Digital Media Literacy And Innovation Teaching Skill Among Communication Educators In Ebony State
[A CASE STUDY OF EBSU AND FUNAI]

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

In fact, present university students aged between 18 to 23 years old are considered as the digital generation that embrace with digital technology into their daily. Technological gadgets occupy an important position in university student’s life. Current university students also named as internet natives who grows up and fast learner in technological environment (Prensky, 2001). Their identity has been transformed from information recipient to media prosumers associate with the tremendous change of media environment. Westlund and Bjur (2014) indicates that young people incline to become sophisticated media users that lead to a media life. Hence, importance of media literate is highly emphasizing to them for becoming an competent digital citizen and future knowledge workers (Westlund & Bjur, 2014). As there is an increasing convergence of media, various scholars (Buckingham, 2015; Eristi & Erdem, 2017) urged the necessity of developing the skills and competencies in order to understand the range of contemporary forms of communication. Thus, to utilize digital gadgets and manage with information competently are a set of skills which is essential for university students.

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The main aim of this study is to examine digital media literacy and innovation teaching skill among communication educators in ebony’s state: a study of EBSU and FUNAI. Specifically, other aims of this topic are:

i. Find out the extent to which digital media is accessible to communication educators

ii. Determine whether communication educators are able to create and utilize digital media in teaching process.

iii. Determine whether digital media literacy facilitates the development of new teaching strategies and method among communication educators.

iv. Determine whether digital media literacy helps communication educators to source for credible information online to enhance their innovation teaching skills.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following research questions will be answered in this study:

i. What is the extent to which digital media is accessible to communication educators?

ii. Are communication educators able to create and utilize digital media in their teaching process?

iii. Does digital media literacy facilitate the development of new teaching strategies and method among communication educators?

iv. Does digital media literacy help communication educators to source for credible information online to enhance their innovation teaching skills?

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The goal of this study is to determine digital media literacy and innovation teaching skill among communication educators. This study will be relevant to society since the findings will aid lecturers in determining the impact that digital media has on their students and why it is necessary for instructors to be digitally suave, hence assisting them in educating and raising awareness among students about the probable influence that digital media literacy and innovation may have on them. Additionally, this study will benefit parents in that they will learn about the probable impacts of digital media usage on their children, allowing them to act as watchdogs over their children's use of digital sites in order to avoid wrong usage.

At the conclusion of the study, this research will be useful in supporting students in comprehending the diversity of digital media  and ethical ways to utilize digital media effectively, as well as providing relevant information for students and other researchers conducting similar research.

Finally, this study will contribute to the growing body of knowledge about the impact of digital media literacy and innovation teaching skill among communication educators.

1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study focuses on digital media literacy and innovation teaching skill among communication educators in ebony’s state: a study of EBSU and FUNAI. Specifically, this study focuses on finding out the extent to which digital media is accessible to communication educators, determining whether communication educators are able to create and utilize digital media in teaching process, determining whether digital media literacy facilitates the development of new teaching strategies and method among communication educators and determining whether digital media literacy helps communication educators to source for credible information online to enhance their innovation teaching skills.

Selected communication educators in EBSU and FUNAI will be the respondents of this study.

1.7 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

In the course of carrying out this study, the researcher experienced some constraints, which included time constraints, financial constraints, language barriers, and the attitude of the respondents. However, the researcher were able to manage these just to ensure the success of this study.

Moreover, the case study method utilized in the study posed some challenges to the investigator including the possibility of biases and poor judgment of issues. However, the investigator relied on respect for the general principles of procedures, justice, fairness, objectivity in observation and recording, and weighing of evidence to overcome the challenges.

1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS

Digital literacy: Digital media literacy is the ability to access, analyze, create and use digital media.

Innovation teaching: Student-centred pedagogies. extending learning beyond the classroom to include knowledge building and problem-solving in today's world.