Media Literacy and Critical Thinking Skills Among Adult Learners in Southwest Nigeria

This study examined the development of media literacy and critical thinking skills among adult learners enrolled in non-formal continuing education programmes in Lagos and Osun States, South West Nigeria. The rapid proliferation of social media platforms and digital misinformation in Nigeria has created urgent needs for media literacy education among adult populations, yet current adult education curricula rarely address these competencies. The study employed a quasi-experimental pre-test post-test control group design involving 180 adult learners randomly assigned to experimental groups receiving an eight-week media literacy module and control groups receiving standard programme content. Media literacy assessments adapted from the European Media Literacy Framework and validated critical thinking instruments formed the outcome measurement tools. Analysis of covariance revealed significantly higher post-intervention media literacy and critical thinking scores in experimental groups compared to controls. The intervention was particularly effective in improving learners' capacity to identify misinformation, evaluate source credibility, and distinguish factual content from opinion or propaganda. Older learners demonstrated stronger baseline scepticism toward media content, while younger learners responded more positively to digital verification skills training. The study provides a rare experimental evidence base for media literacy education effectiveness within Nigerian adult education contexts. Recommendations include developing a standardised media literacy module for integration into all adult continuing education curricula, providing facilitators with media literacy instruction guides, and partnering with telecommunications companies to support digital access for media literacy practice. Keywords: media literacy, critical thinking, adult learners, misinformation, South West Nigeria.