The Influence of Media Ecology on Perception and Behaviour of Tertiary Education Students: A Case Study of Nims University, India

Abstract

The study sought to assess media ecology and its influence in redefining the attitude and perception of tertiary students in India with a focus on Nims University Students.Participant observation and focus group methods were used for data collection. The participant observation span a period of 6 months, April 2016- October 2016 while the focus group had 20 active participant drawn from among students, lecturers, parents and media experts. The study revealed that India is a large media market and the students and youths are major players in this dynamic market. It was noted that students are directly exposed to media environment and most have daily access to the media especially the social media. This paper further confirmed that the interaction between the students and the media ecology has produced a significant measure of influence on the students worldview. Additionally, the research did identify the various areas media exposure is influencing the students and went ahead to highlight the psycho-socio-cultural implication of such influences both at the micro and macro level of society. The researcher recommended for more extensive research on media ecology in India covering a wider geography, demography and time frame.