Digital Media Skills in Universities: Who’s Falling Behind?

What Is This About?

This article explains how university students and professors in Ibero-America perform across critical media competence dimensions. Based on a study by Romero-Rodríguez et al., it reveals a mismatch between technological usage and actual digital literacy.

Why Does It Matter?

According to the research, both students and professors struggle with core competencies like content creation, ethical use of media, and critical analysis—despite daily exposure to digital platforms. The concept of “analfanautas” emerges: tech users who lack media wisdom.

How Was It Studied?

Countries and Participants

The study assessed 2,100+ individuals in Spain, Portugal, Brazil, and Venezuela, comparing eight key dimensions of media competence. These included technical use, value analysis, production, and media ethics.

Top Insights

• Students are better at digital production and expression, but lack critical evaluation skills.

• Professors outperform in ideology, ethics, and digital interaction, yet fall short in creative production.

• No group reached a high level across all categories, indicating a systemic issue in media education.

The Myth of the Digital Native

Despite growing up with technology, students showed basic levels in critical thinking, data privacy, and collaborative interaction—debunking the assumption that youth equals competence.

FAQs

Q: What is an ‘analfanauta’?

An analfanauta is a user who navigates digital platforms but lacks the cognitive tools to critically process or ethically produce content.

Q: Which country scored highest?

Brazilian professors showed the most responsible use of media in teaching, while Portuguese and Spanish students performed moderately in aesthetics and language.

Q: What are the recommended solutions?

The authors call for integrated media literacy programs across university curricula and continued training for educators, using models like Miriadax MOOCs for scalable impact.