On December 5, 2024, the Ukrainian Press Academy (UPA), in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, hosted the interregional forum “Development of Media Education in Ukraine: Regional Dimension” for educators from Odesa, Mykolaiv, and Kherson regions.
Opening the event, Valerii Ivanov, President of UPA, noted:
“The importance of fostering critical thinking today is beyond question. It is particularly crucial for those who lack their own life experience or background. This responsibility primarily falls on teachers and families. Regional forums on media literacy, like this fourth one uniting educators from Southern Ukraine, aim to provide tools and methodologies for such efforts.”
Institutions of postgraduate pedagogical education from Odesa, Mykolaiv, and Kherson played an active role in organizing the event. Vasyl Shuliar, Director of the Mykolaiv Regional Institute of Postgraduate Pedagogical Education; Iryna Zhorova, Acting Rector of the Kherson Academy of Continuing Education; and Inna Balashenko, Head of the Department of Philosophy of Education at the Odesa Academy of Continuing Education, shared insights, challenges, and perspectives on developing media culture among educators and students in their regions.
Maxym Zaporozhchenko, Media Education Program Manager at the Ukrainian Press Academy and Head of the Center for Digital Education and Media Culture at the Mykolaiv Institute of Postgraduate Pedagogical Education, presented UPA’s resources and tools for educators:
“UPA always stays attuned to the needs of our audience. Our sociology research from earlier this year highlights disparities in media literacy implementation based on geographic location. Today, we brought together educators from three regions, including preschool teachers, school teachers, university lecturers, and education administrators, to demonstrate that media education can be effectively developed anywhere—from small rural schools to large regional centers.”
The forum also discussed trends in media literacy development for the coming years.
Tetiana Ivanova, media expert at UPA, Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Professor, and Head of the Department of Social Communications at Mariupol State University, emphasized:
“The full-scale invasion has impacted media literacy levels, which have declined since mid-2023. We need to critically assess the situation and develop new strategies focusing on national self-awareness, analytical thinking, and interactive learning formats. Adjusting approaches and even program names will help us integrate more dynamically into the European media space.”
Andrii Yurychko, media trainer, journalist, and lecturer at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, delivered a talk on navigating information during the information war:
“For Ukrainians, media literacy means understanding which information sources to trust and which to avoid. This skill is not developed overnight or in a week. Gradual study, verification, and comprehension of hidden processes in information dissemination are key to forming a smart, media-literate individual.”
Liudmyla Tabolina, philologist, teacher of Ukrainian language and literature at Kyiv’s Educator Lyceum, methodologist, semi-finalist of the Global Teacher Prize 2023, and finalist of the Global Teacher Prize Ukraine 2019, shared her experience:
“Critical thinking is a key competence for children to make informed decisions.”
The December forum for Southern Ukraine’s educators concluded this year’s series of large regional UPA events. However, UPA has plenty more exciting and valuable initiatives planned for both this and the upcoming year!
