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6Copyright © 2023 by Cherkas Global University
Published in the USA
International Journal of Media and Information Literacy Issued since 2016 E-ISSN 2500-106X 2023. 8(2): 436-447
DOI: 10.13187/ijmil.2023.2.436 https://ijmil.cherkasgu.press
Linguistic and Social Features of the Video Component of Media Technologies in the System of Psychological Adaptation of Foreign Students in Higher Education Institutions in the US
Yaroslav Slutskyi a , *, Ellina Panasenko a, Lidiia Narizhna a, Svitlana Ryzhkova a
a SHEI "Donbas State Pedagogical University", Ukraine
Abstract
The system of psychological adaptation of foreign students presents a number of technologies and approaches that are applied in practice. Among the existing components of media technologies, an important role is assigned to the video component that includes, but is not limited to, the linguistic and social features. Since foreign students require modern and multimedia approaches in the process of psychological adaptation and the formation of the necessary competencies that contribute to improving the effectiveness of interpersonal social interaction in the host country, the video component of media technologies can contribute to solving certain linguistic and social problems. The research was aimed at a comprehensive study of the theory and practice of using a video component, which required the use of methods such as analysis (to separate a video component from media technologies and media technologies from a psychological adaptation system), synthesis (to present a video component as an integral part of media technologies), analogy (to contribute to the formation of the concept of "linguistic and cultural patterns"), abstraction (to focus on an individual component of media technologies), deduction (to understand the process from the psychological adaptation of foreign students in general to the linguistic and social features of the video component in particular), and induction (to contribute to an understanding of the process of creating a system from various elements). The Article emphasises that video content can include academic videos aimed at providing access to recordings of lectures and informational materials. It is highlighted that the video content has linguistic and cultural features. The Article stresses the effectiveness of screening subtitled films in a foreign language to students for whom this foreign language is their native, because they will understand which communication situations can use a specific speech pattern.
Keywords: media technologies, linguistic and social features, psychological adaptation, foreign student, US higher education institutions, visual media technologies, reverse acculturation, classroom problem situations, decoding of foreign speech, vocabulary features.
1. Introduction
The modern academic space offers a large variety of exchange programmes, scholarship offers, as well as the prestige of education abroad, which raises the question of conducting effective social and pedagogical support for foreign students to provide them with information, counselling, regulatory, educational, cultural, socio-psychological and linguistic support. However, successful interpersonal interaction in a new country requires training of socio-cultural and linguistic nature, which are directly interrelated. For instance, you cannot become a part of a new social environment without a communication factor. At the same time, communication with representatives of the host
* Corresponding author
E-mail addresses: yaroslav.slutskiy.mail@gmail.com (Y.S. Slutskyi)
country provides experience in using linguistic and cultural patterns, which are the basis for building communication with representatives of another culture.
The training of foreign students, including that of a socio-cultural and linguistic nature, can take a lot of time, depending on the individual characteristics of a person, as well as the effectiveness of the means and methods used during such training. Let us consider the findings of L. Kamalova, M. Umbetova and N. Putulyan, who claims that one of the important problems faced by migrants (and foreign students — even though they, unlike migrants, are assigned to educational institutions and receive academic support from a university/college rather than from social services — still have similar psychological and adaptation problems, since the degree of immersion into a new socio-cultural society depends on the speed of overcoming socio-cultural, psychological and linguistic problems rather than on institutional nature of support) "is sociocultural adaptation, which is a complex, multidimensional and often lengthy process involving migrants experiencing change, cultural differences, exclusion and deprivation" (Kamalova et al., 2021: 3).
Thus, in order to ensure a faster adaptation process, educational institutions use certain methods that allow foreign students to become part of new communities. It should be noted that the extent of mitigation of psychological imbalances of an individual (due to the effects of cultural shock) directly depends on the speed and effectiveness of overcoming socio-cultural and linguistic problems, which will allow a foreign student to recover in a short time and start academic activities, which is the purpose of transfers of such students.
