INVESTIGATING THE ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN MEDIA LITERACY EDUCATION AMONG POST GRADUATION STUDENTS OF TUMKUR
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59415/mjacs.363Keywords:
Social Media, Media Literacy, Postgraduate Students, Digital Literacy, Critical Thinking, Fake News, Misinformation, Fact-Checking, Higher Education, Tumkur.Abstract
The rapid growth of digital technologies and social media platforms has significantly transformed the way students access, evaluate, and share information. This study investigates the role of social media in promoting media literacy education among postgraduate students in Tumkur, Karnataka. Using a quantitative descriptive survey design, data were collected from 93 postgraduate students enrolled in Tumkur University and its affiliated colleges. The study examined social media usage patterns, awareness of media literacy concepts, verification practices, and perceptions regarding the effectiveness of social media as a tool for media literacy development. The findings reveal that most students have regular internet access and actively engage with social media platforms, particularly Instagram and WhatsApp, for entertainment, education, news consumption, and communication. While a majority of respondents were familiar with the concept of media literacy and acknowledged the potential of social media in enhancing critical evaluation skills, awareness of key concepts such as fake news, misinformation, media bias, and fact-checking remained moderate. The results further indicate inconsistent verification practices and continued exposure to misinformation, highlighting the need for structured educational interventions. The study concludes that social media can serve as an effective platform for media literacy education when supported by targeted training, institutional guidance, and curriculum integration. The findings offer valuable insights for educators and policymakers seeking to strengthen media literacy competencies among students in an increasingly digital information environment.
Downloads
References
Hobbs, R. (2020). Media literacy in a digital age: Teaching, learning, and sharing creativity. Teachers College Press.
Jenkins, H., Purushotma, R., Weigel, M., Clinton, K., & Robison, A. J. (2009). Confronting the challenges of participatory culture. In The MIT Press eBooks. https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/8435.001.0001 DOI: https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/8435.001.0001
Kutu, O., & Kutu, O. (2022). Impact of Social Media Networks on Academic Performance of Library and Information Science Students. International Journal of Library and Information Network Studies, 8(2), 27-35.
Lalwani, E., Kumar, U., & Rani, N. M. (2020). THE INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON BUYING BEHAVIOUR OF GENERATION -Z. Palarch’s Journal of Archaelogy of Egypt/Egyptology, 760–774.
Livingstone, S. (2004). Media literacy and the challenge of new information and communication technologies. The Communication Review, 7(1), 3–14. https://doi.org/10.1080/10714420490280152 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10714420490280152
Livingstone, S., van Couvering, E., & Thumim, N. (2017). Children, internet and risk in comparative perspective. Policy & Internet, 9(2), 122–137. https://doi.org/10.1002/poi3.160 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/poi3.160
NAMLE (National Association for Media Literacy Education). (2023). Media Literacy Defined. https://namle.org/resources/media-literacy-defined/
Nayak, J. K. (2018). Relationship among smartphone usage, addiction, academic performance and the moderating role of gender: A study of higher education students in India. Computers & Education, 123, 164–173. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2018.05.007 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2018.05.007
Pew Research Center. (2020). Many Americans say made-up news is a critical problem that needs to be fixed. https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/2020/06/29/many-americans-say-made-up-news-is-a-critical-problem-that-needs-to-be-fixed/
Subudhi, R., Das, S., & Sahu, S. (2020). Digital Escapism. Horizon Journal of Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences Research, 37–44. DOI: https://doi.org/10.37534/bp.jhssr.2020.v2.nS.id1071.p37
Tess, P. A. (2013). The role of social media in higher education classes (real and virtual) – A literature review. Computers in Human Behavior, 29(5), A60–A68. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2012.12.032 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2012.12.032
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 K Indudhar Kini, Kokila M.S, Padmanabha K. V
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
License Statement
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
Authors who publish with mLAC Journal for Arts, Commerce and Sciences (m-JACS) retain copyright of their articles and grant the journal the right of first publication.
This license allows others to share, use, and build upon the work—commercially or non-commercially—as long as appropriate credit is given to the original authors and source, and any changes are indicated.
The journal encourages open access and supports the free exchange of knowledge while ensuring proper attribution of original work.
