The article deals with the issues of developing students’ creative skills at medical educational institutions. Intensification of students’ creative potential occurs through the formation of thinking, research and communication skills, ability to interact with information means and technologies. Second-year students of General Medicine Faculty were involved in the experiment at Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University in Ukraine. Experimental and control groups included 172 students in each one. We singled out two groups: a control group – training based on
the available basic course “Professional English in Medicine” and an experimental group – training based on a combination of two courses: the basic course “Professional English in Medicine” and the elective course “Special Medical Terminology”. Homogeneity of the control and experimental groups was checked using Student’s t-test. Testing 0-hypothesis showed no significant differences between samples for the reliability level 0.05 (5% probability). At the first stage of the experimental study, students’ performance was considered at the beginning of the experiment in the control and experimental groups. Students were divided into three levels: high (82–100 points), medium (64–81 points) and low (50–63 points). Certainty of differences between groups was tested using Pearson’s chi-squared test (χ2), according to which the critical value was  = 5.991, and the corresponding empirical value = 0.414. Thus, any differences between the results of the control and experimental groups are random variations with a probability of less than 5%, and, therefore, the samples are homogeneous by the research indicator. Verification of reliability of the obtained results in improving the level of creativity in students was checked by Pearson’s chi-squared test (χ2), according to which the critical value equaled 5.991 and the corresponding empirical value = 6.11. Thus, any differences between the results of the control and experimental groups are with a probability of less than 5% and based on the result of introduction of an active pedagogical factor into the educational process, and, therefore, the difference between the control and experimental groups is expected for the studied indicator. To define creative abilities, we used Joy Paul Guilford’s parameters and factors for interpreting variations in creativity: sensitivity to problems; flexibility and fluency; originality; synthesis, analysis; reorganizing or redefining; complexity and evaluation;
to determine verbal aspect of students’ creativity, we applied the techniques suggested by Walther Moede and Sarnoff A. Mednick. All students performed significant improvement in the ability to generate a lot of ideas; they also showed a steady increase in such forms of creativity as sensitivity to problems, flexibility and fluency. Slight increase was noticed in reorganizing or redefining, complexity and evaluation. The students’ ability to solve problems by realization of relevant analytical and synthetic operations must be taken into consideration while developing creativity and creative communication of medical students.

The article highlights the new approach to teaching a foreign language to medical students as a reasonable mixed method of traditional teaching and the use of modern technologies. Teaching process at higher medical educational institutions is based on innovative didactic technologies, mechanisms and procedures. Many theories suggest implementation of combined classroom and online teaching called blended or hybrid learning. The aim of this investigation is to develop practical recommendations for successful integration of blended learning with traditional teaching medical students at the Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University. Web-basedtechnology stimulates and promotes self-learning, keeps the learner at the centre of the learning process using personality-oriented and technology-mediated approaches. E-learning promotes autonomy and motivates students to learn throughout the life performing specific tasks before or after classroom learning. The research involved 47 groups of students studying General Medicine at Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University (602 second-year students, 2017-2018 academic year). The experiment consisted of 40% of e-learning and 60% of classroom teaching. Assessing performance, we concluded that students' academic performance results improved from 15% to 23% depending on the language skill due to the integration of blended learning strategies into the teaching process. Blended learning also assists students to choose and interpret required tasks, to assess cases related to future medical profession, and to apply compulsory information, which requires proficiency and practical skills.

Abstract. The research substantiates Japanese experience of media literacy and oral communication skills development by digital storytelling (DST); reveals theoretical background and current practical application of DST in higher education of Japan. DST has significant advantages as an individual- and situation-oriented tool of oral communication as well as the instrument of psychological and learning influence on society. It is continuously implemented into Japanese educational and social practice. Famous universities of Japan initiate and realize scientific and academic projects, extending communication connections of Japanese population, improving their skills of critical thinking and argumentation, developing desires and abilities to communicate freely, fluently, confidently and persuasively. At present DST shows a positive growing tendency as a teaching and learning tool in higher education of both Japan and Ukraine. This is primarily linked with the global processes of social digitalization, computerization of education and urgent transferring to distance learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Evidence-based studies prove the efficacy of DST as the learning and evaluation instrument of oral communication skills, i. e. in English. Moreover, the technology can be applied in different specialties, i. e. medical one. The healthcare branch was drastically influenced by quarantine restrictions, having resulted in fundamental transformations of teaching and learning approaches, implementation of e-learning and telemedicine. DST has a confirmed positive influence on public health and medical knowledge development. In higher medical education it can be used as a new type of virtual patients. DST can improve physician-patient communication skills, professional qualities, tolerance and empathy. Our research confirms the potential of DST as a powerful developmental tool of media literacy and oral communication skills, and proves the requirement for the implementation of Japanese experience into higher education of Ukraine.