Media education as a factor in the formation of media literacy of students-philologists

Abstract

In modern society the consumption and dissemination level of mass media is quite high, while the amount of media information in various fields and its impact on society consciousness is increasing a lot as well. Media education level and critical thinking can help the one to orient oneself in the era of information technologies and globalization changes. The article deals with the issue of media education of students-philologists and future teachers as a factor in the formation of their media literacy; it also finds out the topicality of this point in the modern information-based society  as well as points out that the media education of future students-philologists requires the ability to read, interpret and create media texts skillfully; to have the capability to search for information effectively, to perceive, organize and evaluate it independently. Besides, it provides the ability to work with different resources, check facts, give reasons for one’s preference and make decisions, develop critical thinking, integrate the knowledge, skills and competences acquired in the process of learning. The media literacy of a future student-philologist is interpreted as the result of the purposeful media education, which allows to master the knowledge in a mass media sphere, to be able to think critically, distinguish facts from disinformation, analyze media texts of different types and genres for the purpose of using acquired knowledge and skills in a future professional activity and also to communicate via the mass media and reveal inventive media creativity. We conclude that the future philologist during the time of media educational technologies has to be aware of modern media didactic and educational opportunities, psychological and pedagogical conditions of their application in the process of teaching pupils and be able to use different media products in the professional activity for the purpose of the development of media literacy of their children, design the lessons by using pedagogical media prospects, combine the pedagogical methods and techniques with media educational technologies.