Media and Information Literacy of University Students in China: Status Quo, Issues, and Improvement

Abstract

In the Age of Information and Knowledge, the competence of media and information literacy of higher education students directly affect the quality and efficiency of their study, work and life. This paper’s data originated from UNESCO’s “International Media and Information Literacy Survey of the Research Habits and Practices of University Students” (IMILS), a project that aimed to understand the state of undergraduates' information literacy and media literacy, with an expectation to design and construct benchmarks of the two on the basis of the results. A survey by questionnaire was conducted in five regions of China, collecting 1,579 questionnaires in total, in which the university students’ behaviors in finishing coursework assignments, in daily life information searching, and in using media, were displayed. Through quantitative analysis the status quo of Chinese university undergraduates’ media and information literacy was reflected in terms of their media and information awareness, information needs, ability of information access and selection, ability of information evaluation, and ability to process and make use of information. Constructive opinions were also raised on the existing issues, including some up-to-date suggestions based on the authors’ observations and discoveries of the changes in information needs, information usage and information evaluation within Chinese higher education students in the social media and mobile Internet environment. It is also noticed that some problems highlighted in the IMILS investigation are also gradually being alleviated.