Let’s Go Virtual… How Digital Communications Affect Youth Media Literacy Education In High School: The Ukrainian Experience

In the era of the modernization of professional and educational services due to the COVID-19 pandemic innovation processes have been activated. An important condition for high school graduate students is to have new competences in media literacy as part of the educational vision for modern Ukrainian society. New approaches and requirements for professional education determine fundamental changes in the methodology, organization of the education process, subjects, content and instruments helping students in practice and everyday activities. Vectors of educational cooperation with students are more reflected in virtual communications using information and communication technologies (ICT) as modern progressive digital media literacy and educational practices are adapted for young people. In our article, the results of the experimental investigation in using virtual info media practices in the organization of education of students in Journalism and Social Communications field is presented. The aim of the research is to demonstrate how applied experience of using school lessons with connected virtual communicative practices such as info media quests, virtual workshops and media bridges affect media literacy education. We underline the educational advantages of innovative technologies in studying media literacy in Ukrainian high schools and improving the digital communication and critical thinking competencies of young people. The results of the present investigation show that virtual info media practices in high school have made significant progress and have huge advantages over the traditional methods of education in the context of the realization of individual oriented approaches in media literacy education for young people. The opinion poll of the students studying Journalism and Social Communications at Lesya Ukrainka Volyn National University with the approbation of appointed virtual communications forms demonstrates this upgrading of their media literacy levels and professional capabilities.