Learning and Role of the Family in New Media Environment

Abstract

Media are inseparable from upbringing and education. Different information sources should be a supplement to the basic educational relation between the teacher and students. But, immediate and dialogue based relation between the students and teacher, and between parents and their children, cannot be replaced or suppressed by any type of media interference. The final aim for the students/children is to critically approach information and to achieve their development of independent learning in the ever more complex environment. Our study includes theoretical insights on the specified theme, but also a short empirical research conducted on a sample of high school students (N = 104). The aim was to determine to which extent the students from grammar and vocational high schools believe information they encounter, whether their teachers instruct them to use additional information collected from various electronical and textual sources when solving an educational tasks and whether they are warned of the necessity to check out the information. The aim was also to determine the extent of parent's familiarity with the topics their children confront in various types of sources, frequency of conversations about gathered information with their children and frequency of stimulation to check the information.Keywords: Critical approach, Family role, High school students, Learning, New media environment New Media EnvironmentThe contemporary society is distinguished by sophisticated information technology and communication. The new media has gained a manifold role: to inform the young audience, to educate them and create new values. We can say that the media are a significant factor in all spheres of life, mostly in the development of communication. Communication through electronical media has become the main link of the world.Besides informing and educating all levels of society, the media form new needs of the young generation and draw them near the new forms of communication. Young people easily accept the new technologies and the mentioned changes. Moreover, numerous programs and inventions in the Internet world of communication reveal a far more distinguished involvement of young generations in the creation of new media and life in and with "virtual reality" (Thomas 1999(Thomas , 2006. The pedagogical message is that the media have a dominant role in the processes of informing and forming the awareness and behavior of the young generation (Thomas 1999). Media education provides new concepts and forms innovate methods so that the young generation can use the media adequately. It connects diverse scientific views with models of behavior (Baacke 1997).