Video Component of Media Education in Direct and Reverse Acculturation at North Carolina State University and Texas Christian University

Abstract

The article studies the practical application of the video component of media education in direct and reverse acculturation activities. It highlights that audiovisual aids may be used in the formation of educational and cultural competence, which includes skills such as critical thinking, building interpersonal relationships with representatives of other social and cultural groups and spontaneous communication. Two types of video content used by higher educational institutions and potentially designated as a means of developing acculturation skills — namely, feature films/documentaries (as part of the Global Film Series at North Carolina State University) and amateur videos (One Student One Voice Program at Texas Christian University) — were considered in the research. It was emphasised that in most cases the feature films/documentaries under study were produced in a language other than English, which required the use of subtitles that might be considered as the text component of media education. Thus, the application of the video component is directly related to video, audio and text components. The full-length films in question were shown in order to help understand the principles of interpersonal interactions between representatives of different countries (in geographical, cultural and linguistic terms) as well as to show the importance of mental resilience. The additional elements of acculturation — namely, discussions of issues outlined in the viewed film and cultural elements such as organising the tasting of national dishes of the country of origin—should also be mentioned along with the use of the video component. It was noted that amateur video content provides an opportunity for remote interaction between campus representatives.