Educommunication strategies for the development of sustainable projects in rural communities of Manabí
Keywords:
Media literacy, sustainable development, rural communities, community participation, sustainable projects.Abstract
The purpose of this research was to evaluate media literacy strategies for the development of sustainability projects in rural communities in Manabí. The research employed a quantitative approach, with a non-experimental, descriptive-correlational, and cross-sectional design. The population consisted of 100 inhabitants of rural communities in Manabí; from this population, a sample of 80 informants was drawn. A 95% confidence level and a 5% margin of error were considered. Data collection was carried out through a structured survey with 20 items using a Likert scale. The survey was organized into five dimensions: media literacy, community participation, sustainable development, management and trust, and overall assessment. The descriptive results showed a moderate level of perception, with means ranging from 2.89 to 3.35, demonstrating that while practices for media literacy exist, they require further strengthening. Spearman and Kendall Tau-b correlations showed significant, positive associations between the dimensions, but the relationship between community participation and management and trust stands out. In conclusion, media literacy has the potential to strengthen sustainability projects to the extent that it is integrated with participatory processes, clear communication, ongoing support, and community ownership.
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