Using the United States as an example of linguistic training of foreign students, it should be pointed out that the multicultural status of universities and colleges requires the formation of students' personal traits that would allow for communication interaction of an intercultural nature. Following the conclusions of L. Bondarchuk, T. Podgurska and O. Kovtunets (Bondarchuk et al., 2020: 320), "the communication between representatives of different cultures has gained a particular importance in the current era of globalization, because the solution of any issues goes through communication and perception of the partner, as well as through orientation on the product (result) of communication". Thus, the effectiveness of communication and, by extension, interpersonal interactions directly depends on the perception of other people, which requires an understanding of their cultural and national characteristics, as well as an understanding of the meaning of the communication. In other words, it is not communication for the sake of communication (which can naturally be present in everyday communication without having a specific target) that is important, but linguistic interactions, in which other peoples (regardless of the number of communicating persons) build a communication strategy for themselves, while setting a specific target (although there might be specific thematic communication deviations in the process of communication). As we can see, the strategy of effective communication should be based on a variety of features and interdependent relationships, so in order to form and develop linguistic aspects in the US higher education system, certain components of media technologies are used that allow for visualising the preparatory process.
Taking into account the importance of linguistic training in the process of psychological adaptation of foreign students, the need to study the experience of using media technologies in the process of linguistic training and research the practice of using a video component of media technologies in the US higher education institutions, the purpose of our Article can be worded as follows: to provide theoretical justification for the strategic importance of the building of communication skills and to study the experience of using a video component of media technologies in the linguistic training of foreign students in the system of their psychological adaptation in the US universities and colleges.
2. Materials and methods
The study of the linguistic features of the video component of media technologies during the period of psychological adaptation training of foreign students required the use of appropriate research methods that contributed to the study of theoretical and practical experience. This Article uses a number of methods, including analysis, synthesis, analogy, abstraction, deduction and induction.
Since media technologies are represented by several components and, furthermore, the components have certain features, the Article applies the analysis method to separate psychological adaptation from a general system of socio-pedagogical support for foreign students; identify media technologies as one of the methods of psychological adaptation training; single out video component from a range of media technologies represented by video, audio, text and Internet
components and, ultimately, consider the video component in terms of its linguistic and social features. Separating the components from the general system of socio-pedagogical support allowed for a more detailed study of the effect of a particular component of media technologies on the development of linguistic and cultural patterns among foreign students during the screening of films. At the same time, the study of the influence of the video component and its linguistic and social features on the personality of a foreign student would not allow us to draw a general conclusion about the practical value of this approach. Therefore, we applied the synthesis method, which was aimed at explaining that the video component is not a separate unit but an integral part of media technologies, which, in turn, are one of the ways to conduct psychological adaptation activities.
As one of the goals of the linguistic and social features of the video component of media technologies is the formation and subsequent development of linguistic and cultural patterns, it should be noted that linguistic and cultural patterns have similar (often identical) characteristics and are formed in similar training conditions. However, regardless of the material similarity and interdependence, these patterns are separate indicators of the ability of a foreign student to conduct effective interpersonal interaction in a new social and cultural environment. Therefore, we applied the method of analogy, which allowed us to identify similar indicators of linguistic and cultural patterns and draw a conclusion about their direct interrelation in order to formulate their similarity and complementarity (with the separate principle of their formation using the video component of media technologies) in the form of the concept of "linguistic and cultural patterns".
Considering that media technologies include several components, and the psychological adaptation system itself includes various methods and technologies, the abstraction method was essential, allowing us to focus research attention on specific in-depth goals to consider certain issues, because other components of media technologies and other technologies used in the psychological adaptation of foreign students can be defined as a generalised information component, which should be specified for conducting the study.
The separation of psychological adaptation and media technologies allowed for applying the method of deduction, which contributed to understanding the process of transition of the general system of psychological training of foreign students to a specific linguistic feature of the video component. In turn, such understanding required the use of the induction method. For instance, knowledge and understanding of the processes of individual features and components required an awareness of how exactly the relation is built between them to ensure systematic psychological adaptation.
3. Discussion
Among the existing components of media technologies that are actively used by the US universities and colleges (such as video, audio, text and Internet components), this study considers the video component in the context of the linguistic feature of psychological adaptation of foreign students.
