. 372, Art. no. n71, 2021, doi: 10.1136/bmj.n71.
[15] P. Herrero-Diz, M. Sánchez-Martín, P. Aguilar, and J. A. Muñiz-Velázquez, “La vulnerabilidad de los adolescentes frente a la desinformación: Su medición y su relación con el pensamiento crítico y la desconexión moral,” Revista Española de Pedagogía, vol. 81, no. 285, 2023, doi: 10.22550/REP81-2-2023-04.
[16] X. Liu and D. Zhang, “Learning critically and confidently: A correlation study of the new media literacy and English learning self-efficacy of junior high school students,” International Journal of TESOL Studies, vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 88–104, 2025, doi: 10.58304/ijts.20250106.
[17] H. Zhang, C. Zhu, G. Sang, and F. Questier, “Effects of digital media literacy course on primary school students’ digital media literacy: An experimental study,” International Journal of Technology and Design Education, vol. 34, no. 1, pp. 1–17, 2024, doi: 10.1007/s10798-023-09824-y.
[18] C. Santos Rábago, R. García-Ruiz, and M. Bonilla-del-Río, “Competencia mediática en acción en Educación Primaria mediante una propuesta didáctica innovadora,” Edutec, Revista Electrónica de Tecnología Educativa, no. 95, Art. no. 8, 2026, doi: 10.21556/edutec.2026.95.4297.
[19] L. Kozhakhanova, A. Amirova, G. Yespolova, G. Omarova, S. Zhorayeva, and A. Kussainov, “Enhancing media literacy, academic achievement, and engagement in primary education through ICT-supported critical thinking pedagogy,” International Journal of Information and Education Technology, vol. 16, no. 4, pp. 991–999, 2026, doi: 10.18178/ijiet.2026.16.4.2569.
[20] Y.-T. Lin, C.-C. Chang, and Y.-C. Lin, “Effects of generative AI-assisted media literacy instruction on learning achievement and cognitive load among elementary school students,” International Journal of Information and Education Technology, vol. 16, no. 3, pp. 593–600, 2026, doi: 10.18178/ijiet.2026.16.3.2531.
[21] C.-M. Chen and F.-Y. Chen, “A virtual 3D metaverse learning mode based on WebQuest to facilitate primary school students’ media literacy,” Education and Information Technologies, vol. 31, pp. 2737–2786, 2026, doi: 10.1007/s10639-026-13928-y.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Downloads
Download data is not yet available.