Pages: 7

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book seeks to capture their self-reflexive accounts anchored in the experience of pedagogic practice. It describes a challenge or new direction in journalism education and unpacks it, drawing on original material, case studies, examples and lived experiences and concludes with either questions to debate further, practical suggestions for journalism educators and/or calls to action. The book presents a provocation to encourage educators to reflect on the wider picture as they design curricula that recognises the needs of students in changing educational and social contexts. It proposes that newsroom-based approaches to journalism education restrict whose voices are heard and that journalists must be able to exhibit entrepreneurial mindset that makes them more relevant in participatory, digital culture. The chapter offers practical advice on how the people can best prepare students to speak truth to power whilst staying safe in an increasingly dangerous world.

Pages: 78

No chapter abstract available.

Pages: 12

We live and work within a dramatically changed landscape: The Covid-19 crisis presented journalists with the unique challenge of living in the story that they were also reporting. A briefing note on the impact of the global pandemic on different groups of workers for the Resolution Foundation placed young people at the epicentre of the crisis. In assessing the impact of the Covid-19 crisis on journalism students’ lived experiences, and on educators seeking to design responsive, agile pedagogies, this contextualising chapter considers what approaches could be usefully applied to instil resilience in ‘post-pandemic’ journalism education. As journalism educators, adapting to crisis, we have discovered – through the work of our students in the virtual classroom and our own reflections – possible routes to re-imagining journalism education practice. From experimenting with different styles of teaching to discovering innovative ways of telling the stories of others, there is also now a sharper focus on the well-being of students and ways of building their confidence and resilience. The chapter contains practical ideas and recommendations for change derived from the lived experiences of journalists and educators grappling with the shifting shape of journalism education in Covid-times.

Pages: 13

Dark clouds of uncertainty shroud the horizons of journalism. Consequently, vision remains impaired regarding what journalism could and should be. As journalism weathers a financial, technological and social maelstrom, it is difficult to escape the conclusion that irreversible climate change is well underway. In this chapter, the author proposes a humanist approach to journalism education and practice that may help negotiate these perilous conditions. He argues that better understanding of others is journalism’s ultimate quest – and the essential challenge for storytellers. Drawing upon the philosophy of Hans-Georg Gadamer, the author makes the pedagogic case for ‘Horizon Journalism’. This entails students and educators exploring their societal and journalistic viewpoints – their horizons – and considering how these necessarily delimit and constrain interpretation and understanding. Storytellers become tasked with broadening their horizons and this challenge is explored during an undergraduate student workshop. The author concludes that Gadamer’s philosophy can help guide the storytellers of the future.

Pages: 12

This chapter argues that education and journalism are not static things, and that they evolve over time to suit the needs of the society they serve. We live at a time of profound economic, demographic and geo-political change. Consequently, we see the appearance of destabilising forces disturbing the status quo of the late 20th century. For example, Boomer Journalism, the dominant approach to journalism which has produced the Official Journalism of Anglo-American society, finds itself increasingly challenged by Unofficial Journalism which rejects many of the Boomer generation’s ideological and cultural assumptions. Since the two journalisms are incompatible and mutually hostile, this poses important questions for educators; if there are two distinct journalisms, which one should be taught? How can we teach journalism if we are unsure exactly what it is? At the same time, Human Capital Theory, the dominant theoretical framework supporting Higher Education, is increasingly challenged by alternative approaches such as Educational Signaling Theory. This provokes a further cluster of uncomfortable questions relating to the value and legitimacy of university degrees in journalism. This provocative chapter offers a wide-angle lens to help educators reflect on the bigger picture and design curricula that recognise the needs of students in a changing society.

Pages: 14

Historically, sports journalism has often been considered something of a sub-genre of the journalistic profession, referred to as the “toy-department” of a media outlet. This is due to the perception that sport events are simply games, entertainment, and those reporting on them should consider themselves lucky enough not to be dealing with more serious issues. These days, however, sport is a key asset for any major media company, but at the same time deeply embroiled in moral, political, financial and cultural issues, which often make the news front page. From sportswashing to racism, from corruption within the sporting bodies to doping, to mental health issues among professional athletes, the list of “non-sporting” issues affecting contemporary sports is constantly growing. A critical challenge in educating future sports journalists is that of equipping them with multiple practical skills, needed to navigate in a competitive multimedia industry, alongside an appropriate critical lens. This combination of skills is essential to guarantee the credibility of sports journalism and the sports industry. The chapter explores the state of sports journalism in HE and unpacks a visible tension to offer some ideas for sports journalism educators to engage with these challenges.

Pages: 8

This chapter is presented as an essay written from the perspective of a journalism educator immersed in teaching Public Affairs to students for their professional journalism diploma, awarded by the National Council for the Training of Journalists in the UK, as undergraduates, apprentices and trainees working in newsrooms on the Meta Community News Project. Globally, Covid-19 touched every part of the public realm. For journalists it was a health story, a science story and an economic story. However, it also swept through social care, welfare, education, devolution and local government – not to mention the power dynamic between elected politicians and their appointed special advisors. At this time, more than ever, an understanding of the workings of political institutions allowed journalists to carry out their prime functions – holding the government to account and telling the public what they needed to know. Public Affairs tutors now have fresh, shining examples of pandemic reporting that they can draw on in an attempt to inspire young trainees and students who bring less and less political knowledge – and often interest – to the table. The lesson? Knowledge and understanding of politics and Public Affairs were vital for those covering the biggest story of the 21st century.

