Engl. transl.: MEDIA LITERACY OF EIGHTH GRADE STUDENTS IN ZAGREB

For quality co-existence with the media, it is essential to possess knowledge and skills on how to use, analyse, critically assess and create media content (Aufderheide 1992), i.e. media literacy skills are required. In Croatia media education takes place primarily through the first language classes, i.e. through media culture, which is one of the components of the Croatian language subject in primary school from first to eighth grade. Although media culture has been present within the Croatian language subject for many years already, to this day, no research study on media literacy of children in primary schools has been conducted. In this research, media literacy testing was conducted among 1000 eight-grade students in Zagreb. The research has shown that students possess a medium level of media literacy, with the lowest results being recorded in the field of analysis and critical evaluation as well as in the field of creation of media content.

Most eighth-graders in Zagreb have access to almost all media in their households, and many of the participants have media in their bedrooms. Almost all of the students (more than 90%) use mobile phones on a daily basis, and 75% spend their time on social media. When it comes to the knowledge about media, many participants recognize mass media correctly, but, they also think that devices that are being used to gain access to mass media are also media themselves (for example computers, phones, tablets, even projectors, speakers etc.). This study showed that students are not familiar with the laws - 1 in 3, or 1 in 4 (depending on the quuestion) answerd they do not know what is allowed to be published in media, and what is not. This study also showed that girls analyze media more and use critical thinking. "60,5 % of students have a medium level of media literacy." Ciboci, 2018, 38 (translated by the coder)