The problems of using media technologies and electronic means in education and training; adaptation training of foreign students; conducting academic activities to study a foreign language, the formation of linguistic and socio-cultural competence have been considered by many researchers, including: N. Nguyen (teaching using films (Nguyen, 2023); I. Rivero-Vilá (the use of documentaries in intercultural, social and linguistic interactions (Rivero-Vilá, 2021); J. Conejo Muñoz, D. Veloza-Franco, J. de Icaza Lizaola (decryption of information in media technology components (Conejo Muñoz et al., 2023); E. Threadgill, L. Price (practice of online screenings (Threadgill, Price, 2019)); S. French, J. Campbell, A. Romero Walker (media literacy development (French, Campbell, 2019; Romero Walker, 2022); J. Tibaldo (issues of media literacy and linguistic training (Tibaldo, 2022); F. Shu, F. Shujaat, M. Pickett, R. Ayman, T. Bittencourt (adaptation of foreign students (Shu et al., 2020; Bittencourt et al., 2021); E. Debreli, I. Ishanova (strategies for conducting activities in foreign language classes (Debreli, Ishanova, 2019); S. Gümü§, E. Gok, M. Esen, S. Tokas, A. Sharma, R. Mishra, R. Yadav, M. Roshid, P. Mahbub Ibna Seraj (issue of mobility of foreign students (Gümü§ et al., 2020; Tokas et al., 2022; Roshid, Mahbub Ibna Seraj, 2023); N. Moussa (adaptation of foreign students to the social and cultural peculiarities of the US (Moussa, 2021); N. Roslim, A. Azizul, V. Nimehchisalem, M. Abdullah (use of films in learning a foreign language (Roslim et al., 2021)); R.-Z. Peng, W.-P. Wu (intercultural adaptation of foreign students (Peng, Wu, 2019); H. Ha (considerations of learning the foreign language vocabulary (Ha, 2022).
However, we should primarily "understand how technology, theory, and pedagogy are closely interwoven and inseparable" (Song, Liu, 2022: 1). For the purpose of this Article, let us consider
visual media technologies, which, due to the spread and ongoing development of computer technologies, allow them to be actively used in the academic process, part of which is the linguistic training of foreign students during the psychological adaptation period. For instance, in order to create an effective system for using video content in linguistic training, it is important to have a theoretical basis consisting of studies that consider all possible features of using media technologies in the process of psychological adaptation of foreign students, potential problems, as well as methods of practical application of these technologies. This creates a triad of media technology (video content)-theory-practice. Therefore, considering a certain component of media technologies requires theoretical and practical analysis.
As for video content, an aspect such as personal and professional readiness should be taken into account. For instance, I. Qakir (Qakir, 2006: 68) came to the conclusion that "the teacher should be well-trained on using and exploiting the video. Otherwise, it becomes boring and purposeless for students". In other words, showing video content should involve not JUST providing foreign students with access to watching a film, A TV show or a video clip but following the steps that constitute linguistic training. These steps can be divided into the stages as follows (Table 1):
Table 1. Stages of linguistic training of foreign students using video content media technologies
Stage No. Stage Name Stage Description Expected Stage Result
I Diagnostics Teacher/counsellor meets a group of foreign students and, during the initial communication, learns about the linguistic level of each student Obtaining data on the linguistic fluency of a group and each of its participants
II Methodology Based on the data obtained on the linguistic training of a group, a teacher/counsellor builds a strategy for the use of video content with various methods and approaches Preparation for linguistic training classes using the media technologies video component and various methods, approaches
III Practice Conducting classes with the use of video content, explanations of linguistic features of the English language related to cultural aspects; formation of linguistic and cultural patterns among foreign students and the ability to build interactions to mitigate the negative psychological effects of cultural shock By watching video content, foreign students get the necessary skills to identify and process the English language and form the ability of interpersonal communication
IV Final Stage Teacher/counsellor analyses the effectiveness of the classes via tests and the "spontaneous situation" practice. If needed, changes are made to the planning of future classes Teacher/counsellor learns about the quality of the classes based on the ability of foreign students to build communication in the host country, as well as updates any subsequent classes taking into account any errors found
As a result, an important component of the activity of a teacher/counsellor is not only and not so much as technological ability to show video content or its placement on a specialised online platform but the ability to analyse, apply various methodological approaches, explain the vocabulary features of new words and expressions (in the context of the US social and cultural characteristics as well). This is the only way to ensure that the teacher/counsellor is not useless for
foreign students, and the process of viewing and that analysing video content will not become boring and routine but will be helpful in visualising linguistic training.
