COMPUTER TECHNOLOGIES AND MEDIA LITERACY IN THE EDUCATIONAL SPACE OF GEORGIA

In the twenty-first century, digital technologies are an integral part of daily life. The technology used has added a whole new dimension to society regarding communication and relationships, learning and cognition, development, and self-realization. Virtual reality has often replaced the real one, making humanity even more dependent on technology. The merits of digital technologies are unlimited access to information, inclusiveness, and availability from anywhere in the world, breaking down cultural, social, and gender barriers, self-realization and development of creative skills, social communication through various multimedia means, promotion of education and science development, and others. At the same time, the technological age has added a whole new dimension to safety in the form of suicidal online challenges, cyberbullying, and other threats that the younger generation may face as they enter adulthood. The older generation has the responsibility to protect them in the digital environment and ensure a safe digital life. Therefore, it is a priority for the education system to develop the digital awareness of young people and prepare the young generation to deal with the challenges in the digital world. This preparation is necessary for living in both the real and virtual worlds. The paper examines the current situation and peculiarities of using modern computer technologies, digital citizenship, and media literacy in Georgia's general education space and determines the possibilities for improving it.