King Content and the Journalism Curriculum

Guy Berger, 14 December 2005

Or an elected female president?

Nevertheless..

Content = means to an end

What end?

Agenda-setting1. Philosophy, definitions

2. Context:

• Education, industry, conditions…

3. Curriculum or curriculae?

4. The order of things

5. Core vs peripheries

6. Other knowledges

7. Conclusion ’n questions

1. Philosophy & definitions

1.1 Nature of the beast?• Education or training?• Outcomes-based?

– But, beware simple cause-effect• What is journalism?

– “no one size fits all …– “extent to which we have a reified

conception is indicative of how particular forms have become hegemonic”

• Possibility of the universal?

2. Context

2.1 Changing higher education

• Branded, commodities, sales, customers.

• Numbers and niches

• Have to cover all bases & tensions

• Bigger issue is NOT industry-academy relations: but contribution to society.

– i.e. media not endpoint, but a means …

• Practical connection: USA 71%

– But with what effect….?

2.2 Historic dichotomy:• Industry point of reference

• Tension: “admin” vs “critical” journ ed.

Industry Academy

•Prod/professional skills

•Vocational

•External orientation

•Administrative

•Theory, concepts

•Academic

•Internal orientation

•Critical

Vs

Vs

Vs

Vs

2.3 Confounding the norm•Prod/professional skills

•Vocational

•External orientation

•Administrative

•Theory, concepts

•Academic

•Internal orientation

•Critical

Vs

Vs

Vs

Vs

•Theory embedded in Prod/Professional

•Prod skills ≠ vocation per se (eg. mm, WED)

•Academic ≠ internal orientation (topical)

•Critical can be in all these

BUT:

2.4 Brave new world• Orientation to a changing industry:

– Do we lag, or pioneer?– Do we combat or cuddle?– Do we serve, or transform?

• More “media” and “journalists”– Is investigative journ only thing left?

• Globalisation & national mould • New technologies• Peace, Aids, Union, Languages etc.

3. Curriculum or curriculae?

Different answers depending on:

• Diplomas (varying lengths)

• Degrees

• Post-grad programmes

• Certificate courses

3.1 Horses, courses, configs

4. The order of things

• Cobden, Fourie: research, analysis, general knowledge before technique

• G Stuart Adam: techniques, then depth techniques, then specialist knowledge for critique

• Rhodes: Integrate where possible, though acknowledge some stand-alone theory components, some more production-oriented parts, some additive.

4.1 Life is short: eat dessert first?

5. Cores vs peripheries

• Cultural studies

• Identity, Discourse, Representation

• Media studies

• Pol ecos, Law, Policy, Democracy (in various guises), History, Tech

• Journalism studies

• News, sources, ethics, genre, story telling, negotiation

5.1 Theory: onions, not apples

5.2 Elementary and specialist

• Main flavour vs smorgasboard.

• Time, time, time and more time

• Writing – what is it? Thinking? Reporting?

– Generic versus medium-specific?

– Bridge to academic courses?

• Research – what is it?

– Bridge to academic courses?

Year 1: Core

• Mass com intro

• Mass media history

• African comms

• Use of language

• Writing for mass media

• Computer literacy

5.3 Unesco African (UG degree):

• Mass media/com and society

• National comms systems

• Comms for devt

• Reading notes

• Current events

• Second language

Year 1: Elective

• Economics

• Afn history

• Philosophy of science

• Intro to Pol Sci

• Intro to Psych

5.4 Unesco African (UG degree):

• Intro to Philosophy

• Intro to Sociology

• Literary theories

• Art history

• Religious history

Year 2: Core• Intro to print journ• Intro to broadcast• Intro to PR• Intro to Ads• Intro to book publish• Intro to Photojrn• Intro media manage• News reporting

5.5 Unesco African (UG degree):

• Com theories

• Intro to comms research

• Intro to new ICTs

• Intro to film & lit

• Media & gender

• Intro to docu-mentation

• Use of language

Year 2: Elective• Stats• Layout• Announcing• Radio news• Bdcast studios• Intro to marketing• Writing for PR• History of Photography• Fundamentals photo

5.6 Unesco African (UG degree):

• Photo reporting

• Intro to library sci

• Good Governance

• Hist of film

• Script writing

• Books/Ads/Features

• Rhetoric

• Specialised reporting

• Animation

Year 3: Core• Devt comms

• Advance research

• Policies and law

• Consultancy

• Internat comms

• Ethics

• Advanced reporting

5.7 Unesco African (UG degree):Electives:• Mass comm lit• Cross cultural comms• Organisational comms• Social marketing• News agency reporting• Media & Human

Rights

5.8 Interrogating it

• Model of uniform curriculum

• Rationale unclear

• No rubric –

– Eg. RU themes

• 1st year: consumption

• 2nd year: production

• 3rd year: contexts

6. Other knowledges

6.1 Orientations

• Specifics – – Numeracy? Computers? What level?– History, geography?

• Generic –– General knowledge, but..

• “not learn more facts, but identify gaps and know how to reasearch them. ‘Give a journo a fact and feed her for one story. Teach her how to discover, and she has a career…”

6.2 Other

– Logic?

– Critical thinking?

– Entrepreneurialism?

– Negotiation and leadership?

• identify and solve problems;• work in a team;• organise and manage themselves;• collect, analyse and evaluate information;• communicate effectively;• use science and technology;• recognise problem solving contexts;• reflect on effective learning strategies;• participate as a responsible citizen;• be culturally and aesthetically sensitive.

6.4 “Cross-field” outcomes

7. Conclusion – the questions

Summing up

1. Education? Journalism? Universal?2. Context:

• Changing higher education, any impact?• Industry vs academy a false dichotomy?• Situation specific

3. Rave new world, local issues nb?4. Note different qualifix and programmes?5. A right sequence? Integration?6. Theoretical knowledges (cs, ms, js)?7. General, foundational, cross field?

Thank you

Now, you’re on air…