Influence of Information Skills and Media Literacy Instruction to Misinformation Evaluation Skills Among College Students

Abstract

Accurate information is vital to the lives of every student. Thus, being able to distinguish between correct and erroneous information is a necessity. Hence, this descriptive-correlation research aimed to determine whether information skills and media literacy instruction can significantly influence the misinformation evaluation skills. The researchers administered adapted and patterned survey questionnaires to one hundred forty-one (141) BLIS college students from Regions XI and XII. Results revealed that students-respondents have high proficiency in information skills, namely computer skills, information literacy skills, and browsing and navigation skills. They have also received outstanding media literacy instruction, and they are highly skillful in evaluating and identifying misinformation. Moreover, using Multiple Linear Regression Analysis, findings revealed that both of the two independent variables, namely Information Skills and Media Literacy Instruction, can significantly influence the respondents' misinformation evaluation skills. These findings serve as the basis to further strengthen the students' information skills, and media literacy instruction as these variables positively affect college students' skills in evaluating misinformation.