Developing an Ethical Worldview Through Media Education in A Changing Environment

Abstract

The rapid transformation of the contemporary information environment has changed the way individuals perceive reality, communicate with others and make moral choices. Digital platforms, algorithmic recommendation systems, artificial intelligence, social networks and mobile communication have expanded access to knowledge, but they have also intensified misinformation, manipulation, cyberbullying, hate speech, privacy risks and value conflicts. In this context, media education is no longer limited to the technical ability to use media tools or to decode media texts. It becomes a pedagogical condition for developing an ethical worldview, understood as a stable system of values, critical judgments and responsible behaviour in the media-saturated world. The purpose of this article is to substantiate the role of media education in forming an ethical worldview in a changing environment. The study is based on theoretical analysis, comparative pedagogical interpretation and synthesis of scientific literature on media literacy, moral development and digital citizenship. The results show that ethically oriented media education should integrate critical analysis, value reflection, responsible content creation and self-regulation. The article argues that media education can strengthen learners’ moral sensitivity, social responsibility and resistance to manipulative information when it is organized as a continuous, dialogical and practice-oriented process.