Abstract:

Means of communication are essential for the good functioning of society. The “fourth power”, as they are commonly called, presents a series of influences and characteristics whose consequences create determined tendencies or ways of thinking that, unfortunately, go without notice in some formative aspects.

In this sense, the present work focuses on the study of the influence applied by the means of communication both in the social sphere and in the educative field –acting on the students as creators of thoughts-. The lack of instruments that allow its understanding to society, as well as the absent of ethics related to sensationalism, on the part of the means themselves, have led to a quite delicate point for the new generations.

If we add to this conflict or identity crisis the rising and development of new technologies and ways of socialization through the social media such as Twitter, Facebook or even YouTube, the concept of personal identity is in a constant danger of extinction.

That personal identity is gradually being replaced by a virtual “I”, quite distant from reality. This new entity undergoes a constant bombing of information which lacks of enough criteria to be selective and conscious of their real media, informative and intellectual needs.

The consequences of this communicative and receptive tendency, on the part of the consumers, have already derived into a negative disposition, such as the habit of just reading the title of a news without taking a deeper look. That’s why one of the main premises of the educational system is to educate in the classification or filtering of these means of communication and know their influence on the students.

According to this, throughout the course 2016/2017, a study upon the experience of different teachers and students has been conducted at I.E.S Pedro Poveda in Jaen, and whose results gather quite significant data where a great concern on the part of the teacher can be seen due to the lack of an education focused on the use and selection of the means of communication and the huge dependence that current students have for the new technologies and its influence in critical thinking.

Keywords:

Audiovisuals, education, Information and Communication Technologies.