Learning Critically and Confidently: A Correlation Study of the New Media Literacy and English Learning Self-efficacy of Junior High School Students

Abstract

In today’s digital age, where students are immersed in a vast array of digital media, understanding new media literacy (NML) is important. This is especially the case for junior high school students who are generally considered to be ‘digital natives’ and are at the critical age of value formation. In language learning, self-efficacy (SE) cannot be underestimated because of its impact on students’ language learning performance. Although previous studies offer meaningful insights into the effects of NML and SE in English learning, they have concentrated chiefly on college students. Few studies have provided solid theoretical and empirical support for the potential relationship between these two constructs among junior high school students. In this study, we investigated 400 Grade 8 students. We used two highly reliable and valid questionnaires to evaluate students’ current NML and SE in English learning and their correlations. The results show that the students’ NML is above average; their SE in English study is average, and a strong positive correlation exists between their NML and SE in English learning. Specifically, their functional consuming (FC) ranked at the top of the NML scale, and their writing ranked highest on the SE scale. Thus, our results suggest that junior high school students need to focus more on their abilities to critically create media content and interactively participate in the new media environment. The findings illuminate the way to enhance students’ language competence in the digital context and assist educators in developing tailored strategies to equip students with the necessary competencies for success in today’s interconnected world.

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