International Journal of Media and Information Literacy

17-33

Authors: Miral Sabri AlAshry

This study investigated online newspaper coverage of COVID-19 in Egypt and Jordan, with particular attention to the depth of coverage. The main objective of the study was to examine the content of news covering COVID-19 posted online concerning Egyptian and Jordanian newspapers, to know which countries were more interested and committed to covering health crises. A content analysis of 4202 news articles by four news media organizations: Al-Ahram, youm7, Al-Rai, and Addustour was done. The findings of the study indicated that the Al-Ahram, youm7 in wave one was in-depth coverage, as compared to Al-Rai and Addustour coverage. In addition, Al-Rai and Addustour used a negative panic tone in presenting COVID-19 pandemic-related stories, in contrast to the Al-Ahram, youm7. Finally, Al-Rai and Addustour focused on reporting stories and raising awareness in waves one and two more than Al-Ahram and youm7. Based on these findings: the following recommendations were made: the media should focus more on sensitising the public on the necessary steps to take in curbing the virus. They should refrain from over usage of a negative tone to panic the public in presenting the stories of the COVID-19 pandemic in both countries.

46-56

Authors: Yarileisy Barcelay Ramírez, Natalia S. Gegelova, Alexander A. Grabelnikov

This study is developed on the basis of a current scenario in which Russian-Cuban relationship continues to strengthen. In this context, the official digital media of both countries play an important role in shaping the image of both states in current geopolitical conditions. This research analyzes the reflection of Russian-Cuban relationship in the current stage, taking into account the content of the news on the website of the Cuban news agency Prensa Latina. For this, a sample of intentional type (N = 453) was systematically analyzed (from July to August 2020), corresponding to the news published from January to July 2020 by Prensa Latina on its website in which Russia is mentioned. The methodology used allowed and helped the analysis of thematic content and the analysis of semantic content on the texts of Prensa Latina, combining qualitative and quantitative techniques, which showed that in the media agenda of Prensa Latina, during 2020, a higher priority was given to political issues, related to Russia, than to economy issues and society issues. Also, it was observed that in the content of Prensa Latina presents the political, economic and social news on Russia, in a way to make and create a positive image about Russia as a strong state on the readers. Thus, the political discourse reflects the current diplomatic relationship between the two governments at a high level.

66-76

Authors: Selma L. Capinzaiki Ottonicar, Marta L. Pomim Valentim, France Bouthillier

In the international literature, business information literacy refers to information literacy in the business context. Most of the research in this field focuses on university libraries, thus there is a gap in the literature with respect to business information literacy in industry and competitive organizations. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the state of the art about business information literacy, and it aims to identify how researchers have studied business information literacy in businesses. The method is a systematic literature review in international scientific databases. After the analysis of the systematic literature protocol, we included 26 papers that discuss business information literacy. These papers show that business information literacy research focuses on business management libraries and related fields. This paper concludes that libraries contribute to business management curricula, and students can develop critical thinking and lifelong learning. Similarly, members of business organizations can use business information literacy to develop critical thinking for decision-making and problem-solving.

88-99

Authors: Ludvík Eger, Dana Egerová, Lukasz Tomczyk, Miroslav Krystoň

Social media has been identified as an important vehicle in fostering social connections that maintain and expand existing relationships between organizations and their customers and stakeholders. This research was conducted on top public universities from the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland, with a focus on their communication activities on Facebook. First, quantitative data analysis was conducted using the data mining tool Netvizz. The research is unique as measurement using Netvizz is currently not possible due to technical limitations on the most popular social network. Data obtained from 24 Facebook profiles of selected universities were used. Second, the expert evaluation and content analysis were used to examine how the posts influence audience. The findings provide evidence on the use of Facebook by universities for communication with public and show differences among universities. The findings also support an integrated view of content marketing and highlight the importance of adjusting the content strategy to suit the utilitarian nature of higher education institutions and engage high-involvement target groups. The collected data also show that the most popular posts on SNS are not directly related to research conducted at individual universities. Paradoxically, communication strategies of universities through social networking sites are deprived of the most important element – the university mission, i.e. dissemination of research results.

