Features of media literacy among Russian teachers: pilot testing of research instruments

Introduction. In the context of the digitalisation of education and the increasing complexity of the media environment, teachers’ media literacy is becoming strategically important. Teachers act not only as active participants in media communication but also as mediators in the development of students’ media competence. However, Russian scholarship still lacks research instruments capable of providing comparable and reliable data on the baseline level of media literacy among practising teachers. Aim. The present study aims to develop and conduct initial pilot testing of diagnostic instruments to assess the media literacy of practising teachers. Methodology and research methods. The methodological foundation of the study was based on competence-based and sociocultural approaches. The research employed general scientific methods, including the analysis of scholarly publications, synthesis of approaches to the study of media literacy, observation of the media behaviour of students in higher and secondary vocational education as well as of teachers, and abstraction, which facilitated the identification of key concepts in media literacy. These methods established the logic and design of the study. The principal empirical method was a questionnaire survey conducted using the CAWI (Computer-Assisted Web Interviewing) format. Two questionnaires were developed: “Basic Knowledge of the Media Sphere” and “Media Literacy and Media Consumption”. A total of 445 respondents participated in the study. Results. The initial pilot testing of the instruments demonstrated their diagnostic applicability. The survey facilitated the recording of teachers’ levels of terminological awareness, the specific characteristics of their media habits, the nature of their trust in various media channels, their information verification strategies, and the particularities of their professional use of media. It was established that the media play a significant role in teachers’ educational practice, contributing to the development of media competence as a system of knowledge about the media sphere, the ability to perceive information critically, and the skills required for safe behaviour in the digital environment. At a personal level, media literacy manifests as the ability to perceive media reality as part of the sociocultural worldview, to adapt to the conditions of the media environment, and to evaluate media content critically. However, a lack of methodological and organisational resources for the systematic integration of media literacy into the educational process was identified. Scientific novelty. The scientific novelty of this study lies in the development and description of a diagnostic framework designed to assess teachers’ media literacy, considering contemporary media practices. Additionally, it contributes by empirically refining the structure of media literacy indicators, conceptualised as a combination of knowledge, attitudes, and practices. Practical significance. The pilot testing of the instruments helped identify promising directions for the development of teachers’ professional training, including the need to create specialised professional development programmes and to establish the institution of media educators.