Relevance (context) of the article. Various media products are becoming an integral part of modern childhood, transmitting cultural patterns, moral norms, values and knowledge to the child. A cartoon, as a popular form of art, can have a high developmental potential for children and form their prosocial behavior. Considering how much a modern child watches various media products, it is extremely important to understand how and under what conditions a cartoon can become a means of child development.
The aim of the study. Consideration of the mechanisms of influence of the cartoon on the child, as well as conditions for enhancing the developmental potential of media products. In accordance with the aim, the tasks were set to develop a form of work with children “Children’s Cinema Evening “, as well as to test its effectiveness with the help of a formative experiment.
Description of the research progress. Based on the analysis of research in the field of media influence on a child, we have described the mechanisms of this influence, and also developed principles that allow us to enhance the developing potential of a cartoon. They consist in: matching the content to the age characteristics of the child, demonstrating prosocial behavior by characters on the screen, active participation of an adult in viewing, and consolidating the experience gained in practice through games and exercises. Based on these scientific data, we have developed the aims, objectives, structure and organization of the “Children’s Cinema Evening “, in which the cartoon acts as a means of children’s development. The effectiveness of the Cinema Evening for the formation of prosocial behavior was confirmed by a formative experiment, which was conducted on the basis of the private kindergarten “Interesting Kindergarten” in two stages. The study involved 39 children aged 5-6 years. The experimental group included 20 children aged 5-6 who attended a Children’s Cinema Evening 2 times a month in small groups for six months in the 2019/2020 academic year. The control group included 19 children aged 5-6 years.
Research methods used: “Map of observations on the manifestations of communicative abilities in preschool children” (Shchetinina A.M.), “Unfinished Stories”, “Pictures” (E.O. Smirnova, V.M. Kholmogorova).
Research results. The results of the formative experiment showed that the active participation of an adult in watching a cartoon by children on the basis of the principles we have outlined within the framework of the Children’s Cinema Evening forms prosocial behavior in senior preschool children (development of empathy and goodwill, formation of prosocial attitudes and reduction of aggression in a conflict situation).
Conclusions. “Children’s Cinema Evening” as a modern form of work with children using media technologies, allows you to effectively use the developing potential of a cartoon for the formation of prosocial behavior in senior preschoolers.