111-118

Authors: Anna Khanina, Alexandr Zimovets, Tatiana Maksimenko

Media and information literacy in the modern world is a set of skills, abilities that allow users to analyze media messages broadcast through the media and the Internet, the ability to critically approach the received data and perceived information. The COVID-19 pandemic that swept the whole world in the spring of 2020 forced all the population of the planet to use the worldwide network and the media actively, because they became the main source of information and a means of communication. This fact was also used by "ill-wishers" who launched false information about the statistics of those infected with the new virus, about the means of fighting it and much more. It was information literacy and critical thinking that allowed the population not to succumb to fake news and not to lose their heads. As shown by the authors' survey, the time that the population spent on the Internet before the pandemic was less than the time that it began to spend on the Internet after the announcement of the total quarantine. This can be explained simply – people had no other means of communication. However, as it was revealed as a result of the survey, people after the lifting of the quarantine regime, especially between the ages of 20 and 25, do not want to spend so much time at electronic space. According to the authors, the reason for this fact was the increased media literacy of this category for the population. People have learned to filter information flows, think critically and be skeptical about news. Nevertheless, many have switched to a distant work format and do not want to return to the previous offline mode, and for them, it is also necessary to develop media communications and increase their information literacy.

129-145

Authors: Anastasia Levitskaya, Alexander Fedorov

Based on the analysis of scientific literature and specific media educational experience, this article concludes that the characteristics of the criteria for a high level of activity efficiency, contributing to the development of students' media competence in the process of analyzing media manipulative influences, are as follows: - motivational criterion of the teacher's activity (versatile motives of media education: emotional, epistemological, hedonistic, moral, aesthetic, etc.; striving to improve their knowledge and skills in the field of media education); - contact criterion of the teacher's activity (weekly classes from classrooms in the process of media educational activities, contributing to the development of students' media competence in the process of analyzing media manipulative influences); - information criterion of the teacher's activity (systematic awareness, extensive theoretical and pedagogical knowledge in the field of media and media education, typology and essence of media manipulations); - technological criterion of the teacher's activity (developed technological skills in the field of media and media educational activities, contributing to the development of students' media competence in the process of analyzing media manipulative influences); - evaluative criterion of the teacher's activity (comprehensive knowledge of the methods of assessing the knowledge and skills of students in the field of media education and analysis of media manipulative influences); - practical and operational criterion for the teacher's activity (high quality of practical media educational activity, contributing to the development of students' media competence in the process of analyzing media manipulative influences); - creative criterion for a teacher's activity (a pronounced level of creativity in media educational activities, contributing to the development of students' media competence in the process of analyzing media manipulative influences).

156-165

Authors: April R. Manabat

With the vast amount of information readily available online, not to mention the gaining popularity and use of social media platforms and the rampant proliferation of alternative facts and news fabrication that affects decision-making, it is indeed empirical for everyone to be media and information literate. More true in it sense, people living in areas with limited or no internet access at all should be more critical and analytical about every information they encounter as this may affect their perspectives on things and life in general. This paper documents how media and information literacy was promoted and introduced to selected Senior High School (SHS) students and teachers of Loyola College of Culion (LCC) in Isla Culion, Palawan, Philippines. The effectiveness of the seminar-workshops conducted among the participants was also determined as well as their working knowledge on MIL through some tests and group activities. This case study also revealed that the participants’ working knowledge has increased after being exposed to the lectures and activities. Furthermore, the participants highlighted how they found MIL valuable in critically evaluating sources of information and how to use social media responsibly. In addition, the participants found the seminar-workshop engaging and recommended to have more sessions like this in improved in the future.

176-181

Authors: Andrei Novikov

In June 2021, the International Journal of Media and Information Literacy celebrated its fifth anniversary and has come a long way from being a completely unknown publication in Europe and the world to becoming a prestigious journal indexed in Scopus (Q3) that publishes authors from dozens of countries around the world. This review article is devoted to the most significant areas of publication activity of this journal, its most characteristic trends and topics. The Journal's fifth anniversary is a good occasion to remember how it began and how it developed. Already in the first issues of the journal it became apparent that the leading researchers in the field of media education are interested in it. For example, American professor Art Silverblatt, author of several editions of Media Literacy, wrote that “Information Literacy applies critical thinking skills to the assessment of Information. Media Literacy is a critical thinking skill that is applied to the source of most of our information – the channels of mass communication” (Silverblatt, 2016: 55). We think that this provision can be called key to the general concept of the International Journal of Media and Information Literacy.

