In 2016 Internews conducted the second research on the implementation status of media education in Ukraine. The study identified the successes and difficulties, outlined trends and contributed to determine priorities in the development of media literate society through the development of secondary education.
The research in 2016 engaged 17 coordinators of regional institutes for continuing teachers’ training, which control media literacy implementing in their regions, 133 secondary school teachers, 8 school principals introducing media education courses.
Those schools integrating media education in several subjects and involving all teaching staff in media literacy teaching reach the most success. Due to the effective cooperation between teachers and principals all obstacles and barriers are overcome: additional funding as well as academic hours for media education can be found despite of the busy schedule.
In the 2015-2016 academic years, the tendency to attract parents to the study of media education is following: 77% of asked teachers have practiced different approaches: from speeches at parents' meetings to the open lectures.
Experts and teachers consider that the most effective approach is simultaneously to introduce the both forms of media education implementing: teaching as a separate subject and integration with other subjects.
The teachers assess the implementation status of media education in Ukraine realistically: the average point is 5,5 from 10.
Among the most important development prerequisites, school teachers admitted: 1) training more media education teachers; 2) sharing one’s experience, methods, and practical skills on behalf of more experienced schools; 3) teaching material and textbook style change: from the theoretical to a more practical one; 4) Adapting of textbooks and tasks to the students’ needs.
The greatest impulse to the development of media education, in the opinion of teachers, is the long-awaited order of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine to introduce the obligatory course on media education. This would open new opportunities for the distribution of academic load among teachers who have taught media education, training of new personnel and release of the required textbooks.