Pages: 17

This chapter reflects on the experience of a media literacy researcher working with the charity BBC Media Action to develop a strategy to combine the training of journalists in media literacy with increasing the media literacies of audiences. Here, media literacy (ML) is understood to be a variable skill set for journalists, audiences and publics, recognising that work to raise ML levels and situate a broadcaster as a conduit for ML works only in a ‘third space’ between the everyday media literacy practices of people and the need to raise awareness about the value of public interest media. The theory of change developed frames ML in a cycle consisting of four elements – Access, Awareness, Capability and Consequences. This chapter shares the process of and outcomes from a distinctive approach to BBC Media Action integrating media literacy education into their practices. It also reflects on how good intentions for the role of media literacy in third spaces, giving voice, changing the narrative, solving problems and enabling opportunities, were intertwined with challenges of decolonising media literacy and the politics of media literacy for, with and by participants. The chapter also generates a set of recommendations for journalism education practice in this rich intersection.

Pages: 88

No chapter abstract available.

Pages: 11

Inclusivity continues to present major challenges within journalism practice and education. Despite a move away from “top-down” reporting evident in citizen journalism and different modes of storytelling that encourage interaction with audiences, journalism is still seen as largely the preserve of middle-class elites. Whilst there have been some advances, with more presenters from minority backgrounds now seen on our screens, newsrooms and boardrooms still lack diversity. Within journalism education, industry councils have intensified protocols to encourage diversity and widen opportunity, but progress is slow, and an attainment gap persists. These problems are compounded by the pernicious presence of systemic racism and stereotype – in news reporting and in news organisations. This chapter brings two young black journalists together in conversation to discuss these issues, from the standpoint of their lived experiences, and their own practice and to reflect on calls to action that could help journalism education lead the way in invoking change. Some of the questions they consider: How can journalists role model behaviour that encourages young people from all backgrounds to train as journalists? What approaches can help to break down systemic racism? What should journalism educators do to ensure that curricula and the student experience are inclusive?

Pages: 15

The Sustainable Development Goals, with their 2030 target providing a lens for us to articulate the world’s key challenges, are becoming more central to journalism academics’ thinking about how they practice. This chapter argues that meaningful journalism practice should capture these goals, which articulate the role of education explicitly within Goal 4: Quality Education: ‘Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all’. However, the goals’ articulation and targets have a government-level focus. To address this UNESCO has developed guidelines for translating them into educational practices through Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). ESD provides guidance for journalism educators to embed social, economic and environmental issues within journalism curricula. The ultimate aim is to equip students with the knowledge, skills and experience to contribute to ethically responsible societies (HEA 2017). But do journalism educators prioritise, understand and implement this guidance? What challenges do they face? Is there a risk of greenwashing within journalism education practice? This chapter brings a critical perspective to the place of sustainability within journalism pedagogy. It shares good practice from across undergraduate and postgraduate teaching, highlights challenges journalism education is facing in addressing the sustainability agenda and suggests action moving forward.

Pages: 15

This chapter acknowledges that it is no longer possible to merely impart a skills ‘toolkit’ that will prepare students for future careers as journalists due to fast-changing technologies and new business models. The author’s in-depth research conducted within the field sites of four institutions, within both the UK and the US, focuses on the need for higher education to adapt through a re-conceptualised pedagogy. It challenges the long-held perception of journalism as a stable profession and urges for further independence from the newsroom to protect journalism’s resilience. It also argues that current graduates, educated in a ‘linear approach’ to newsroom processes, actually restrict the potential for all voices to be heard in a fully democratic media. The chapter proposes that journalism must be fully publicly ‘plugged in’, with new technologies embedded in its processes and characterised by an entrepreneurial mindset. The result: re-positioned role for journalism educators, as facilitators of the exchange of ideas, with students benefiting from external networks and communities, the input of industry ‘experts’ to the curriculum as mentors, the insights of their peers, as well as the audience and their role in not only responding to but also helping to create news.

Pages: 16

This chapter discusses a journalism education project based in Colombia that aims to prevent the illicit recruitment of children and teenagers by non-state armed groups (NSAGs) through the production of a youth news website and associated multimedia content. The project enhances self-efficacy amongst at-risk teenagers by building their capacity to claim a greater voice within their communities and changing their perceptions of life inside an armed group. Through their journalism, the young participants gain the opportunity to question, challenge and reflect on protracted violence and the structures that underpin it. The project identifies specific Peace Skills intended to reinforce socio-emotional competences and build resistance against illicit recruitment by ultimately transforming a young person’s outlook on their future and their potential, leading to a more positive identity in the present.

Pages: 15

Firstly, this chapter provides an overview of the generally dreadful state of press freedom worldwide, with online and physical attacks on journalists commonplace. In doing so, it surveys research data from leading international organisations advocating for journalism safety, which collectively illustrate a range of clear and present dangers to reporters such as murders with impunity, imprisonment and – disproportionately for women – online violence that could easily spill offline. Secondly, in order to assist journalism educators internationally to better prepare their students for the realities of this extremely dangerous world, it provides a platform for some of the foremost experts in the field of journalism safety to share their advice and recommended resources. The international mix of these experts is reflected in the combination of institutional or organisational affiliations: the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); the Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN); iWatch Africa and Reach plc in the UK. Finally, in the context of their knowledgeable input, it turns its attention to recent developments in journalism education in the UK. It suggests that new opportunities to formulate and deliver safety and resilience training on courses accredited by the NCTJ could help to inspire and spread such training internationally.

Pages: 14

This final chapter aims to capture the reflections of a group of the contributing authors as they met to discuss the evolution of their individual chapters and to locate them in the wider context within which they had produced their work. It takes the form of a conversation, facilitated by the book’s editor, who extrapolated a manifesto for change from the key themes of the dialogue. The discussants hope that this chapter provides some food for thought amongst journalism educators and sparks interesting conversation and debates about the future directions of journalism education