Rethinking Journalism Education
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Transcript of Rethinking Journalism Education
Rethinking Journalism
Education [again]
The Future of JournalismCardiff University, WalesSeptember 2009
Donica MensingUniversity of Nevada, Reno
Presentation1. Arguments for change
2. One proposal for change
3. Recent examples
4. 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
Newspapers____________
Radio and TV stationsMagazinesWeb sites
Newspapers____________
Radio and TV stationsMagazinesWeb sites
Journalism Schools
Educators__________ Students
Journalism Schools
Educators__________ Students
Historic Model
Industry-centered journalism education
1. Professionalism
2. Reporting
3. 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
ImplicationsAssumes 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
JournalismJournalismEducationEducation
NewsNewsIndustrIndustr
yy
The Networked PublicGeographic communities/Communities of interest
Proposed Model
News Ecology
1. ProfessionalismDevelop 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. ReportingBe 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. SocializationSocialize 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 examplesOurTahoe.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
ChallengesDifficult 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 protected])
@donica
• http://studentdev.jour.unr.edu/jeducation
• 2009-2010 University of Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy
• August 2010, University of Nevada, Reno, US