4 December 09, 2025

Abstract:
The rapid advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) writing tools has changed the aspect of language learning, introducing new ways for learner support while simultaneously diminished the originality and creativity of students. This study examines the pedagogical potential of ChatGPT as a scaffolding tool for enhancing the writing competence of English as a Second Language (ESL) learners in Pakistani higher education. Guided by Vygotsky’s socio-constructivist framework, an experimental qualitative approach was employed with 21 undergraduate students enrolled in an academic writing course. Pre-test and post-test writing tasks were analyzed to compare unaided writing with AI-assisted writing. Findings reveal that ChatGPT significantly enhanced learners’ narrative coherence, structural organization, linguistic fluency, and overall text quality. However, the excessive reliance on AI diminished students’ creativity, originality, cultural expression, and personal voice. These results highlight the dual role of AI: as both an enabler of academic writing literacy and a potential threat to independent, critical, and creative thinking. The paper argues that AI literacy should be integrated into pedagogy, enabling learners to use AI tools critically and responsibly. By positioning ChatGPT within the broader discourse of media, information and digital literacy, the study contributes to ongoing debates on the ethical, pedagogical, and cultural implications of generative AI in higher education.

URL: https://me.cherkasgu.press/journals_n/1765303152.pdf
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Abstract:
This study examines the commodification of tragedy through the theoretical framework of Guy Debord's "Society of the Spectacle" and the commodification processes of diffusion and defusion. Through qualitative textual analysis, the research investigates how various producers –from media organizations to the victims themselves – transform tragic events into marketable spectacles. The findings reveal that social media platforms accelerate this commodification process, creating a digital ecosystem where tragedy becomes entertainment. The analysis demonstrates that NOPE serves as a critical commentary on contemporary media culture, where the monetization of suffering has become normalized. The film highlights the role of social media mechanisms intensify this commodification, ultimately leading to the loss of humanity and the perpetuation of exploitative systems. This research contributes to ongoing discussions about digital media ethics and the fundamental dehumanization that occurs when tragic experiences are transformed into consumable content. This research contributes for media literacy to understand commodification in using and producing information for social media users critically.

URL: https://me.cherkasgu.press/journals_n/1765530499.pdf
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Abstract:
This study presents a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of Information Literacy (IL) research conducted between 2020 and 2025, highlighting its sustained scholarly growth, thematic diversity, and evolving disciplinary intersections. Drawing on data from Web of Science and Scopus, the study analyzed 3,004 documents from 925 sources, revealing consistent annual publication growth and significant author engagement, albeit with limited international collaboration. The thematic mapping and keyword analysis uncovered a rich conceptual landscape, with IL intersecting fields such as digital literacy, health communication, AI ethics, and education. The co-occurrence networks and trend analysis confirmed that IL scholarship is responding dynamically to global challenges, including pandemic-induced transformations and digital misinformation. Despite modest citation averages, foundational works retain influence, and recent studies are gaining traction. This study underscores the need for deeper theoretical integration, enhanced global collaboration, and curricular innovation to align IL research with real-world information demands. The findings advocate for IL’s centrality in educational policy and practice in an increasingly algorithm-driven, post-truth world.

URL: https://me.cherkasgu.press/journals_n/1765530512.pdf
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Abstract:
The study investigates factors influencing student brand literacy within media education, integrating lean branding concepts into digital marketing teaching. While earlier research has examined branding strategies and experiential learning within higher education, there remains a notable lack of thorough investigation into the intersection of lean branding pedagogy, and learning outcomes. The research utilized a qualitative, interpretivist approach, incorporating semi-structured interviews with instructors, focus group talks with students, and a comprehensive investigation of curricular documents, assignments, and project outputs. The data analysis was performed using NVivo, utilizing open, axial, and selective coding to discern principal themes. Research indicates that students' comprehension of value proposition and customer-centric communication – fundamental principles of lean branding – improved their understanding of branding concepts. Experiential projects, the incorporation of digital technologies, and collaborative exercises enabled practical application and profound learning. Furthermore, students demonstrated enhanced critical thinking, analytical reasoning, and ethical awareness, suggesting that lean branding pedagogy cultivates both professional competence and reflective accountability. Unforeseen ethical dilemmas arose, highlighting the significance of transparency and accountability in branding education. The research expands the utilization of lean branding theory in the educational sector and provides data-driven suggestions for curriculum improvement, highlighting the necessity of integrating lean branding to cultivate essential and relevant brand literacy in response to evolving digital landscapes.

