The Mediating Role Of Digital Online Media Literacy On The Knowledge Sharing And Social Networking Site Usage Of Students

In today’s digital era, social networking sites (SNSs) play a vital role in student engagement for academic and social purposes. This study investigates how Digital Online Media Literacy (DOML) influences the relationship between students’ knowledge sharing behavior and SNS usage intensity. Grounded in Social Constructivism and Social Capital Theory, a non-experimental, descriptive-correlational design was used. A total of 300 Bachelor of Arts in Communication students from four private higher education institutions in Davao City participated, selected through total enumeration technique. Adapted survey tools assessed knowledge sharing, SNS usage, and DOML. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and mediation analysis via the Sobel test and MedGraph. Results indicated high levels of knowledge sharing and SNS usage, primarily for academic and entertainment purposes. Students also demonstrated very high levels of DOML, particularly in ethical awareness and media evaluation. Significant positive relationships were found among all variables, with DOML partially mediating the link between knowledge sharing and SNS usage. The findings underscore the importance of fostering digital media literacy to enhance responsible and effective online engagement in academic communities. Keywords: digital online media literacy, knowledge sharing, social networking site usage