SWECJMC #7
The session at 11:00 was moderated by Roger Saathoff from Texas Tech. The topic is a discussion of convergence in the curriculum. Saatthof noted the plans for a convergence Ph.D. at Texas Tech. Russ Shain from Arkansas State began by talking about what they're doing. Noted faculty who say 'we have teach more than one thing." Compared characteristics of broadcast and print then discussed the web component. Partnership with department of Art for digital media. Last summer they visted Ole Miss, who got Gannett grant to remodel the department, As part of this, they kicked out student media center because of space, so student media was able to remodel other space and have a converged news operation. They're doing pilot test of some software. They discovered the same problems you'd expect in throwing students into 'doing everything.' But some of it seems to be working. So, Arkansas State is doing a converged media class in the spring. Doing it as a team teaching approach. Test it to see how convergence, podcasting, etc. can work.
Paula Furr from Northwestern State says they are limited by their department and faculty size but also limited by ACEJMC accreditation effects. They are focusing on still teaching the basics of good writing, good skills, etc. and not trying to 'teach everything.' But, they are pointing students in a capstone class to have had given themselves experience with all their department media and learned some aspects of print, broadcast and Internet. The idea that you are going to teach 'everything' you have to have students come in with good basic skills already--which they mostly do not have.
Charles Ingold of the University of Northern Colorado, said for them the idea was no so much about media convergence but to make students more marketable -- more skills to take to a different assortment of jobs. Also telecommunications emphasis based on technology, PR based on content--theorectically it should be easy for students to cross over through electives. Now, getting into convergent media product--kind of relates to the question of 'what is a convergenc]tmedia product.' Resouces also become an issue--how can you make all your students do a class that is technology-driven and by its nature needs to be small? Referred to BYU's plans (was not aware of recent developments at BYU--pulling back from convergence). Overall, faculty difficulty in being interested in and wanting to cover a variety of activities in one class and disgruntled students make doing convergence a challenge.
Jamie Byrne of Arkansas-Little Rock talked about 'officiating at the shotgun wedding' in pulling together curricula in convergence effort. In looking at new faculty, they are looking at people who have more diverse backgrounds to be able to teach more than one area. In dealing with the faculty--current faculty member who is a newspaper journalist type can do some retraining for other areas. The university needs to suport that financially. Their new convergence effort is to create generalists with a specialty. School of Mass Communication core, with concentrations in journalism, mass communication, strategic communication and media design & production.
As a panel discussion, after the overview from panelists, the audience and the panel interacted on issues of convergence--with a note made that maybe it's better to see it as co-existence. Convergence Tracker from API noted.
Paula Furr from Northwestern State says they are limited by their department and faculty size but also limited by ACEJMC accreditation effects. They are focusing on still teaching the basics of good writing, good skills, etc. and not trying to 'teach everything.' But, they are pointing students in a capstone class to have had given themselves experience with all their department media and learned some aspects of print, broadcast and Internet. The idea that you are going to teach 'everything' you have to have students come in with good basic skills already--which they mostly do not have.
Charles Ingold of the University of Northern Colorado, said for them the idea was no so much about media convergence but to make students more marketable -- more skills to take to a different assortment of jobs. Also telecommunications emphasis based on technology, PR based on content--theorectically it should be easy for students to cross over through electives. Now, getting into convergent media product--kind of relates to the question of 'what is a convergenc]tmedia product.' Resouces also become an issue--how can you make all your students do a class that is technology-driven and by its nature needs to be small? Referred to BYU's plans (was not aware of recent developments at BYU--pulling back from convergence). Overall, faculty difficulty in being interested in and wanting to cover a variety of activities in one class and disgruntled students make doing convergence a challenge.
Jamie Byrne of Arkansas-Little Rock talked about 'officiating at the shotgun wedding' in pulling together curricula in convergence effort. In looking at new faculty, they are looking at people who have more diverse backgrounds to be able to teach more than one area. In dealing with the faculty--current faculty member who is a newspaper journalist type can do some retraining for other areas. The university needs to suport that financially. Their new convergence effort is to create generalists with a specialty. School of Mass Communication core, with concentrations in journalism, mass communication, strategic communication and media design & production.
As a panel discussion, after the overview from panelists, the audience and the panel interacted on issues of convergence--with a note made that maybe it's better to see it as co-existence. Convergence Tracker from API noted.
posted by Tony at 11:37 AM
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