The teacher/counsellor should also participate in the process of showing video content to explain to foreign students the diversity of the use of vocabulary. For instance, M. Lestari & A. Wahyudin (Lestari, Wahyudin, 2020: 27) claim that "the students use their English words in different ways instead of adding new English words". Therefore, international students can apply a limited vocabulary, using identical vocabulary in various interactions. Therefore, one of the main purposes of using video content is to expand the vocabulary, which would include not only literary vocabulary, but also colloquial speech used in everyday life. The selection of video content of various genres is essential to achieve it. For example, a teacher/counsellor can use not only dramas or book adaptations, but also sitcoms or entertainment TV shows. Let us be clear that this will not reduce the conversational level of foreign students but will help form an idea of what kind of linguistic phrases are used in the society of the host country. Naturally, the selection of the video content to be shown requires special attention of a teacher/counsellor, which involves compiling a list of films, TV shows or episodes of TV series that meet certain public criteria and will be allowed in an academic environment. Exercising judgment when choosing video content is important as the purpose of showing it is not a cultural analysis or art criticism of what has been viewed, but the formation of linguistic and cultural patterns, including learning new vocabulary and developing the ability to apply it in new social and cultural situations, which will alleviate psychological pressure. As we can see here, a teacher/counsellor plays a decisive role in forming the ability of foreign students to use new vocabulary instead of applying already available one in various situations.
In general, the issue of choosing a genre component when determining the list of video content recommended to foreign students as part the linguistic training is consequential. According to the conclusions of S. Sari and D. Aminatun (Sari, Aminatun, 2021: 19), that "the selection of the movie genre poses further concerns about which movie genre is the most important to use in language learning", the language training of an individual, especially when it comes to foreign students who have different social and cultural perspectives, requires a special approach to such lists of video content to avoid cross-cultural misunderstandings. For example, if there are foreign students in a group who are religious, a teacher/counsellor needs to choose films that mostly avoid religious themes (ignoring works such as Ben-Hur (1959), Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014), I Forgive (2021). Considering that foreign students who need linguistic training are not fluent in English, dialogue-heavy films should be avoided (e.g. Before Sunrise (1995), Carnage (2011), Before Sunset (2004), Before Midnight (2013). In this case, most of what is heard will not be properly understood by foreign students, and the viewing will lose its meaning. When the student just starts learning English, the most effective genres include, but are not limited to, comedies and comic movies, which have become popular in the last decade. Video content in these genres includes either a small number of dialogue-heavy scenes, or such dialogues are devoid of literary language, which simplifies the understanding of linguistic and cultural patterns.
It should be also noted that the formation of linguistic and cultural patterns among foreign students, which are the basis of linguistic training, depends not only on the amount of new vocabulary that a person can apply during communication, but also on the ability to solve problem situations in a new social and cultural environment. Therefore, the showing of video content, in particular films, has a direct impact on the ability to apply linguistic and cultural patterns in practice. For instance, in the research, M. Hestiana (Hestiana, 2022: 47) concludes that "in the movie, actors and actresses present dialogue and a storyline with a plot, starting from introductions, problems that arise, problem-solving, and resolution". Thus, in addition to learning how to use new vocabulary most appropriately (naturally, with the help of a teacher/counsellor), foreign students learn how the film characters solve certain problems, including social and psychological ones. In this case, foreign students get theoretical knowledge of overcoming socio-cultural and interpersonal obstacles, which can be consolidated and assimilated with the participation of students in problematic situations provided for by a practical plan during adaptation classes.