URL: https://me.cherkasgu.press/journals_n/1765304326.pdf
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Abstract:
The article is an analysis of depictions of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in American feature films from 2021–2024, such as The Throwback, Lonesome Soldier, The Fallout, Causeway and Cherry. The main concern of the study focuses on how PTSD, being a film motif, reflects the broader social and psychological anxieties of contemporary societies. The research focuses on three questions: in what historical context the films are placed, how trauma is symbolized, and what moral and existential dilemmas are portrayed. The article uses the method of analyzing films as media messages, highlighting their social, symbolic and ethical contexts. In the context of previous research, the article is part of a trend of analyses showing the impact of PTSD not only on individuals, but also on social narratives about war, trauma and national identity in the post-9/11 era. The results of the analysis indicate that contemporary productions strive for a realistic portrayal of PTSD, taking into account its psychological and social consequences, although simplifications and stereotypes still appear. This phenomenon has important implications not only for film audiences, but also for film education in schools, where an analysis of how PTSD is portrayed can contribute to a better understanding of the issue of trauma and the role of film as a social and educational tool.

URL: https://me.cherkasgu.press/journals_n/1765304398.pdf
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Abstract:
This study examines whether mastery of professional and media-literacy education competencies predicts self-efficacy among public relations practitioners in Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey captured responses from 433 in-house and agency professionals, measuring 22 core competencies, including critical source evaluation, authenticity verification, digital content analysis and multimedia production, and 12 public relations tasks to assess self-efficacy. Confirmatory factor analysis refined the competency scale, omitting four items with low loadings, and demonstrated strong reliability and validity across five domains: strategic planning, stakeholder relations, ethical decision-making, digital proficiency and media-literacy education aptitude. Structural equation modelling in AMOS revealed that combined competencies explain 19 % of variance in self-efficacy (β = 0.152; critical ratio = 4.655; p < 0.001), with the effect remaining consistent across gender and organisational setting. These findings affirm that mastery experiences derived from targeted competency acquisition underpin practitioners’ confidence in core functions such as crisis management, campaign evaluation, media pitching, digital content creation and stakeholder research and analysis. The study extends social cognitive theory by integrating media-literacy education as a distinct source of self-efficacy within professional communication practice. Implications include the need for public relations curricula and continuing professional development programmes to incorporate practical media-literacy education modules, thereby strengthening practitioners’ belief in their capacity to manage misinformation and uphold ethical standards. Limitations of the cross-sectional design and contextual focus on Nigeria are acknowledged, with recommendations for longitudinal, cross-cultural and experimental research to further validate and refine the competency and self-efficacy model.

URL: https://me.cherkasgu.press/journals_n/1765304451.pdf
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Abstract:
The article examines the interpretation of the concept of “the second generation of Russian author's cinema” and the definition of “the Leningrad school” by Russian film critics. The concept of the “Leningrad School of Cinema” from the period 1985-1999 is discussed in first review part of this article. These include such works as the film critic Sergei Dobrotvorskii's article (Dobrotvorskii, 1996), a series of review articles in the Seans's [Séance] encyclopedia (Arkus et al., 2023–2025), the collective monograph Lenfil’m: A Time of Change (1980-1990) (Il'chenko i dr., 2023), the twelfth issue of the magazine Sovetskii ekran [Soviet Screen] (Sovetskii ekran, 1989), and others. The second part of the study analyzes the work of two directors of the new generation at that time: Sergei Ovcharov and Sergei Snezhkin, whose films are vivid examples of the search for new themes and a new cinematic style. This part attempts to define the main genres and stylistic markers of the studied object. In conclusion, the author notes that the role of historical and sociocultural factors should be taken into account to accurately define terms such as “author's cinema” and “creative direction”.