193-200

Authors: Volodymyr Sadivnychyi, Mykola S. Nazarov, Andrii E. Lebid, Natal'ya A. Shevchenko

This paper shares the findings from a study that assessed the level of a person’s information security during a pandemic and in the post-pandemic period. The base for the study was advertising and textual and visual content with theoretical-academic, practical-medical, cultural-educational, social, and social-political narratives containing information about COVID-19, an acute respiratory disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. The authors analyzed materials from leading media outlets in Ukraine, Russia, the UK, Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Spain, and Italy and from the official website of the World Health Organization (WHO). For a better insight into the ongoing processes, the following key groups of threats to one’s information security wereidentified: another person, groups of people, collectives, masses, and social institutions; programming and technical means and information-telecommunications systems; structured channels for dissemination of mass information. The more tangible impacts on one’s information security within the specialized information space segment were investigated in the third group of threats, namely at the level of analysis of structured channels for dissemination of mass information. Based on their analysis of the latest information flows, the authors developed a special socio-communication model for ensuring a person’s security in times of epidemics and crises that covers principles of informing the public such as filling the information space with various conceptual markers; ensuring proper professional-information interpretation of various phenomena and processes; undertaking the innovative enhancement of the sphere of information production and diffusion; ensuring a universal individual nature. The authors suggest that the study of content in local, regional, statewide, and international media resources potentially can serve as a crucial knowledge base for comprehending all significant characteristics of informing the public in times of societal disruption. The authors’ exploration of information flowing across multiple media channels helped them gain a better understanding of the need for and utility ofverifying and fact-checking information to ensure the meeting of information needs and proper performance of relevant roles in society, with the following key characteristics of good information identified: value, relevance, objectivity, reliability, completeness, comprehensibility, and adequacy.

211-218

Authors: Olha A. Shvaher, Sergey I. Degtyarev, Lybov G. Polyakova

What makes the issue of financial literacy relevant to various social groups and the State as a whole today is the dynamic development of the market for financial services, the rapid and extensive digitalization of such services, and changes in the structure of the market caused by the emergence of new segments and new actors. A financially literate consumer will make well-informed, responsible decisions in relation to services provided by financial institutions. Financial literacy has a direct effect both on the wellbeing of a particular individual and on wellbeing across society and the State as a whole. It tends to take on particular significance at a time of certain crisis situations. The recent COVID-19 pandemic situation has brought into clear view both the significance of requirements for the establishment of effective forms of disclosure of information in the market for financial services and the need to expand the information instrumentarium intended to improve the financial literacy of the population. Many countries have in place comprehensive legislation on protecting the rights of financial consumers, as well as relevant case law. However, that alone does not resolve most of the quite specific objectives for enhancing financial literacy – and, consequently, does not protect the population from various risks and unjustified financial losses. The authors argue that it is the use of social media – as the more sought-after and mass way to spread information in today’s world – that will help expand the audience of recipients of financial education. The paper analyzes a set of factors that influence the process of boosting the role of social media channels inimproving the financial literacy of the population and examines a set of relevant resources and tools employed in various countries to build an infrastructure for financial education. The authors also discuss the need to devote attention to the arrangement of educational activities for financially isolated and undereducated strata of the population and, in this context, focus on the right choice of media channels and means of financial education to ensure equal access to financial products and services.

231-238

Authors: C. Syamili, R.V. Rekha

Twitter as a social tool is helpful to measure the sentiments of people, be it the death of any personality, a mass protest, epidemic or natural calamity. The current study observes how effective Twitter to assess the sentiments of people amidst the #metoo campaign. Twitter users were found to be very vigorous and highly responsive during #metoo campaign. There has been overwhelming participation of media and online websites as well as individuals on this movement. With the participation of diverse Twitter handles, #metoocampaign was conversed in 400 tweets during study period. Along with these hash tags #withu, #resist, #womenpower, #believewomen, #womensmarch, #womeninstem, #feminism, #imwithher also used. All these hash tags convey messages related to women empowerment and feminism. The major sentiment involved in the movement is related to sexuality. Rehab, abuse Justice and harassment are also the most common emotion shared in these tweets. There is not much tweets about Men and kids.

