Causal Relationship between Media Use and Information Literacy : A Three-Wave Panel Study with Junior High School Students

Abstract

In this study, a three-wave panel study was conducted to examine how different media tools such as newspapers, books or magazines, TV or video programs, video games, and telephones influence children's information literacy. A total of 539 junior high school students participated in the study. A structural equation modeling analysis of the obtained data indicated that there were some positive short-term effects, which became visible within half a year, wherein the use of newspapers, books or magazines, and the radio promoted abilities related to information collection. Regarding the long-term effects that became visible within a year, however, the study showed that the use of video games had negative effects on the abilities to collect, express, and communicate information. An examination of the long-term effects of information literacy-related abilities on the use of media tools distinctly showed that children with higher skill levels read newspapers more often but read comic books or used video games less frequently.