Development and Initial Validation of a Multidimensional Media and Information Literacy Instrument for Pre-Service Teachers

The increasing complexity of digital media, online information environments, artificial intelligence,and networked communication has intensified the need to assess Media and Information Literacy(MIL) as a multidimensional competency among pre-service teachers. However, contextually relevantinstruments that comprehensively operationalize MIL within teacher education remain limited,particularly in the Indian context. The present study aimed to develop and obtain initial validity andreliability evidence for a multidimensional MIL instrument specifically designed for pre-serviceteachers. Instrument development followed a systematic, theory-informed process comprisingconceptualization of MIL, review of relevant literature and existing measures, examination of theUNESCO Media and Information Literacy Competency Framework, dimensional specification, itemgeneration, expert judgement, preliminary try-out, item analysis, and reliability estimation. MIL wasoperationalized across four theoretically derived dimensions: Information and Media Access andRetrieval; Critical Analysis, Evaluation and Interpretation; Media/Information Production and EthicalUse; and Communication, Participation and Transformative Use. An initial pool of 65 items wasdeveloped and subjected to expert evaluation, resulting in a 58-item provisional instrument. Followingpreliminary try-out and item-level analysis of response patterns, discrimination, item–totalrelationships, and point-biserial correlations, 14 items were eliminated, yielding a final 44-iteminstrument. The final instrument employs a five-point Likert-type response format, with 10, 14, 12, and8 items across the four dimensions, respectively. Internal consistency was satisfactory (Cronbach’s α =.826), while split-half reliability was strong (Spearman–Brown coefficient = .908). The findings provideinitial evidence of the instrument’s content relevance, theoretical coherence, item functioning, andreliability for assessing MIL among pre-service teachers. The instrument thus offers a structured basisfor research and assessment in teacher education, while further empirical examination across diversesamples and psychometric approaches may strengthen evidence for its dimensional structure andbroader applicability.