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Modern Journalism
Modern Journalism is an introductory course for individuals interested in learning technical skills required of practitioners of the field of journalism. It provides an understanding of the breadth of the field and the diversity of elements and subfields that constitute it. This course is taught by professional journalists and intended for future colleagues, while accounting for the expanding definition of what journalists cover and how they work.
It covers issues specific to journalism and journalists, including: the social role of the journalist; the importance of craft (expository, explanatory, and literary technique); the basic skills needed to produce journalism utilizing the written word and audio, visual, and digital mediums; the story from idea generation (emphasizing in-depth research and interviewing technique), continuing all the way up to writing, rewriting and the editing process.
Students take this course so that they can:
Start a journalism career (freelance or staff)
Understand the role, rights, and responsibilities of professional journalists
Report and comment on the significant topics and events in the world
Get work in front of the right editors or publishers
Focus and refine interests to know where to devote resources for their next career steps
Acquire the terminology and industry best practices necessary to work at a journalistic outlet
Modern Journalism consists of six course modules:
Acts of Journalism Today
Journalistic Inquiry: Basic Investigating and Reporting
Storytelling the Truth: Longform and Feature Writing
Multimedia Storytelling
The Journalist and Social Media
The Journalism Business and the Working Journalist
The course is built on video lectures by faculty and practitioners. We use a two-camera setup, but for each course we filmed in a manner appropriate to the overall course concept. For this course, we used a video screen behind the talent for a bit of virtual cinematography. I wanted to put each journalist in a setting that would give the learner an experience of the types of spaces in which they would encounter them in the professional world.
Courses use the LearnDash LMS. Left-hand navigation leaves the majority of the screen free for the video or other course content.
Though focusing on the singular figure of each speaker, the course content is elucidated and expanded with scenes from the works being discussed, on-screen definitions, and illustrative B-roll.
Though focusing on the singular figure of each speaker, the course content is elucidated and expanded with scenes from the works being discussed, on-screen definitions, and illustrative B-roll.
Though focusing on the singular figure of each speaker, the course content is elucidated and expanded with scenes from the works being discussed, on-screen definitions, and illustrative B-roll.
Every journalism program, at some point, gives students a grammar, spelling, and punctuation (GSP) test. I mimicked one here using a multiple-choice quiz tool for learners.
Many basic journalistic skills needed to be practiced, not just quizzed. Throughout the course, I developed exercises like this one, intended to highlight observational skills. The learner watches a one-minute video of Massachusetts Police’s response to a traffic accident, which includes the audio from the emergency radio channel. When finished, they must answer questions about the fact base of the incident.
For each module, I designed 1-2 activities based on a real-world skill needed within the profession, creating templates and examples for the students as needed. These activities build toward a final capstone project.
For each module, I designed 1-2 activities based on a real-world skill needed within the profession, creating templates and examples for the students as needed. These activities build toward a final capstone project.
For each module, I designed 1-2 activities based on a real-world skill needed within the profession, creating templates and examples for the students as needed. These activities build toward a final capstone project.
For each module, I designed 1-2 activities based on a real-world skill needed within the profession, creating templates and examples for the students as needed. These activities build toward a final capstone project.
Difficult to show, I also devised a game wherein the aspiring journalists receive an email from an anonymous source within an electric car company. Each response they give elicits an automated reply with more information — out of which they will eventually construct a reporting plan for a story
Difficult to show, I also devised a game wherein the aspiring journalists receive an email from an anonymous source within an electric car company. Each response they give elicits an automated reply with more information — out of which they will eventually construct a reporting plan for a story
Knowledge-check quizzes might have a bad reputation, but any moment of questioning is also a teaching opportunity. They are used throughout to A) reinforce needed factual knowledge, B) encourage learners to consider points of differentiation other than those presented in the course materials, or C) ask learners to extrapolate from what they’ve learned to new situations.
A well-researched interactive timeline gives the student extensive historical setting for the industry and helps contextualize the milestones discussed in the video lectures.
A well-researched interactive timeline gives the student extensive historical setting for the industry and helps contextualize the milestones discussed in the video lectures.
Original and subject-area specific definitions of key terms are available by mouseover throughout the course.