GENERATION Z’S ENGAGEMENT WITH DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES AND NEW MEDIA: INSIGHTS FROM UKRAINE

This article presents the findings of an empirical study that explores how representatives of Generation Z interact with digital technologies and new media within the context of the Ukrainian educational environment. Drawing on a structured survey of undergraduate students from three higher educatio...

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Main Author: Алла Штепура
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Ivan Ziaziun Institute of Pedagogical Education and Adult Education of the NAES of Ukraine 2025-06-01
Series:Вісник Кафедри ЮНЕСКО «Неперервна професійна освіта ХХІ століття»
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Online Access:https://unesco-journal.com.ua/index.php/journal/article/view/133
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author Алла Штепура
author_facet Алла Штепура
author_sort Алла Штепура
collection DOAJ
description This article presents the findings of an empirical study that explores how representatives of Generation Z interact with digital technologies and new media within the context of the Ukrainian educational environment. Drawing on a structured survey of undergraduate students from three higher education institutions, the research examines their level of digital literacy, communication patterns, learning preferences, multitasking tendencies, and media consumption behaviour, including the use of streaming services, artificial intelligence, and social media platforms. The study establishes that Generation Z demonstrates high levels of technological awareness and adaptability to digital tools, with over half of the respondents indicating that they are able to master new technologies rapidly. Blended and formal educational formats are most commonly preferred, reflecting a tendency among students to combine the flexibility afforded by online learning with the interpersonal benefits of traditional classroom-based interaction. Digital platforms and applications such as Zoom, Google Docs, Moodle, and messenger platforms are firmly integrated into students' everyday academic routines and personal practices. Social media, short-form video content, and messaging applications occupy a central position in their communication habits, while digital content creation, particularly on platforms such as TikTok and YouTube, reflects a marked inclination towards self-expression. However, the findings also indicate a critical awareness of the potential negative consequences of multitasking and information overload, with many respondents reporting disruptions in concentration and a decline in productivity. The study concludes that Generation Z’s engagement in educational processes is shaped by a dynamic and multifaceted relationship with digital technologies and new media, which influence both their learning behaviours and communication patterns. The findings highlight the necessity of adapting pedagogical strategies to the realities of digital environments by fostering media literacy, encouraging the rational use of digital resources, and addressing the cognitive challenges associated with digitally mediated learning contexts.
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institution Kabale University
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language English
publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher Ivan Ziaziun Institute of Pedagogical Education and Adult Education of the NAES of Ukraine
record_format Article
series Вісник Кафедри ЮНЕСКО «Неперервна професійна освіта ХХІ століття»
spelling doaj-art-6d528e1870e640dfbcf9043a66102e3d2025-08-20T03:28:41ZengIvan Ziaziun Institute of Pedagogical Education and Adult Education of the NAES of UkraineВісник Кафедри ЮНЕСКО «Неперервна професійна освіта ХХІ століття»2708-21562708-21642025-06-0111114115410.35387/ucj.1(11).2025.0009133GENERATION Z’S ENGAGEMENT WITH DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES AND NEW MEDIA: INSIGHTS FROM UKRAINEАлла Штепура0Nizhyn Gogol State University (Nizhyn, Ukraine)This article presents the findings of an empirical study that explores how representatives of Generation Z interact with digital technologies and new media within the context of the Ukrainian educational environment. Drawing on a structured survey of undergraduate students from three higher education institutions, the research examines their level of digital literacy, communication patterns, learning preferences, multitasking tendencies, and media consumption behaviour, including the use of streaming services, artificial intelligence, and social media platforms. The study establishes that Generation Z demonstrates high levels of technological awareness and adaptability to digital tools, with over half of the respondents indicating that they are able to master new technologies rapidly. Blended and formal educational formats are most commonly preferred, reflecting a tendency among students to combine the flexibility afforded by online learning with the interpersonal benefits of traditional classroom-based interaction. Digital platforms and applications such as Zoom, Google Docs, Moodle, and messenger platforms are firmly integrated into students' everyday academic routines and personal practices. Social media, short-form video content, and messaging applications occupy a central position in their communication habits, while digital content creation, particularly on platforms such as TikTok and YouTube, reflects a marked inclination towards self-expression. However, the findings also indicate a critical awareness of the potential negative consequences of multitasking and information overload, with many respondents reporting disruptions in concentration and a decline in productivity. The study concludes that Generation Z’s engagement in educational processes is shaped by a dynamic and multifaceted relationship with digital technologies and new media, which influence both their learning behaviours and communication patterns. The findings highlight the necessity of adapting pedagogical strategies to the realities of digital environments by fostering media literacy, encouraging the rational use of digital resources, and addressing the cognitive challenges associated with digitally mediated learning contexts.https://unesco-journal.com.ua/index.php/journal/article/view/133generation z, digital technologies, new media, higher education, digital literacy, multitasking, educational preferences.
spellingShingle Алла Штепура
GENERATION Z’S ENGAGEMENT WITH DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES AND NEW MEDIA: INSIGHTS FROM UKRAINE
Вісник Кафедри ЮНЕСКО «Неперервна професійна освіта ХХІ століття»
generation z, digital technologies, new media, higher education, digital literacy, multitasking, educational preferences.
title GENERATION Z’S ENGAGEMENT WITH DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES AND NEW MEDIA: INSIGHTS FROM UKRAINE
title_full GENERATION Z’S ENGAGEMENT WITH DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES AND NEW MEDIA: INSIGHTS FROM UKRAINE
title_fullStr GENERATION Z’S ENGAGEMENT WITH DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES AND NEW MEDIA: INSIGHTS FROM UKRAINE
title_full_unstemmed GENERATION Z’S ENGAGEMENT WITH DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES AND NEW MEDIA: INSIGHTS FROM UKRAINE
title_short GENERATION Z’S ENGAGEMENT WITH DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES AND NEW MEDIA: INSIGHTS FROM UKRAINE
title_sort generation z s engagement with digital technologies and new media insights from ukraine
topic generation z, digital technologies, new media, higher education, digital literacy, multitasking, educational preferences.
url https://unesco-journal.com.ua/index.php/journal/article/view/133
work_keys_str_mv AT allaštepura generationzsengagementwithdigitaltechnologiesandnewmediainsightsfromukraine