MediaShift

EducationShift

How College Students Became Mini-Media Moguls in School

by Dan Reimold

In April 2007, Zephyr Basine arrived at school for her noontime biology seminar -- and immediately zoned out. Instead of learning science, the sophomore at the University of Massachusetts Amherst carried out a "fashion-scoping session." While the professor spoke about organisms and evolution, Basine focused on her fellow students' outfits and accessories, scouting for something new, chic or trendy.

• September 8, 2010
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EducationShift

Spending the Summer in 'Journalist Law School'

by Nick Baumann

What do you get when you cross a lawyer and a journalist? Most of the time, of course, you get a lawyer. You know: The kids who worked so hard on the college paper but jetted off to Boalt when the prospect of years of unpaid internships scared them off. Most journalists remember a few people like that. (I know a dozen or so.)

• September 7, 2010
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4MR

4 Minute Roundup: Helping Journalism Students Get Tech Skills

by Mark Glaser

In this week's 4MR podcast I talk about MediaShift's "Beyond J-School" series so far, including the stories on teaching social media, the 5Across roundtable and Jen Lee Reeves' take on getting j-students over their fear of technology. I talked with Reeves more about how she is asking her students this semester to pay $36 each for Lynda.com courses on learning the basics of Photoshop, Illustrator and Flash. Reeves talked candidly about her students and their fears of failing with technology.

• September 3, 2010
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EducationShift

Business, Entrepreneurial Skills Come to Journalism School

by Dorian Benkoil

For decades, journalists in mainstream news organizations were shielded from the revenue side of the operation. Many argued their lack of knowledge helped avoid even the appearance of commercial influence in the editorial well. But with increased stress in the news industry and new disruptive technologies giving even entry-level reporters an understanding of audience behaviors and income streams, things have started to shift.

• September 3, 2010
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EducationShift

How to Conquer Journalism Students' Fear of Technology

by Jen Lee Reeves

In a time and age when many of my generation assume the younger generation understands technology, I have been surprised by the number of students who walk into my class and announce that they "don't know anything about computers." It's a rampant attitude. I beg each and every student who says this to pretend they never said it and try everything I introduce to them in my class.

• September 2, 2010
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EducationShift

Revamping J-Schools in Australia to Bring in 'Citizens Agenda'

by Julie Posetti

As Australian democracy hangs in the balance, and with the outcome of the August 21 national election unlikely to be resolved for weeks, I'm considering the implications for journalism education -- and how we can invent new models for political reporting.

• September 1, 2010
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EducationShift

Special Series: Beyond J-School

by Mark Glaser

After the success last month with our "Beyond Content Farms" series, we decided to do another in-depth special series on MediaShift. This time the series will look at "Beyond J-School," chronicling how journalism education and training are changing, and how journalists need more than traditional j-school. They need multimedia skills, social media knowledge, community management chops, and must learn to collaborate with their audience. It's more than just learning the basics of journalism: They also need more background in business, entrepreneurship, technology and even programming.

• August 31, 2010
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5Across

5Across: Beyond J-School

by Mark Glaser

Just as traditional media has struggled with disruptive technology and the Internet, so too have the institutions that run journalism education. Most journalism schools and training programs are run by people whose careers were framed by print, broadcast and traditional PR, so how can students get the skills they need in the digital age? We convened a group of journalism educators, a trainer, a student and a J-school dropout to discuss how journalism education is shifting.

• August 31, 2010
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EducationShift

How to Teach Social Media in Journalism Schools

by Alfred Hermida

Social media is such a new phenomenon that it is easy for someone to claim to be an expert in the subject. A search on Twitter throws up all sorts of people claiming to be social media gurus. But at journalism schools, professors are working out how to teach social media to ensure that graduating students are proficient, if not expert, in this new addition to the curriculum.

• August 30, 2010
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4MR

4 Minute Roundup: Google Offers Free Calls via Gmail

by Mark Glaser

In this week's 4MR podcast I look at the recently launched free phone service from Google through Gmail. Undercutting Skype and other VoIP services (not to mention landlines), Google is letting people call from their computer to anywhere in the U.S. or Canada for free, and charging low international rates. What's in it for Google? I spoke to tech pundit and Computerworld contributor Mitch Wagner to learn more.

• August 27, 2010
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