It should be taken into account that theoretical linguistic adaptation training of foreign students is an important stage of psychological adaptation. It allows for explaining the existing linguistic features of the host country, as well as the connection of the linguistic component with the social and cultural one. However, the use of exclusively theoretical activities will not create conditions for the comprehensive formation of linguistic and cultural patterns. Therefore,
a comprehensive training stage is practice, which in terms of linguistics can consist of two directions, engaging foreign students to participate in problematic situations close to real social interaction (as mentioned above) and "visualised practice", which involves the use of media technologies, especially video components. When a teacher/counsellor explains the communication features in the host country theoretically, foreign students get an information component. However, visualising this component when watching films will help see how theoretically explained communication features are displayed in real interpersonal and/or intercultural communication. This conclusion is confirmed by A. Parmawati and R. Inayah (Parmawati, Inayah, 2019: 45), that "the use of audiovisual media such as films can help students better understand the material or messages given by lecturers to them". In general, video content, including films, can be used as practical examples for the theoretical information component. Thus, a teacher/counsellor can use video content in one class for international students, when the first half of the class will be theoretical in nature, and the second half will be visualised (e.g. screening a film and pointing to where students can identify the features considered during the theoretical stage). Over time, international students will be able to independently identify such features, minimising the participation of a teacher/counsellor in the analysis of video content.
Linguistic training of students, including foreign ones, should also go beyond studying vocabulary. The ability to "respond" is not evidence of the ability to "understand" and "analyse" the communication information received from other people. Therefore, an important stage of language training is the ability, firstly, to recognise foreign speech and, secondly, to decipher it, which will facilitate understanding what vocabulary and in what form to apply. According to the conclusion of M. Simamora and L. Oktaviani (Simamora, Oktaviani, 2020: 45), "watching movies can also help the sensitivity of students in hearing, so it helps in improving student's listening comprehension". Thus, a good case can be made that watching films allows foreign students to be immersed into a language environment, listening to foreign speech and developing listening skills without coming into direct social contact with other people. This may be especially relevant at the initial stages of linguistic training or for foreign students who, due to personal psychological traits, cannot join in direct communication with representatives of the host country until a sufficient level of linguistic competence is formed.
The above triad media technology (video content)-theory-practice also assumes the ability of a teacher/counsellor to work with video content, which requires not only selecting a playlist of films to show to foreign students, but also the use of other electronic technical means. For example, specialised educational platforms can serve as an example of such means (e.g. Edx, Coursera or proprietary platforms of universities and colleges for online learning), which host not only theoretical text-based content, but also video content directly in a single digital space, allowing for its use during remote classes with foreign students or independent learning, when students will be able to review the theory (or obtain such knowledge in the classroom) and watch a film or video to visualise the theory. The importance of online platforms was also considered in the study of M. Fyfield, M. Henderson, E. Heinrich & P. Redmond (Fyfield et al., 2019: 2), who suggested that "just as important is to investigate platforms and technologies that enhance student engagement by embedding those videos within viewing platforms that demand student engagement beyond passive watching". However, as we mentioned earlier, this approach is relevant only if foreign students are able to independently perceive and analyse video content, which does not imply the use of an online approach at the initial stage of social and pedagogical support that requires explanations from a teacher/counsellor.
4. Results
The study of the linguistic features of video content for foreign students during their psychological adaptation training requires an analysis of the practical component, which is the final element of the triad of media technology (video content)-theory-practice that is highlighted above. As we have chosen the US as an example of the introduction of video content in adaptation activities for students (including foreign ones), the following higher educational institutions have been analysed: University of St. Thomas (St. Paul-Minneapolis, Minnesota), Eckerd College (Florida), Craven Community College (New Bern, North Carolina), University of California, Santa Barbara (California), Towson University (Towson, Maryland), The Ohio State University (Columbus, Ohio).
Many universities and colleges combine video and audio content on a common information platform. In our opinion, this is due to the fact that these media technology components are closely related. As for the use of films in the adaptation process, it is also necessary to take into account the existence of audio content embedded in a video as its integral part (at the same time, it should be noted that audio content can also be presented as a separate subject of research, not directly related to video content. However, this should be the subject of subsequent research). Let us consider Bassoon Resources: Audio and Video at University of St.Thomas as an example of such a combination of components. For instance, the following categories of video content are presented in the section Video Resources Online (Video..., 2023):
1. Films on Demand (a video content database that can be used by foreign students as well. In addition to academic videos in areas such as psychology, literature, sociology, etc., access to a library of foreign films is also provided. This category has the following linguistic feature. Considering academic video content, it should be noted that foreign students who are learning the language may not receive information materials during classes in full due to the lack of a fully formed ability to receive and process audio content (lectures). Therefore, it is important to give them the opportunity to independently obtain/repeat any necessary materials in a given subject. In this regard, academic videos are important for an adequate linguistic perception of any materials. In addition, such a visualisation format will contribute to additional English practice.
