Building an International Journalism Course on StudentCentered Experiences
2015; Volume: 5; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês
ISSN
2160-6579
Autores Tópico(s)Public Relations and Crisis Communication
ResumoIntroduction and RationaleThere has been a significant and continual decline in foreign news reporting among America's news media during the past few decades (Kumar, 2011). That coincides with a decline in interest among the American public in foreign reporting (Pew, 2012). Whether it is a cause or an effect, American news organizations have been downsizing their staffs and closing foreign bureaus (Enda, 2011). This decline in fulltime employment has created opportunities for freelancers, who sometimes lack the training necessary for international reporting (Keller, 2013). Despite these trends, U.S. journalists who report from foreign countries give Americans the context necessary to better understand international events (Schidlovsky, 2010). These journalists must be familiar with the nature of international news and the different roles journalism fulfills in other cultures. Journalists aspiring to work internationally should be aware of challenges facing foreign correspondents, and they must be familiar with global geography. An international journalism course can help develop these skills while introducing students to a potential career.The international journalism class that I created focused on four primary objectives: introduce students to journalism's various styles and traditions throughout the world; examine differences in news coverage by Englishlanguage broadcasters from across the globe; cultivate awareness of current issues affecting international journalism and journalists; and encourage journalism students to improve their knowledge of world geography. The course sought to accomplish these goals by promoting studentled discussions of our textual readings; viewing and analyzing various international television news programs; curating online content regarding international journalism and sharing it through social media; and quizzing students on world geography. The curriculum was designed to enable students to build knowledge about numerous facets of international journalism through their experiences in the course (Kolb, 1984).ActivitiesStudents were introduced to journalism's various global practices and perspectives through the primary textbook (Hachten & Scotton, 2012) and supplemental materials (Siebert, Peterson, & Schramm, 1984; Christians, Glasser, McQuail, Nordenstreng, & White, 2009). To make the classroom experience more interactive and engaging, tables were arranged into a large rectangle to encourage facetoface dialogue. Students initiated and led daily discussions of the text in a casual, conversational fashion. I followed up on any topics that needed further examination or explanation.Viewing and critiquing news content from several international broadcasters was a core component of this course. Eight Englishlanguage news organizations were chosen for examination, and students spent a half hour of each class watching live or ondemand news programming from one of the following: Press TV (Iran), France 24 (France), NHK World (Japan), CCTV (China), RT (Russia), Link TV's Mosaic (Middle East), Voice of America's In Focus (Africa), and Al Jazeera English (Qatar). It should be noted that livestreamed news content from Al Jazeera English became unavailable in the United States after the August 2013 cable launch of Al Jazeera America. Link TV announced in April 2013 that its Mosaic program would be placed on indefinite hiatus.Online news content was presented on a classroom projection system. Students were asked to make observations about the news organization's story selection, cultural or political perspectives, journalism practices, and other items that piqued their interest. After each viewing, students discussed their impressions, asked questions, and recorded any interesting observations from their classmates. They used these notes to produce a twopage analysis of any, or all, of the broadcasts they watched each week. Analyses were typed and doublespaced using Times New Roman 12point font with document margins set at one inch on all sides. …
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