Media Literacy and Scientific Thinking: The Mediating Role of Science Learning Motivation among Lower Secondary School Students

Abstract

Media-rich environments have expanded adolescents’ access to scientific information while also increasing exposure to unsupported claims and misinformation. This exploratory pilot study examined associations among self-reported media literacy, science learning motivation, and scientific-thinking tendencies in 31 students in Grades 7–9. Participants completed an anonymous online 65-item researcher-developed questionnaire comprising media literacy (20 items), scientific-thinking tendencies (25 items), and science learning motivation (20 items), each rated on a five-point scale. Pearson correlations, simple and multiple linear regression, and a 5,000-resample bootstrap analysis were used. Media-literacy scores correlated with science-learning-motivation scores (r = .730) and scientific-thinking scores (r = .799); motivation also correlated with scientific-thinking scores (r = .767), all p < .001. Media literacy predicted motivation (B = .554, β = .730, t = 5.755, p < .001, R² = .533). In the adjusted model, media literacy (B = .392, β = .510, p = .002) and motivation (B = .400, β = .395, p = .013) were associated with scientific-thinking scores (R² = .710). The estimated indirect association was .221 (95% bootstrap CI [.020, .447]). Because the sample was small and non-probability based, all measures were collected concurrently by self-report, and the newly assembled instrument had not undergone full psychometric validation, these estimates should be interpreted as preliminary score associations rather than causal or population-level effects.