123-133

Authors: Chinedu Eugenia Anumudu, Adamkolo Mohammed Ibrahim

Since the outbreak of Covid-19 in Nigeria, efforts are made by the government, especially the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) towards curbing its spread. Daily updates on new cases and deaths are proving that the efforts so far made toward curtailing the virus have not been effective. Employing the Health Belief Model approach, the study through the quantitative method evaluated the impact of perceived susceptibility on self-efficacy and perceived severity toward cues to action in curbing the spread of Covid-19 infections in Nigeria. Key findings showed that only 12.4 % of the respondents had a high level of Covid-19 susceptibility. Moreover, the two independent variables were able to contribute small and medium variance effect sizes on perceived susceptibility and cues to action. Perceived susceptibility also had partial mediation effects on the relationships between self-efficacy, perceived severity, and cues to action respectively. Therefore, it is recommended that the levels of Nigerians' Covid-19 perceived susceptibilities need to be raised to strengthen the effectiveness of self-efficacy and perceived severity for cues to action toward curbing the spread of the Covid-19 infections in the country. This study further contributed to the domain of cognitive behaviors and health information literacy strategies for curbing infectious diseases.

145-152

Authors: Javier Cifuentes-Faura

COVID-19 has not only caused an unprecedented health crisis; it has also caused an infodemic with the spread of false news. The role of the media is crucial in trying to reduce the spread of these hoaxes. Infodemics can cause citizens and political institutions to make bad decisions. Some of the fake news that authorities are most concerned about are those related to remedies to prevent contagion or cure symptoms, as these deceptions can lead to increased contagion or worsening of the disease by coronavirus. The media can play a positive role during the Covid-19 pandemic by promoting effective strategies to help people prevent the spread of the pandemic. They have the ability to convey a sense of unity by reaching large numbers of people, but can also provide grounds for misinformation and discrimination. This article reviews some of the major hoaxes that have spread during the coronavirus crisis, and provides guidelines for citizens to detect the false information that is being disseminated. In addition, useful recommendations are established for content creators and information disseminators, with the aim of promoting effective and truthful communication during this crisis.

164-175

Authors: Abduljalil Nasr Hazaea, Abdullah Ayidh J. Alqahtani

With the emergency shift to remote learning due to the spread of COVID-19 and the advent of communication technology, developing digital online media literacy (DOML) has become necessary for Saudi English as foreign language (EFL) students. Media literacy empowers EFL students to access, analyze, evaluate, and produce digital online media texts. The preparatory year (PY) is a bridging year that links school outcomes to university demands. This study examines the competences in DOML among students in PY at Saudi University. It also examines whether any differences can be attributed to gender. To accomplish this, a four-dimensional survey of 36 items was adapted from T. Hallaq’s (Hallaq, 2016) to serve EFL context. The simple sample consisted of 170 respondents (85 males and 85 females). The results showed that the respondents are competent in DOML (m=3.73), and that there were no statistical differences between females and males. This result indicates that the respondents are ready for the emergency remote learning. Both males and females are subject to the same homogeneous educational system. The paper concludes with some pedagogical implications for emergency remote EFL learning.

184-190

Authors: Аndrii E. Lebid, Sergey I. Degtyarev, Lyubov G. Polyakova

Amid information wars and growing populism, when manipulation, propaganda and disinformation appear to be a natural focus, when officials, opinion leaders and media communicate unsafe and unverified information, when only up to 20% of messages can be marked as veracious, it becomes essential to develop critical and meaningful information consumption. The self-explanatory statistics, provided by fact-checkers, speak volumes and inspire those who have command of the investigation method in the fact check format to fully leverage it both in their professional activities and in daily lives. The paper structures and classifies the key aspects of fact-checking, identifies its specific characteristics and effects, and sketches out the future outlook for its use as a new media trend. The work defines central objectives of fact-checking investigations and what differentiate them from conventional investigations. It has been revealed that fact-checkers are gradually shifting their field of activity to the plane of the so-called “unofficial sources” of information, such as social networking websites, public narratives and discourses, media materials of diverse origin, etc. The findings of the study conducted demonstrate a correlation between the general media literacy, which respondents evaluated as rather low – average and below average and the need for its end-to-end improvement, including through interactive media practices, trainings and projects. The study concludes that respondents are actually ignorant of the fact-checking and data verification tools available. We believe the fact is also immediately linked with the overall level of media maturity and respondent information literacy, levels of critical and analytical thinking, and the ability to work on information and its sources.

