Russia Moves to Build Digital Culture Skills Among Schoolchildren

The Chechen State Pedagogical University is developing an education project designed to foster digital culture, media literacy, and ethical behavior among schoolchildren. The training program is set to begin later this year.

The project was outlined by Ismail Baikhanov, rector of the university. According to him, the goal is to build a sustainable educational framework that brings together schools, families, and civic organizations to teach children how to interact with the digital environment safely and consciously.

A Comprehensive Digital Approach

The initiative is built around the gradual development of responsible online behavior and critical consumption of media content. Its relevance is tied to the rapidly growing influence of media on the values of children and teenagers. The internet contains a large amount of low-quality and openly harmful content, making critical evaluation of information especially important.

During the preparation stage, the university analyzed both Russian and international experience in media literacy education. Based on these findings, the roles of homeroom teachers, parents, and school counselors in the educational process will be refined.

Practical Skills

The project includes a strong applied component. Diagnostic tools will be created to help assess students’ levels of digital ethics and media literacy. The developers also plan to produce educational media cases and a set of training activities that simulate real-life situations in the digital environment.

Teachers will be offered professional development programs focused on digital security, media literacy, and online ethics. Parents, in turn, will be invited to themed seminars covering digital risks and methods for fostering responsible online behavior in children.

The project will culminate in the rollout of a comprehensive educational model that can be adopted by all educational institutions across the region.