Rethinking Journalism Education

Rethinking Journalism Education [again]
The Future of Journalism
Cardiff University, Wales
September 2009
Donica Mensing University of Nevada, Reno

Presentation
Arguments for change
One proposal for change
Recent examples
Conclusion

Basis
Dewey, Carey, Rosen, Reese, Zelizer …
Teaching and researching online journalism for 10 years
Collaborating in developing a new graduate program
Reflecting on recent examples

Historic Model Newspapers ____________ Radio and TV stations Magazines Web sites Journalism Schools Educators __________ Students

Industry-centered journalism education
Professionalism
Reporting
Socialization

1. Professionalism
In 1903 Joseph Pulitzer donated $2 million to Columbia University for a school that would
“ emphasize the professional significance of journalism”
and exclude courses related to advertising, circulation and newspaper management.

1. Professionalism (now)
In 2005 the Carnegie Corporation and Knight Foundation pledged $11 million to revitalize journalism education and produce students who are:
“ well-trained, well-educated, honest, trustworthy, curious, intelligent people” who will devote their lives to their profession (Carnegie, 2005).

Implications
Assumes that reformation of journalism depends on individual journalists rather than structural or institutional change
Ignores contradictions between professionalism and commercialism, between ideals and practices
Implies a barrier between journalists and citizens

2. Reporting
“ The reporter” is the idealized form of journalist targeted in j-schools
News gathering is the core skill required of nearly all journalism majors regardless of sequence
Assessment and success is measured by producing students with skills to succeed in industrial news production

Implications
Assumes information scarcity is the primary problem to be solved
Assumes information is a commodity to be produced and transmitted to a waiting audience
Emphasizes independent news judgment, verification and objectivity as primary values

3. Newsroom socialization
Many administrators come from industry and conceptualize journalism similarly
Many faculty teach ‘best practices’ from the newsroom
Most students are required to do internships in industry and are encouraged to participate in professional competitions

Implications
Reinforces existing practices rather than critical inquiry
Stresses mastery over innovation and experimentation
Creates a barrier between practitioners and scholars

Journalism Education News Industry The Networked Public Geographic communities/ Communities of interest Proposed Model News Ecology

1. Professionalism
Develop curriculum that stresses the values of citizenship and professionalism
Develop practices based on critical inquiry and public needs
Develop ethical criteria relevant in new contexts

2. Reporting
Be more explicit about purpose
Educate for multiple journalistic roles: filtering, facilitating, moderating, programming, databases
Enlarge the definitions of story, news element, coverage, deadline
Reflect on, test and publicly evaluate experiments and experiences

3. Socialization
Socialize students to working in communities (online and offline)
Teach students to value innovation, uncertainty, experimentation
Require sophisticated analysis and critical reflection about their own practices

Initial examples
OurTahoe.org (University of Nevada)
Nuestro Tahoe (University of Nevada)
Reno Noise (University of Nevada)
Albany Today (UC Berkeley)
NewsMixer (Northwestern)

OurTahoe.org

Nuestro Tahoe

Reno Noise

Albany Today

NewsMixer

Challenges
Difficult to collaborate with disparate groups
Difficult for faculty to make community commitments
Students want to pursue individualized goals
Curriculum schedules inflexible and discontinuous
Innovation and experimentation often not rewarded in traditional academic evaluations

Conclusion
This is a critical moment in the evolution of journalism
Journalism educators can play a key role in experimenting, testing and developing new practices and conceptions of what journalism is and could be
This work requires that we rethink our own practices within the academy and make our purposes and obligations more explicit

Feedback?
Donica Mensing ( [email_address] ) @donica
http://studentdev.jour.unr.edu/jeducation
2009-2010 University of Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy
August 2010, University of Nevada, Reno, US

Rethinking Journalism Education

by Donica Mensing

Accessibility

Categories

Upload Details

Usage Rights

2 Embeds 11

Statistics

Rethinking Journalism Education Presentation Transcript

http://studentdev.jour.unr.edu	9
http://www.slideshare.net	2