Transformative Pedagogies in Action: The “Click with Care” PR Campaign for Media Literacy among School Students

Abstract

The growing use of digital platforms has offered new opportunities while also creating concerns, particularly for school students. As a result, media literacy is a vital skill, particularly for school students who are still exposed to the negative effects of online misuse today.This paper discusses the application of the Service Learning Malaysia – University for Society (SULAM) approach in the “Click With Care” Public Relations campaign, which aimed to promote responsible online behaviour and critical thinking about digital content among secondary school students. The campaign occurred at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Kompleks (SMK Kompleks) and engaged 149 Form Three students in interactive workshops, influencer sharing sessions, video presentations, and quizzes. The study adopted a participatory action research technique, which was augmented with post program teacher interviews, student comments, and reflective journals written by the university students who executed the campaign. The indicated improved awareness of misinformation, safer digital habits, and greater understanding of ethical online interaction. Data was confirmed observable positive changes in how students behaved online. In addition, the innovative and interactive activities improved learning engagement and effectiveness. For the university students, the reflective journals indicated progress in cooperation, event planning, communication, and social responsibility, illustrating the benefits of learning from actual involvement in the community. Finally, including community-based initiatives within academic programs may help students learn while also making important contributions to society. The "Click With Care" campaign demonstrates how practical and contextually relevant educational practices may better prepare pupils for today's digital issues.