Methodological Toolbox the Study of the «Media Continuum» Concept

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to form a theoretical basis for the latest spatial and temporal conditions that determine the social communication practices in the 21st century.

Research methodology. In the course of the research a number of the following methods were used: grounded theory – to develop an inductively derived theory of the media continuum as a spatial and temporal format of social communication activities of the early 21st century; pilot and the actual test survey – to find out the degree of convenience / comfort of social communication in the media continuum; sociological observation – to go into details of the tactics and strategies of interaction / relationships between actors in a situation of self-presentation in the media continuum; point research and the method of purposeful choice – to determine the degree of popularity in the media continuum of information and communication practice, based on a combination of verbal and nonverbal components into a single structural-semantic and functional whole; questionnaire, R. Likert scale, non-standardized interviews with experts – to identify the need for "response" of the educational system to the socio-communicative realities of today in terms of a new spatial and temporal format of living and exposure to reality.

Results. The integrated vision of the media continuum, developed within the framework of a grounded theory, as a new spatio-temporal format of social communication activities is based on: on the spatio-temporal itineraries of modernity of the new form, which is characterized by the cohesion of the parameters of space and time; understanding the socio-cultural, technological, informational and communicational, extraterritorial, temporal potentials of new media, which, in turn, inspire the ability of the media continuum to reproduce continuous changes in temporal and spatial parameters of objective / subjective reality, which creates the basis for design and constructing the activity of modern society to measure the dynamics / statics of the state of society; based on the social and communication priorities of today, i.e. the need for interaction aimed at exchanging ideas, values, patterns of behavior, life practices, which in turn encourages social actors / social institutions to get incorporated into the media continuum.

Novelty. The introduction of the concept of media continuum in scientific discourse will help update the socio-communicative theoretical and methodological framework, balance the differences between academic concepts, societal expectations, practical experience in increasing digital innovation, fast pace of development capabilities and production of artificial intelligence systems, etc.

Practical value. The proposed model of the media continuum explains the spatio-temporal realities of modern days; the highlighted eventuality of the media continuum illustrates the leading trends in social communication in the latest spatial and temporal format.

Key words: media continuum, grounded theory, social eventuality, technological eventuality, territorial eventuality, information and communication eventuality.