Student Media and Communication Projects in Time of War: Challenges and Achievements (Based on the Survey Results)

Abstract

The study aimed to find out how working on educational and work-integrated projects helps young students implement professional knowledge and skills, improve themselves, find life meanings in the maelstrom of war, show resilience, and tell the world about Ukraine’s struggle. For this purpose, two short surveys were conducted from October 11 to November 2, 2024, using a purposive sampling method with the help of Google Forms: “Student Projects in Time of War” (Survey I) (41 respondents) and “Student Projects in Time of War 2 (Cases)” (Survey II) (11 respondents), the results of the second one became the empirical basis for a qualitative case study. Almost half of the respondents implemented 5 to 10 projects during the full-scale invasion. Blackouts and constant bombardment caused the most problems for project implementation. Among others, the respondents mentioned: depression, stress, anxiety, lack of sleep, deaths of friends and loved ones, burnout, moral exhaustion, demotivation, and loss of meaningful life guidelines. Most of the student projects are one way or another related to the war and the consequences it has caused, including problems of adaptation, resilience, living with and overcoming war and psychological trauma, and employment challenges. The students also focused on the need to help the military and civilians, and the country as a whole, and sought to share Ukraine’s values and culture with the world, as well as to tell about Russia’s crimes against Ukraine and Ukrainians.