The Path Already Taken: Technological and
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The document summarizes the findings of a survey of 401 communication department chairs on their curriculum practices regarding convergence education. Key findings include: 1) Departments are focusing on integrating convergence topics into existing curriculum rather than creating new courses, with common courses being web design, multimedia newsgathering, and digital reporting. 2) Popular topics taught across multiple classes include digital storytelling and convergent journalism. 3) Hands-on courses tend to be taught by full-time faculty while theory courses are split between full-time and part-time. 4) The document concludes by questioning if convergence courses could be offered to more students, including first-years, and opportunities for interdepartmental collaboration
The Path Already Taken: Technological and
- 1. The Path Already TakenTechnological and Pedagogical Practices in Convergence EducationJeremy SarachanAssistant Professor in Communication/JournalismSt. John Fisher CollegeAEJMC/August 2009
- 2. Convergence in the curriculumWhat should we teach?What tools do we need?Target audience: departments wishing to expand implementation of convergence topics.
- 3. Adapting ConvergenceProper strategic planning (Konsky).Static, supplementary, or realigned curriculum (Lowrey, Daniels, and Becker).Focus on the integration of technology with the current curriculum, without creating new topics of study (Kraeplin and Criado).
- 4. MethodSurveyed 401 department chairs (or appropriate faculty) affiliated with AEJMC.110 Responses received (8% margin of error.)Insight into choices made at different schools may prove useful to individual departments.
- 6. Variety of coursesWeb Design (and variants)
- 8. Producing Web Stories and Content
- 11. Communicating in the Virtual World
- 14. Critical Approaches in Digital Media Studies
- 15. Ethnography of MMORPHSTopics offered in multiple classes
- 16. Topics offered outside communication department
- 17. Who enrolls? Who teaches?52% require a hands-on course.
- 18. 43% require a theory course.
- 19. 69% of new media classes combine hands-on and theory.
- 20. 79% of theory courses taught by full-time faculty.
- 21. 64% of hands-on courses taught by full-time faculty.Software used across curriculum
- 22. Software for digital storytelling
- 23. Software for convergent journalism
- 25. Web 2.0 tools taught
- 26. Number of labs for digital media
- 28. Who takes new media courses?Primarily junior and seniors, with much fewer first-year.Primarily communication majors. Also: Digital Media, Media Studies, Film Studies, New Media, Information Technology, Computer Science, English, American Studies (each less than <20%).
- 29. Final thoughtsEmphasis on Digital Storytelling/Convergent Journalism.Could these courses be offered to first-year students?Opportunities for interdepartmental collaboration?Are we teaching concepts surrounding virtual worlds adequately?
- 30. Contact informationThank you.Any questions?Jeremy SarachanAssistant ProfessorSt. John Fisher Collegejsarachan@sjfc.eduJeremy Sarachan on Facebook or LinkedInhttp://www.slideshare.net/jeremysarachan
Editor's Notes
- #2: Read the title. I’m Jeremy Sarachan from St. John Fisher in Rochester, New YorkMy study investigated details about what it takes to offer a convergence curriculum, in terms of topics to cover and resources needed
- #3: Each school approaches adaptation of a convergence curriculum differently. The target audience are members of those departments trying to expand their offerings and embracing convergence more fully
- #4: Proper strategic planning leads to proper planning and involvement/explanation of administration.Static: nothing. Realigned: total rethinking of all classes. Supplementary: adding to existing curriculumAnd that’s what this study does, rather than looking at a converged curriculum as a new field of study or a huge undertaking, the data provides some insight into how to incorporate it into what’s already being done in departments.
- #6: Web design most popular. Convergent journalism and digital storytelling, two aspects of the same idea, one with more of a professional bent. New Media Theory is social science oriented, while cyberculture represents the “humanities” approachVirtual worlds the least common. I believe it will ultimately prove to be more important than what our curriculum currently suggests. Think about farm town and webkinz
- #7: Web Design is standards. Others around convergent journalismSound cultures—interesting.HCI even.Massively multiplayer online role-playing game
- #8: Not many. Only web above 50%. Blogs surprising low. Interesting that it’s confined to one class, and not interspersed in different classes.
- #9: Web taught already, and sometimes taught in other departments. Animation/multimedia as wellLess load in comm, with cross-listing, but less control
- #10: More hands on required. More than 2/3 combine. Slightly more full-time for theory. Adjuncts (with practical experience) can handle hands-on if can’t afford full-time faculty (yet).
- #11: Go with expensive industry standard. Many teach the more technical HTML directly without a program (or may do both)
- #12: Can use anything: even Powerpoint. And Acrobat, where you can make some fairly advanced applications Keynote is like Powerpoint. Of course, Flash is professional and ideal.
- #13: Less about web design. Emphasis on image/video creation.
- #14: Flash wins. Maya more for animation programs and Director is aimed at CD-ROMs and more extensive interactive kiosks
- #15: Blogs are very popular. Podcasts next, and nice that social networking (for PR, advertising?) next. Virtual worlds low.
- #16: 1 or 2 labs. Standard size
- #17: Need to go Macintosh
- #18: Why not for freshmen and all years. Others use these courses, even not Comm. Professionals. Can be used for funding?
- #19: Like other areas of COMM, practical and hands-on are combined.More than web design: digital storytelling and convergent journalism. Rarely at the top of the list. Do these basic skills require more emphasis?