The library of foreign films can be characterised as linguistic and cultural content. Its purpose is to form language competence by watching films in dubbed in English or with English subtitles. However, the library of foreign films highlights the social and cultural element, namely learning the peculiarities of representatives of other cultures. This learning should allow for subsequent discussions, which requires the participation of a teacher/counsellor and can be applied both to foreign (for the development of intercultural awareness) and local students (as a "reverse acculturation" when local students adapt to the social and cultural characteristics of foreign students, which creates the basis for the internationalisation of campus);
2. Academic Video Online (video content has certain common features with the library of Films on Demand, however, it is more industry-related. For instance, videos in the areas of art, business, ethnography, law, etc. can also be used to gain additional academic information and linguistic skills (while watching videos in English and potential subsequent discussion);
3. Medici.TV (this collection of video content is directly related to audio content and cultural component, providing access to a library of films with the best works of classical music such as concerts, opera, ballet, workshops, etc. This collection has no direct connection with linguistic training. However, as we mentioned earlier, when training foreign students, it is important to form linguistic and cultural patterns, which combines the importance of linguistic and cultural competence in the psychological formation of an individual in the host country. Therefore, among the 1,500 titles of music videos, those that are directly related to the United States should be used when working with foreign students);
4. Music Online: Classical Performance in Video (this video content database has two directions. The first includes recordings of opera performances and has similar features to the library of Medici.TV. However, when analysing the linguistic direction in the adaptation training of foreign students, the second component, namely documentaries about composers, performers or operas, is important. In this case, we can talk about combining linguistic and cultural training to form linguistic and cultural patterns. For instance, foreign students are able to listen to culture-oriented films in English. Accordingly, such training activities contribute to the simultaneous development of linguistic and cultural patterns).
The practice of showing a series of films as part of special programmes is also common. For example, Eckerd College organises an event International Cinema Series (International... , 2023), where students have the opportunity to watch films (including independent ones) that have been presented at various film festivals, from restored classics to modern cinema. Having analysed the schedule of film screenings in the first half of 2023, we came to the conclusion that the suggested films can be applied to both local and international students. For instance, in this case, local students get the opportunity to learn the social and cultural characteristics of various countries, reflected in cinema (if not directly, then indirectly) to be able to build their own strategy of interpersonal interaction with foreign students of their educational institution. Such films can be applied to international students in two areas. However, in order to form further conclusions, it is
necessary to present the films shown as part of the programme at Eckerd College in Table 2 and Table 3 (International..., 2023):
Table 2. The linguistic and social features of movies of the programme International Cinema Series b Eckerd College
Film Title Country of Origin Shown in Language Date of Screening as Part of the Programme International Cinema Series b Eckerd College
The Inspection USA English February 10, 2023 (7 p.m.)
The Whale USA English February 17, 2023 (7 p.m.)
All the Beauty and the Bloodshed USA English April 21, 2023 (7 p.m.)
Thus, the first feature of the use of these films for foreign students is linguistic and social (Table 2), that includes films that address the issues relevant to American society, which will help attract foreign students to potential discussions on topics relevant to society such as adaptation of the members of LGBT community in society in general and conservative groups in particular (The Inspection, 2022), the issue of intergenerational relations (The Whale, 2022). In this case, the formation of linguistic and cultural patterns among foreign students is important. Thus, effective communication is facilitated by the awareness of the social and cultural characteristics of other people. In addition, the potential possibility of holding discussion clubs with the participation of both local and international students will have a positive effect, as it facilitates practising English using diverse and socially significant topics.