199-204

Authors: Jacob Owusu Sarfo, Edward Wilson Ansah

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is known to place a burden of fear upon individuals in the affected communities. This is mainly due to the unregulated circulation of misinformation, conspiracy theories, and fear messages on social media. During a three-week partial lockdown of some cities in Ghana, with high rate of COVID-19 cases, many social media users were exposed to the global pandemic of COVID-19 misinformation. As there exists little empirical data on the topic, we used an online survey to explore the lived fear experiences of social media users in Ghana. To understand their experiences, data from 27 persons who lived in Accra, Tema, and Kumasi were collected via a qualitative online survey between 21st April and 10th May 2020. Using Colaizzi’s 7-step analytical approach, we conducted a phenomenological analysis for participants’ (29.6 % males and 70.4 % females) text data until we reached data saturation. We observed that respondents shared varied fear experiences during the lockdown. Participants’ fears included (1) fear of risk for COVID-19 infection, (2) fear of using a health facility, (3) fear of impending scarcities of essential home commodities, (4) fear of economic crisis, and (5) fear of the unknown about the pandemic. We recommend that the government, regulatory bodies, and other stakeholders regulate the large volume of misinformation coming through social media platforms. Furthermore, much effort is needed by Ghana’s Ministry of Health and Ghana Health Service to provide adequate health education on COVID-19 to promote public mental health.

217-226

Authors: Victoria Vziatysheva

Permeating the Internet and reaching millions of users, fake news became a pervasive phenomenon on the public agenda since the US Presidential election in 2016. The term, despite its ambiguity, has been widely used in research to describe false messages created with the intent to mislead. However empirical evidence on how fake news spreads and circulates between individuals and different social groups remains limited. For this literature review, I collected 21 academic articles published in English between 2016 and 2020 that explore the audience of fake news, patterns of its dissemination, and the role played by average users and bots in this process. The reviewed studies sometimes arrive at contradictory conclusions regarding important aspects of the focal phenomenon: for example, authors differently evaluate the scale of it and reach opposing conclusions studying the influence of bots on the fake news spread. Moreover, I observe certain contextual imbalances: many papers focus on the US political agenda and collect data from Facebook or Twitter, all but neglecting other digital platforms where disinformation can circulate. In this paper, I argue that future research needs a systematic exploration of users' motivations to share fake news and more precise look into the role of media in misinformation dissemination. It is also important to compare the spread of fake news within different political contexts and media systems to explore how local peculiarities affect its circulation.

15-30

Authors: Irina Chelysheva, Galina Mikhaleva

The article traces the evolution of teaching interethnic tolerance in Russia and in English-speaking countries. The authors analyse the main approaches to promoting interethnic tolerance among university students in the context of Russian and English-language media education of the post-Soviet period (1992−2000). Some official documents and researches made by Russian and foreign scholars regarding the issues of interethnic tolerance and interethnic relationships are studied. Theoretical and methodological approaches to fostering interethnic tolerance in the historical, philosophical, psychological, pedagogical, sociological, cultural contexts are presented. The authors provide a review and analysis of dissertations by Russian authors of the studied period reflecting the theoretical and methodological base for studying interethnic relationships, ethno-pedagogical culture of a democratic society, multicultural education and teaching the younger generation in new conditions for Russia caused by restructuring of the entire social system. Particular importance in the study is given to philosophical, pedagogical and sociocultural sources of teaching tolerant consciousness and culture, transformed interpretations of ‘tolerance’ as a concept, historical traditions of cultivating tolerant relationships and maintaining civil liberties in society, integration of a tolerant approach into formal and non-formal education systems, cultural and academic assimilation of migrants, ways to prevent hatred, aggression and violence among young people. The analysis shows that in Russian studies of this period, the topic of media education for developing interethnic tolerance among young people was practically ignored whereas in English-speaking countries the analysed period is characterized by active development of multicultural approaches to education, designing programs for students belonging to various national groups. The main emphasis in English-language researches is placed on critical thinking, media education in schools, methodological tools for media education, historical development of media culture and media education, etc.

