Project activities in media education as an effective tool for developing competencies

Abstract

Along with traditional teaching practices, innovative models are also being implemented in higher education – in a number of higher educational institutions, project activities are actively being introduced into the educational process – the article attempts to analyze the specifics of the functioning of student media projects using the example of the experience of the Department of Journalism at NovSU. Through monitoring of multi-format cathedral educational media (content analysis of key texts, design research), it was possible to come to the conclusion that the project method is very productive in the implementation of practice-oriented disciplines in media educational areas of training – despite the difficulties faced by both students and teachers in charge of project activities (only a part of the team is interested in the result, fear of "acute" topics, outdated material and technical base), a practice-oriented approach allows students to immerse themselves in the intricacies of working in the editorial team, pay attention to technological nuances the production of various types of media and in general, to give the opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge in practice – when a student participates in the creation of a public, workable media product, the effectiveness of lectures is significantly increased compared to passing an individual test or examination assignment («on the table»). Students' interest in learning increases dramatically when they realize that they are doing a socially significant project, which may also turn out to be a connecting link between potential employers and students. The methodological tools shown in this study may be of interest to media educators engaged in the implementation of practice-oriented disciplines, will help to take into account potential errors and difficulties and thereby make project activities an effective method of forming professional competencies.