COUNTERING FAKE NEWS AS A FACTOR IN DEVELOPING THE PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES OF FUTURE JOURNALISM STUDENTS

Abstract

In today's information society, fake news is becoming a serious problem that affects public opinion and the professional activities of journalists. The spread of inaccurate information requires a revision of approaches to the training of future specialists in journalism. This article focuses on the role of countering fake news in the development of professional competencies of future students of the Journalism program, emphasizing the relevance of the topic in the context of training specialists capable of working effectively in the digital age.

The purpose of the study is to assess the impact of teaching methods of countering fake news on the formation of professional competencies of students of the educational program “Journalism”. The paper analyzes the theoretical foundations of media literacy, methods of teaching factchecking and critical thinking, and conducts an experiment with the participation of students of Toraighyrov University. During the study 80 students were divided into experimental (EG) and control (CG) groups. The experiment consisted of three stages: diagnostic, educational and evaluative. The test results showed that EG students showed significant improvement in critical thinking (+64% to the final score), news analysis and mastery of factchecking compared to CG (+11%). Survey data also indicated an increase in awareness of media content consumption and a decrease in trust in unverified sources. The study utilized case analysis methods, surveys and interviews with faculty and students. This approach allowed for the collection of both quantitative and qualitative data, providing a comprehensive analysis of the impact of the training on students' professional competencies. The results of the study show that training in countering fake news has a positive impact on the development of professional competencies. The data analysis indicates that students who have undergone such training are better at recognizing fake news and demonstrate higher skills in critical analysis of information.

The findings emphasize the need to integrate anti-fake news modules into the educational process to train competent professionals. The value of the work lies in expanding the understanding of the role of educational programs in combating fake news and their impact on the professional development of journalists, which makes a significant contribution to the relevant field of knowledge.

The practical significance of the research is manifested in the development of recommendations for educational organizations to introduce modules on countering fake news into educational programs, which contributes to improving the qualifications of future journalists and their readiness for professional challenges.