Abstract

This research explores the benefits of Media and Information Literacy (MIL) education in enhancing students' critical thinking skills. It aims to assess whether studying MIL positively contributes to the development of analytical and evaluative thinking among learners. The study specifically focuses on Grade 12 Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS) students at Bestlink College of the Philippines, examining how MIL influences their ability to think critically and make informed decisions. The study adopted an evaluative-quantitative research design to examine the advantages of Media and Information Literacy (MIL) education in enhancing students' critical thinking skills. A total of 200 Grade 12 Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS) students were chosen as respondents through cluster sampling. Data collection was carried out using a structured survey questionnaire, which served as the main tool for gathering and analyzing information. The study’s findings indicate that Media and Information Literacy (MIL) education provides significant advantages for students, particularly in strengthening their critical thinking abilities. MIL helps students enhance their capacity to evaluate and communicate information effectively, participate in thoughtful discussions, make well-informed decisions, and base their conclusions on evidence rather than hearsay. Despite these benefits, students also face challenges in learning MIL. These challenges include limited awareness of the importance of media literacy for critical thinking, difficulties in judging the trustworthiness of different information sources, and the impact of social media, which often encourages shallow rather than deep analytical thinking. The findings indicate that Media and Information Literacy (MIL) provides valuable advantages for students, notably in the areas of communication, decision-making, and digital literacy. Moreover, MIL education contributes to the development of students’ critical thinking skills by enhancing their proficiency, problem-solving abilities, and literacy.