Table 3. The linguistic features of the films of International Cinema Series b Eckerd College Programme
Film Title Country of Origin Shown in Language Date of Screening as Part of the Programme International Cinema Series b Eckerd College
EO Poland Polish with English subtitles March 10, 2023 (7 p.m.)
An Elephant on a Spider Web Spain Spanish with English subtitles March 31, 2023 (7 p.m.)
Close Belgium French and Dutch with English subtitles April 7, 2023 (7 p.m.)
Dos Estaciones Mexico Spanish with English subtitles April 14, 2023 (7 p.m.)
Hidden Letters China Chinese with English subtitles April 28, 2023 (7 p.m.)
Human Flowers of Flesh Germany/France French with English subtitles May 5, 2023 (7 p.m.)
The second feature is linguistic (Table 3; International..., 2023), which can include films produced outside the US or the UK. The importance of these films for local students can be considered in separate research, because we are interested in foreign students, whose training should, naturally, be considered together with the interaction with local students. For instance, non-English films shown in International Cinema Series are not dubbed but are shown in the original language with English subtitles. On the one hand, such an approach may contribute to the development of the visual function (allowing to quickly perceive, analyse and understand the textual information component) and memory (promoting memorisation of words and expressions in English and their subsequent practical use in communication). On the other hand, it is necessary to stress the relevance of films with subtitles for certain groups of foreign students. For example, the German/French film Human Flowers of Flesh (2022) is shown in French with English subtitles. Thus, it is especially effective to attract foreign students from France to watch this film.
They will have the opportunity to learn English better by listening to dialogue in their native language and reading its translation into English at the same time, which will allow them to understand the translation and, therefore, develop visual function and memory more fully.
Another example of linguistic skills development using the video component of media technologies is the LLC International Film at Craven Community College Programme (LLC..., 2023), that offers screenings of films from other countries and cultures. For instance, on 7 April 2023, the Canadian film Indian Horse was shown, which deals with issues of social adaptation that are relevant for foreign students. In addition to the social and cultural features, it is necessary to highlight the linguistic one. Since the film includes various languages and accents, it was shown in the original language with English subtitles, which can be used as one of the methods of language training.
The importance of joint watching of films by both foreign and local students should be noted both for the development of linguistic competence among foreign students when watching films in English or using English subtitles and due to direct interpersonal psychological and communication interaction in a spontaneous situation. For instance, by obtaining relevant theoretical knowledge during classes, a foreign student acquires basic readiness to communicate with another person and, more challengingly, other people, which requires a faster understanding and analysis of the information heard in a foreign language and the formation of their own answers. Therefore, practical interpersonal contacts are required. Primary communication practice can be represented by classroom problem situations, but they are often characterised by artificiality and do not allow for creating conditions for spontaneous practice. Social contacts within a new society can form such conditions, but social interactions are often short and have few distinctive features in comparison with "yesterday-today". Therefore, conditions should be created that would allow for communication within the interpersonal models "foreign student-foreign student", "foreign student-local student", which could be characterised as social and spontaneous (outside of academic problem situations). The programmes Movie Night by the International Student and Scholar Office (ISSO) at Towson University (Fall 2023..., 2023); Foreign Movie Night by the International Student Association (ISA) at University of California, Santa Barbara (About Us... , 2023); Global Engagement Film Series by Office of International Affairs at The Ohio State University (Global..., 2020) can be singled out as examples of creating conditions for such communication. The screenings of films as part of these programmes do not primarily aim at forming or developing linguistic skills; attending screenings is voluntary and is not limited only to foreign students. However, free access and extra-academic nature of these events contribute to the creation of real social groups to communicate. The events are not limited to screenings themselves — students are invited to come in advance, allowing them to build preliminary interpersonal contacts. The screenings for this purpose do not require a special selection of video content. For instance, when showing films in a foreign language using English subtitles, it is most effective to attract students from the countries of the film's origin or where the original language of the film is a native language, so that foreign students, when watching, simultaneously see subtitles in English and, thus, develop a variety of linguistic patterns. However, in case of extra-academic screenings of a social and psychological nature, the screening itself and the interactions between local and foreign or only foreign students are important. For example, as part of the Global Engagement Film Series Programme by Office of International Affairs at The Ohio State University the film White Snake (2019) (Global..., 2020) was shown on 22 January 2020. The animated film is a joint production of US and Chinese companies and adapts a Chinese legend. However, the screening of this film does not require the mandatory presence of foreign students from China, since the screening is free for university students to attend, regardless of the country of origin. The main purpose of the event is to create conditions for spontaneous communication, regardless of the topic (this can be both a discussion of an animated film and discussions on other topics). Thus, the extra-academic formation of linguistic skills is achieved during the practical application of the received theoretical information component during academic classes.
