On May 12, the Department of English Philology hosted a guest lecture by David Gracon, PhD in Media Studies, Adjunct Professor at the College of Communication and Media Arts at the State University of New York at Erie, and a Fulbright Scholar. The professor delivered a lecture and a practical workshop aimed at developing critical thinking skills in a digitalised world, information analysis skills, and responsible media consumption, as well as fostering a holistic understanding of the role of media in a global context.
The guest lecture topic was “Practical Tips for Developing Media Literacy”. The event was attended by students of the Faculty of Foreign Languages , from the educational programs “English Language and Literature and Second Foreign Language”, and Secondary Education (English Language and Literature). The event was moderated by the Head of the Department of English Philology, Yakiv Bystrov.
During the meeting, teachers and students discussed modern information challenges, ways to recognise fake news, manipulation, and disinformation, and the importance of checking sources and forming one’s own well-founded position. Particular attention was paid to the role of media literacy and media culture in conditions of instability and constant information flow, which is extremely relevant for young people today.
Students actively and with great interest joined the discussions, analysed real cases from the media space, exchanged opinions and completed interactive tasks that helped them acquire new practical skills in media literacy. The participants noted that the workshop was not only interesting but also extremely useful, as it allowed them to take a new look at working with information and to learn to evaluate modern media content critically.
The meeting took place in a favourable and friendly atmosphere and left the students with many positive impressions, new knowledge, and motivation to continue improving their media literacy skills.
The guest lecture contributed to raising the level of media education and strengthening the department’s international ties with representatives of US universities.
