Students' Lounge

Journalism schools out-of-date

Aug 14, 2007 - Posted by Mary McGuire

An article from Insidehighered.com about how journalism schools are falling behind and failing to adapt to the new media world. As a result, students are not learning the skills they need in the new multi-media world of online journalism. The article is based, in part, on a presentation to the AEJMC's convention in Washington in August 2007, and is followed by lots of feedback from students and educators about their experiences in today's J-schools.

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J-schools aren't embracing new media: U.S. study

Aug 13, 2007 - Posted by Heather McCall

Journalism education is not keeping up with the new media demands of the industry, according to a survey of newspaper managing editors conducted by David Wendelken and Toni B. Mehling of James Madison University. Wendelken presented his findings at the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communications annual convention on August 10, citing costs, lack of new media teaching skills and student resistance as probable causes for the gap. In related news, the Cox Center's annual Survey of Journalism and Mass Communication Graduates found that the US job market recovery that began two years ago seems to have stalled.

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The defence

May 12, 2007 - Posted by David Hutton

Reese Cleghorn, a former president of the American Journalism Review and former dean of the College of Journalism of the University of Maryland, defends journalism school -- 80 percent or more of the young people taking newspaper jobs are journalism majors, she argues.

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An open letter to journalism school grads

May 12, 2007 - Posted by David Hutton

Greg Lindsay, a journalism school graduate, enlightens us as to what you get for your $30K+ J-school diploma -- a set of unrealistic expectations and a view from one small slice of the media pie, he says. The comments section on this article is lively and interesting.

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J-School ate my brain

May 12, 2007 - Posted by David Hutton

C'mon," said the other professor, "tell us your nut graph." I gave up and dropped the pad. "What's a nut graph?" I asked. "He doesn't know what a nut graph is!" someone shouted. The adjunct professor took pity. He tried again, gently. "In the article you are writing about the school," he said. "What's your null hypothesis?" My null hypothesis? My null hypothesis! My angle. My bias. My take. My ... point ... of ... view! "My null hypothesis," I said, "is that the Columbia Journalism School is all bullshit." They paused. "That's a good null hypothesis," one said, finally.

That's from "J-School Ate My Brain" by Michael Lewis, New Republic, April 19, 1993. Read on. Scroll down for the response by Joan Konner, Dean of the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism.

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J-School?

May 12, 2007 - Posted by David Hutton

Is a graduate degree in journalism necessary for a career in the field? This article from the Berkeley careers centre takes the perspective that journalism is an industry that values work experience as much as an advanced degree.

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A foreign correspondent weighs in

May 12, 2007 - Posted by David Hutton

Rebecca MacKinnon, journalist, blogger, and educator, weighs in on the j-school debate. She says the granting of degrees should no longer be the focus of journalism education.

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Advice from a j-school drop out

May 12, 2007 - Posted by David Hutton

Lea Aschkenas gives us a behind the scenes look at her journey through journalism school and out the side door.

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If Ian Hanomansing can do it

May 12, 2007 - Posted by David Hutton

Joyce Astifan of the Langara Journalism Review takes up the case of Ian Hanomansing, veteran of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, who took the alternate course, completing degrees in law, political science, and sociology.

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