37-47

Authors: Rashid Ali Khuhro, Muhammad Ahtisham Shoukat

Online digital culture and social media are integral to the lives of the youth, and the internet is fully embedded in their way of thinking and living (Jenzen, 2017). Though, social media has emerged as an instant two-way communication medium around the globe. Ithas become a significant part of a person's everyday life (Chauhan, 2020). Studies revealed that, like all other stakeholders of the society LGBT also use social media. Previously, no study has been conductedabout social media use among transgender people in Pakistan. Thus, the purpose of this study to determine the social media usage patterns in transgender people in Hyderabad, Sindh,Pakistan. The researchers used a quantitative survey technique for data collection from 39 transgender people living Hyderabad with the help snowball sampling technique. Findings of this showed that most of the transgender people use Facebook and WhatsApp. Most of them spend above three hours daily on the use of social media, and the majority of them use social media the whole week. Besides, they have joined social media groups on Facebook and get friendship following through Real ID. Though most of them share others' posts on their wall. However, the purpose of social media usage among transgender people is to become more sociable and to create social identity. Instead of that, they entertain themselves through the sharing of pictures and posts on the wall by watching funny videos and movies. They also get information regarding social events, news, and current circumstances on social media. However, it is revealed that transgender people in Hyderabad did not follow government activities through social media. Besides, the findings showed that transgender people occasionally get information about their surroundings and get information about the activities of political leaders by social media.

60-68

Authors: Аndrii E. Lebid, Natal'ya A. Shevchenko

This paper examines some of the key mechanisms for cultivating the skills of systems thinking using methodologies such as the theory of inventive problem solving (TRIZ) and algorithms for solving problem situations (ARPS) in media education. The author puts forward a suggestion that the realities and needs of the present-day economy and its transition to the fifth and sixth technological paradigms will transcend traditional methods of education, bringing about change in approaches, methodologies, and objectives associated with the educational process, with a focus on replacing extensive forms and ways of teaching and learning with methods related to the intensive development of skills and professional competencies associated with media literacy and media education. A key objective in this context is to cultivate and foster the skills of systems thinking, which implies a capacity for strategic planning and design and creative solving of non-routine problems and an ability to detect inconsistencies and interdependencies in media texts and media messages. In this context, the paper brings forward several tools for fostering the skills of systems thinking, which are as follows: case problems, systems thinking tests, and systems mapping. The paper examines some of the key theoretical and applied aspects of the theory of inventive problem solving and algorithms for solving problem situations in the media sphere. The author’s conclusion is that the TRIZ–ARPS methodology can be employed quite efficiently in fostering the basic and professional competencies associated with media literacy and media education.

79-89

Authors: Anastasia Levitskaya, Lyudmila Seliverstova

The study offers an analysis of the development of media education in the Republic of Georgia from 1992 to the present days. In the course of the study, a comparative analysis of individual scientific research in this area is carried out, the main stages of the historical development of media education in Georgia (1992−2019), goals and objectives, structure and content, as well as the basic concepts and development prospects in the near future, are identified. Notably, the most significant projects are initiated and funded by foreign foundations and/or directly by embassies of foreign states, thus acting as a “soft power” tool. The content analysis of such media literacy programs shows that quite a lot of them use propaganda techniques such as labeling and framing aimed at shaping prejudiced attitude towards Russian media, thus narrowing the wide scope of media literacy objectives and competencies to be developed. The authors come to conclusion that the role of authentic media education resources and curricular, produced by Georgian teachers, should be strengthened as an effective tool for ensuring lifelong education of citizens and sustainable development of the independent democratic State of Georgia.

103-108

Authors: Marina Tselykh

On September 24, 2019 Professor Alexander Fedorov received the honorary international award "Global Media and Information Literacy - 2019" (UNESCO, 2019)/ He is the first person from Russia, who became the winner in this international nomination. This award, which was established with UNESCO’s participation, rewards information and media professionals, media culture researchers, educators, artists, activists, associations and other groups that integrate media and information literacy in their work and related activities in an innovative manner. These awards are given annually, with UNESCO’s support, to individuals and organizations for outstanding achievements and leadership in five sectors: education, research, policy, advocacy, media, communication/information. A. Fedorov told about many years of media literacy teaching at the universities, about research works in the field of media culture and media literacy education, which has been repeatedly supported by grants from Russian Science Foundation, Russian Foundation for Basic Research, Russian Humanities Research Foundation, the Presidential Funds, which finance leading scientific schools in Russia and projects of national importance in the field of culture and art, and grants from the Federal Targeted Program, Russian Ministry of Education and Science, a number of foreign funds. He is firmly convinced that media literacy education is the key to understanding the modern information society: today, a person is simply obliged to be media-competent, otherwise he or she will not only become an easy victim of numerous media manipulations, but will not be able to fully enter the differentiated world of media culture.

