Catalog Description

Prerequisite: Completion of COMM 78 with grade of "C" or better
Advisory: Completion with grade of "C" or better, or concurrent enrollment in ENGL 1B or 1C
Hours: 72 (36 lecture, 36 activity)
Description: Intermediate student journalism and media practicum that regularly produces a news or non-fiction feature product by and for students and distributed to a campus or community audience. Students take on leadership roles as editors and produce stories. Includes weekly news assignments that provide practical experience in design/layout, visual, online, multimedia journalism, emerging technologies, and performance. May include a variety of student media across multiple platforms, including print, broadcast, podcast, radio, and online. Student produced with student leadership. (C-ID JOUR 131) (CSU)

Course Student Learning Outcomes

  • CSLO #1: Serve as an editor on a collaborative team.
  • CSLO #2: Create a digital portfolio to showcase journalistic skills, interests, and growth over time.
  • CSLO #3: Apply ethical and socially responsible use of media.

Effective Term

Fall 2024

Course Type

Credit - Degree-applicable

Contact Hours

72

Outside of Class Hours

90

Total Student Learning Hours

162

Course Objectives

Lecture Objectives: 

  1. Define relevant news content 

  2. Determine the best format –print, multimedia, visual, etc.—for telling basic news stories

  3. Assess legal issues affecting media 

  4. Assess ethical issues affecting media 

  5. Develop effective design/layout for story presentation

Activity Objectives: 

  1. Produce journalistic stories through written, spoken, visual or other multimedia formats

  2. Gather news information weekly 

  3. Edit basic and advanced news into publishable form, with attention to accuracy, clarity, thoroughness, fairness, AP style, and media law and ethics

  4. Develop news and feature stories through written, visual, audio, video or other multimedia formats

  5. Develop leadership and management skills as an editor 

  6. Build a portfolio of completed projects for student media that demonstrates a range of storytelling formats and styles that are more advanced than in Comm 78

General Education Information

  • Approved College Associate Degree GE Applicability
    • CSU GE Applicability (Recommended-requires CSU approval)
      • Cal-GETC Applicability (Recommended - Requires External Approval)
        • IGETC Applicability (Recommended-requires CSU/UC approval)

          Articulation Information

          • CSU Transferable

          Methods of Evaluation

          • Classroom Discussions
            • Example: Lead a discussion on ethical issues affecting media related to story assignments. Draw on the Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics or related guides to assess and resolve issues that may arise in reporting and writing stories.
          • Objective Examinations
            • Example: Quiz that includes questions such as: 1. What is a multimedia package in journalism? A. A story conveyed through a combination of 2 or more media such as text, image, audio, video, and graphics in ways that add to the whole. B. One story adjusted slightly to be told through different mediums such as television, radio, print, and online. C. Different sections in a newspaper. (Answer: A.)
          • Skill Demonstrations
            • Example: Edit a story for accuracy, applying fact-checking research and skills; copy-editing; and/or layout. Return it to the student reporter with suggested edits, after the student makes changes, check the story again. Complete cycle until the story is ready for publication.

          Repeatable

          No

          Methods of Instruction

          • Activity
          • Lecture/Discussion
          • Distance Learning

          Activity:

          1. The instructor will introduce and support peer-to-peer collaboration that will allow students to actively participate in the learning process by talking with each other and listening to other points of view prior to and during the editing process toward publication. The collaboration process establishes a personal connection between students and the community they'll be serving, which helps students strike a balance between their voice as media leaders, community stakeholders, and right-to-know information. Group production projects enable students to develop skills working as a team and practice leadership as editors. The instructor explains how to pitch stories to the editors and coaches students in various roles as journalists and editors. They also coach students in one-on-one writing and planning, publishing of student created material, and post-writing critique sessions.

          Lecture:

          1. The instructor will lead a lecture and discussion on publishing stories on digital platforms with multimedia tools. The process of taking on journalistic roles, collaboration, leadership and applying ethical practices to produce stories will be explained. This will set the stage for students to actively produce and distribute media via online, podcast, and print. Students will discuss making stories, share interests, and choose areas on which to focus over the term.

          Distance Learning

          1. In the online modality, the instructor will post a written and/or multimedia lecture on critiquing and developing stories as audio, video, print, and/or multimedia and the production process behind them. Taking on journalistic roles, collaboration, leadership and applying ethical practices to produce stories will be explained. This will set the stage for students to actively produce and distribute media via online, podcast, and print. The instructor will provide a discussion board, or video conference or similar, to review examples and discuss productions. Students will discuss making stories, share interests, and choose areas on which to focus over the term.
          2. In the online modality, the instructor will post a lecture on inclusive collaboration and taking on leadership roles in journalistic production. Through a discussion board or video conference students will share out interests in story topics, and affinity for medium as beginning podcasters, photojournalists, writers, copy-editors, etc. The instructor will organize students in teams through a transparent process and appoint leaders. Teams may be organized as groups in the LMS to collaborate on assignments and through discussion boards. Video-tutorials to explain how to use recording equipment, conduct interviews remotely, and produce stories for online distribution will be included in modules and/or pages. All students will take on roles and collaborate to produce stories.

          Typical Out of Class Assignments

          Reading Assignments

          Read journalistic stories related to a news assignment to gain insight into how others are writing about the topic and deepen reporting.

          Writing, Problem Solving or Performance

          Do research to prepare for an interview, draft questions, and conduct an interview. Draw on the transcription to write a profile.

          Other (Term projects, research papers, portfolios, etc.)

          Assemble student-produced stories in an digital portfolio that evidence growth and work in various formats. Critically reflect on learning and write a brief description of the journalistic roles performed to date that highlight collaboration and leadership, and future aspirations toward further education and/or career.

          Required Materials

          • Tools for Podcasting
            • Author: Jill Olmsted
            • Publisher: Open Textbook Library, American University
            • Publication Date: 2019
            • Text Edition:
            • Classic Textbook?: No
            • OER Link:
            • OER: CC-NA
          • Associated Press Stylebook
            • Author: Associated Press
            • Publisher: Basic Books
            • Publication Date: Most recent edition
            • Text Edition:
            • Classic Textbook?: No
            • OER Link:
            • OER:
          • Community-Centered Journalism: Engaging People, Exploring Solutions, and Builidng Trust
            • Author: Andrea Wenzel
            • Publisher: University of Illinois Press
            • Publication Date: 2020
            • Text Edition:
            • Classic Textbook?: No
            • OER Link:
            • OER:
          • The Mobile Journalism Manual: The Guide for Reporters and Newsrooms (www.mojo-manual.org)
            • Author: Corrine Podger and Vivian Goetz, primary authors
            • Publisher: KONRAD-ADENAUER-STIFTUNG LTD.
            • Publication Date: 2023
            • Text Edition:
            • Classic Textbook?: No
            • OER Link:
            • OER: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.
          • Media Innovation and Entrepreneurship
            • Author: Michelle Ferrier and Elizabeth Mays, primary authors
            • Publisher: Open Textbook Library, American University
            • Publication Date: 2019
            • Text Edition:
            • Classic Textbook?: No
            • OER Link:
            • OER: CC by 4.0

          Other materials and-or supplies required of students that contribute to the cost of the course.