Understanding Acceptance of New Media: An Empirical Evaluation of Students Undergoing Higher Education in Media Studies

Abstract

Education liberates the intellect, unlocks the imagination and is fundamental for selfrespect" is one of the principles to which UNESCO adheres to. The big leap taken by new media and the technological advancements rather have shaped the face of the world enabling globalization and interconnectedness. This ushers in the possibility to provide 'equal opportunities' and 'reduced inequality' in terms of educational provisions. New media is partaking in increasing the reach of education to deprived and also helping in better facilitation and retention of knowledge. One migrating from the school to higher education has to adapt to new technology especially in media education. Absence of familiarity to new media might make it difficult to access to wider sphere of knowledge. This research aims to investigate the struggles to adapt to the use of intensive technology required for the media education. To attain the objectives of the research, a survey and focused group discussion are conducted among the student studying media at the undergraduate level. The data thus collected aids our understanding of the perceived usefulness of new media for education.