URL: https://me.cherkasgu.press/journals_n/1765305578.pdf
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Abstract:
Modern society is witnessing a sharp and virtually uncontrolled development of media channels, new methods of data transmission, and the growth of information flow that covers the entire world. Against the background of the evolution of the information exchange process, new schemes for manipulating people's consciousness have emerged. The visible, audible and readable content programs a person's subconscious to perform certain actions, changing his psychological attitudes. The 20th century became the starting point of modern development media field because of evolution of the media environment. Then the foundations of studying media communications and manipulative influence were discovered and they are actively developing now, ideas, stereotypes, aspirations and desires are still being introduced to the masses, the vision of the world, its history and future is dictated. The reasons for the effectiveness of mass manipulation lie in the structure of the psyche, consciousness and subconsciousness of a person, their behavior, desires and fears inherent in each individual. Methods and types of manipulation in mass information processes are quite diverse, and always allow the manipulators to build an effective process of their influence both on a specific person and on a group of people. However, there are ways to protect against manipulation, and some theories claim that the manipulative process is not so straightforward in principle and depends on many factors, in particular, on the significance and activity of the knowledge disseminated by the manipulator in the information field, and on the mindset and psyche of specific individuals. Manipulation of public consciousness of large masses and many nations of our planet has changed the information, psychological and social background of the world, especially strongly affecting the cultural layer of knowledge and judgments. The practical application of manipulations is justified as a means of influence in mass information processes using the example of advertising information flows. It also contributes to the achievement of the goals of manipulators through known visual and acoustic manipulative techniques and methods.

URL: https://me.cherkasgu.press/journals_n/1765304559.pdf
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Abstract:
This study examines the role of online conferences as emerging media education platforms that enhance teachers’ digital competence and professional growth in Pakistan. Grounded in the European DigCompEdu framework, the research investigates how mediated professional learning spaces enhance teachers’ ability to integrate technology, foster media literacy, and engage in reflective pedagogical practices. A quantitative survey was conducted among 278 in-service teachers from public and private schools, examining six dimensions of digital competence. Descriptive analyses revealed high mean scores in Professional Engagement (M = 3.92) and Empowering Learners (M = 3.89), indicating strong benefits of online media-based learning for collaboration and inclusive pedagogy. Conversely, Facilitating Learners’ Digital Competence scored lowest, reflecting ongoing challenges in guiding students’ media literacy. ANOVA and regression analyses identified Professional Engagement, Teaching and Learning, and Empowering Learners as significant predictors of the perceived impact of professional development. A Structural Equation Model (SEM) further confirmed that digital competence mediates the relationship between these predictors and conference outcomes. The findings underscore that well-designed online media learning environments can serve as powerful catalysts for developing teacher digital competence, advancing media education, and promoting digital transformation in under-resourced educational contexts. The study recommends integrating structured media education frameworks like DigCompEdu into ongoing professional teacher development initiatives.

URL: https://me.cherkasgu.press/journals_n/1765304620.pdf
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Abstract:
The effective use of media space in higher education institutions fosters modern competencies among graduates, preparing them for professional activities in an informatized society. The key condition for successful integration of media resources is the availability of high-quality technical infrastructure, professional personnel, and continuous monitoring of audience needs. This article examines the role and potential of media space in the educational environment of contemporary higher education institutions. Various forms of integrating media resources into the educational process are explored, including video lectures, e-textbooks and digital libraries, virtual (VR) and augmented (AR) reality technologies, cloud services, digital archives, neural networks, interactive platforms, and social media, among others. The authors emphasize the positive aspects of media technologies, such as increased interest in the subject, development of student independence and responsibility, expansion of the informational field, and improvement of information analysis skills. The authors stress the necessity of a systemic approach to integrating media space, which includes modernizing the digital infrastructure of universities, training faculty, and developing methodological support. A specific example of successful media resource implementation in a Cultural Studies course is provided. The article is of interest to researchers in media pedagogy, educational program developers, and higher education instructors involved in integrating digital technologies into the educational process.

URL: https://me.cherkasgu.press/journals_n/1765304661.pdf
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URL: https://me.cherkasgu.press/journals_n/1765530525.pdf
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