The shift in education is finally being controlled, at least within the realm of journalism. After years – I repeat, years! – of producing students who found themselves inadequately equipped for a real world professional occupation, the University of Wisconsin School of Journalism is finally responding in a smart way.
Instead of attempting to implement grand structural changes, Katy Culver, journalism professor and associate director of the Center for Journalism Ethics, is working with PBS media shift’s Mark Glaser to curate ideas of what professors can do right now to change the educational landscape of journalism.
Glaser decided to apply for a grant to launch Educational Shift after being tired of talking about what is broken in journalism education and thinking, “Why don’t we do something about fixing it?”
The toughest part at this time is that Glaser, Culver and other journalism professors throughout the nation are preaching to the already converted. It’s obvious that many professors are resistant to change, are too busy with their own research or just don’t care about the students. That’s why it’s up to us, the students, to get in on the conversation and talk to our professors about implementing changes. After all, we are the ones who are the best at seeing what works and what doesn’t.
I recently participated in EdShift’s biweekly Twitter chat using the #EdShift hashtag to answer questions like “Why should students pursue a degree in a journalism program? What’s its value?” I also sat down with Culver and heard about current improvements some of our J-school professors are implementing. Finally, it feels that professors are actually listening and implementing our suggestions.
Culver said EdShift inspires professors by offering them a new instructional booklet.“EdShift isn’t pushing for anything other than experimenting and seeing what works and seeing what doesn’t and just trying new things,” Culver said.
You might be wondering how the hell professors plan to add more lessons into the already jam-packed semester schedule. I shared that same thought with Culver and she laughed. “It’s like putting 10 pounds of manure in a 5-pound sack,” she said.
According to Culver, the shift in education is not about getting rid of anything, though; it’s about repurposing lessons. A couple of years ago, students had to write obituaries, now they are creating video obituaries. You don’t need to add on. You need to remix.
EdShift also has an entrepreneurial aspect. It gives students opportunities to dream big, to get the mindset of anything is possible and if you have a great idea, you should act on it. Students who have recently taken J202 know the entrepreneurial aspect of EdShift when they run through their final group projects.
We finally have a chance to serve a need that hasn’t been met for a long time. Professors are finally putting the long debates of accreditation, tenure and grand structural changes on the back burner to focus on shifting education in the right direction, small step by small step. To do so, professors need “to have more militant, on the ground, little individual changes in courses,” Culver said.
You have the chance to choose what those changes are. Speak up on the long-waited shift in journalism education. Participate in the next #EdShift Twitter chat on March 7.
Garth Beyer ([email protected]) is a senior majoring in journalism.
