Developing Media Literacy Skills for Counseling Practices: Enhancing Students' Critical Analysis of Online Content

The rapid expansion of digital technology and social media has significantly transformed the educational landscape and students interaction with online information. While digital platforms provide opportunities for learning, communication, and socialization, they also expose students to misinformation, cyberbullying, online manipulation, and harmful media content. Consequently, school counselors are increasingly required to integrate media literacy into counseling practices to help students critically evaluate online information and develop responsible digital behavior. This study examined the role of media literacy in counseling practices and its influence on students critical analysis of online content. The study adopted a quantitative research design using a descriptive survey method. A sample of 500 respondents comprising secondary school students and school counselors was selected through stratified random sampling from selected schools. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire titled Media Literacy and Counseling Practices Questionnaire (MLCPQ). Descriptive statistics and inferential analysis were used to analyze the data. The findings revealed that integrating media literacy into counseling practices significantly improves students ability to identify fake news, analyze media messages critically, recognize online risks, and make informed decisions regarding digital content. The study further revealed that counseling interventions promoting media literacy enhanced students digital responsibility, emotional regulation, and online safety awareness. However, inadequate counselor training, insufficient digital resources, and limited institutional support were identified as major challenges affecting implementation. The study concluded that media literacy is an essential component of contemporary counseling practices and should be incorporated into school counseling programs to promote critical thinking and responsible online engagement among students. The study recommended professional development programs for counselors, curriculum integration of media literacy education, provision of digital learning resources, and collaborative efforts among schools, families, and policymakers to strengthen students media literacy competencies in the digital age.