42-49

Authors: Galina Mikhaleva

This paper examines a critical approach to analyzing advertising media messages and describes a number of instructional activities meant to enhance students’ reading and discussion skills, enforce their inferential thinking and critical analysis skills. It also considers linguistic, extralinguistic and extracurricular reasons for integrating advertising media messages in the EFL classroom. The focus is on key media education concepts which rely on applying critical questions advertising media messages. Analysis of advertising messages can help EFL teachers encourage sociocultural interpretation of contemporary media texts and raise students’ media literacy in the EFL classroom.

60-65

Authors: Marina Tselykh

The article is focused on the issue of preparing students for research work, which is being recognized as a critical element in teacher’s professional activity. The central element of modern research work is the ability of a professional to use digital technologies that offer instantaneous access to information, new forms of sharing research findings, consolidation and collaboration among researchers, expert participation, etc. At present university training programs are placing more emphasis on research work in preparation of future teachers.New digital technologies give a variety of opportunities to enhance the preparation of students for this kind of professional activity. The use of new generation of communication and information technologies helps to shape and develop basic knowledge and skills, which are important for adequate research work in educationin a fast-changing world. Since the introduction of Federal Educational Standards of the “thirdgeneration” the main goal in curriculum design is to prepare students for independent research work. Content of courses in research work includes theoretical and practical elements of research technologies and procedures: problem selection, problem identification and formulation, choosing a methodology, data collection, its analysis and interpretation, experiment and evaluation of research results, formulation of research findings, etc. Beyond doubt, knowledge and use of communication and information technologies strengthen research work at each of these stages. The article analyzes the practice of Taganrog Chekhov’s Institute regarding the process of trainingstudents to organize research work. It is indicated that research competencies are expanded when the students are helped to become more skillful and knowledgeable in research through the use of special strategies and methods of education, curriculum design, and content revision in accordance with modern requirements.

77-82

Authors: Marina Zhizhina

This article presents the initial results of a comparative empirical study of the specifics of youth’s and adults’ social perceptionsof a blogger’s personality. Currently, blogosphere is showing growth in its popularity, and therefore we can say that the social perceptions (the image) of a blogger as a multi-level socio-psychological media phenomenon is one of the most significant ones in shaping a person’s holistic view of mass media. The study involved students of the Chernyshevsky Saratov National Research State University and adults aged 30-45. The empirical material was collected with the use of associative experiment methods. The data obtained via the survey were processed with the prototypical analysis proposed by P. Verges, and theanalysis of individual conversations and online discussions which helped to control the outcome. The results showed that unlike adults, students evaluate the blogger’s personality mainly in a positive emotional way. The representation of youth's ideas is characterized by concepts with a positive semantic connotation – the blogger is perceived by them as a young man who translates certain meanings and values providing real assistance and realizing various significant functions. Unlike young people, adults demonstrate a contradictory attitude towards bloggers – for them, a blogger seems to be an ambiguous figure pursuing their personal commercial goals.

11-17

Authors: Sharmila Kayal, J. Seena

Violence has a disastrous consequence on women’s physical, mental and reproductive health (WHO report, 2012). In 2011, 24.206 occurrences were recorded, a rise of 9 %. More than half of the victims are between 18 and 30 years of age (National Crime Record Bureau, 2013). Government of India has taken so many undertakings, and implements various plans, programmes in regard to this and so as the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting also initiated awareness programmes through television. No one can deny the power of television’s extending reach and attractive programmes which not only entertains but it priors to educate the mass. With the effort of UNICEF, Indian TV also initiates to eradicate the social evil and the plight of the women in our country from the negative consequences of gender inequalities. This study is an attempt of understanding the social message through animation movies.