5. Conclusion
This study provides a theoretical justification of the importance of interpersonal communication with various population groups for foreign students during their psychological adaptation training. The significant influence of media technologies on the effectiveness of the process of psychological adaptation and socio-pedagogical support in general is emphasised.
Among the media technology components that can be applied in practical terms, an important one is the video component, which is related directly to the audio component, because the content being presented in video format is accompanied (in most cases) by audio. The nature of the media technology video component can be divided into socio-cultural and linguistic components. Our study focuses on the linguistic feature.
The analysis of the practical application of video content for the development of linguistic competence among foreign students required studying the experience of several higher educational institutions (both universities and colleges). For this purpose, we have selected the following educational institutions for analysis: University of St. Thomas; Eckerd College; Craven Community College; University of California, Santa Barbara; Towson University; The Ohio State University. Our study reached the following conclusions:
1. One of the subtypes of video content is academic video, which is characterised by providing students with access to a library with recordings of lectures and additional information materials. The purpose of such field-specific videos is to provide an opportunity to learn academic material during non-academic hours. In other words, foreign students who are developing language skills (which often requires repeating information in a foreign language for its effective learning) are able to watch any necessary video materials, which will keep academic performance at a sufficient level for the period of formation of linguistic skills. An example of this is the video library Films on Demand of the platform Bassoon Resources: Audio and Video at University of St.Thomas
2. Showing video content has two features, linguistic and cultural. For instance, watching films with a plot focused on the traditions or problems of the host country allows foreign students to become more involved in a new society. Furthermore, films in English allow to get additional practice of understanding foreign speech by listening, which is an important pre-requisite for effective communication, as it requires not only the ability to speak a foreign language, but also to listen to other people, analyse what they said and then produce a response. As a result, showing films contributes to the unification of these features, because video content activates them simultaneously. As a result, this leads to the possibility of forming linguistic and cultural patterns, which are a range of socio-cultural and communication links that a person is able to apply during practical psychological and communication interaction. As an example of contributing to the formation of linguistic and cultural patterns, we can cite the video content database Music Online: Classical Performance in Video of the platform Bassoon Resources: Audio and Video at University of St. Thomas.
3. The linguistic features may include the screenings of films produced outside the United States in their original language. Such video content is shown without dubbing, using subtitles, which allows foreign students to develop reading skills, as well as memorising speech patterns during the dialogue communication of actors. However, the selection of films for students from specific countries is most effective. For example, when showing a Polish film in the original language with English subtitles to a foreign student from Poland, the student can listen to dialogues they understand while reading the translation into English through subtitles. This process facilitates understanding of which interpersonal communication situations require a specific speech pattern. The practice of showing films in this format can be showcased using the International Cinema Series b Eckerd College Programme.
4. An important condition for the effective linguistic training of a foreign student is the practical use of the theoretical knowledge gained during academic classes. Specialised programmes of educational institutions such as Towson University; University of California, Santa Barbara; The Ohio State University hold public screenings of films, which allow foreign students to join in interactions of an extra-academic nature in a spontaneous situation, discussing the films they have watched, as well as any other social topics.
In summary, we can conclude that the US universities and colleges actively use the video component of media technologies in the formation and development of linguistic skills among foreign students, both directly (showing films in English or with English subtitles) and indirectly (promoting interpersonal psychological and communication contacts during non-academic film showing sessions).
The study is not final in the issue of studying video content and media technologies in general as part of adaptation activities for foreign students. Further scientific research should be directed to the problems of socio-cultural features of the video component, as well as audio, text and
Internet components of media technologies; practical experience of their application in the system of psychological training of foreign students.
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