We propose: the mainstreaming of the convergence emphasis
"Changing the name of the news major to print and digital news doesn’t mean we know how to do digital news." – Allison Bennett, MU Senior.
We see students graduating from the magazine, the radio-television, the strategic communication, the photojournalism and the print and digital news emphasis areas lacking necessary skills in web design, video editing and multimedia story telling that they will need on the job. We see students in the convergence emphasis area who are not required to take classes that give them the same level of writing and editing instruction that print and digital news students receive. Currently, we see Missourian reporters partnered with convergence students for stories, so the Missourian reporter can do the writing and the convergence student can put together the video or slide show. They may learn from each other in the process, but neither become masters.
We propose that every student be given the opportunity to learn both sets of skills.
We believe the convergence emphasis area should have been a transitional form. When the convergence emphasis area was introduced, it was an opportunity to experiment with cutting-edge technologies and practices. Students could learn how to create Web sites or online news hubs for their stories, incorporate flash and learn other skills associated with the Internet platform for journalism. Now that convergence has been established, however, we propose that it be dissolved into all of the other sequences. The principles of convergence should be incorporated into every journalism student's curriculum regardless of their emphasis area.
When Slate editor David Plotz came to the the Missouri School of Journalism to receive his Missouri Honor Medal in 2009, he noted the importance of convergence skills for all graduates. Plotz went so far as to say his most valuable Slate employee is a young man in his 20s who is able to both report and then create online multimedia for his stories. With the removal of the convergence emphasis, every student at the Missouri School of Journalism will have that same winning combination of skills.
The students we spoke with stressed that the only people who are learning the convergence skills necessary for the profession are in the convergence sequence. Those skills have become too important to be limited to only some students.
Beginning with a fundamentals of multimedia core class, existing convergence professors would teach convergence courses to all students including those in strategic communication. Each graduate of the Missouri School of Journalism should have a basic understanding of multimedia, writing code and an online portfolio.
We see students graduating from the magazine, the radio-television, the strategic communication, the photojournalism and the print and digital news emphasis areas lacking necessary skills in web design, video editing and multimedia story telling that they will need on the job. We see students in the convergence emphasis area who are not required to take classes that give them the same level of writing and editing instruction that print and digital news students receive. Currently, we see Missourian reporters partnered with convergence students for stories, so the Missourian reporter can do the writing and the convergence student can put together the video or slide show. They may learn from each other in the process, but neither become masters.
We propose that every student be given the opportunity to learn both sets of skills.
We believe the convergence emphasis area should have been a transitional form. When the convergence emphasis area was introduced, it was an opportunity to experiment with cutting-edge technologies and practices. Students could learn how to create Web sites or online news hubs for their stories, incorporate flash and learn other skills associated with the Internet platform for journalism. Now that convergence has been established, however, we propose that it be dissolved into all of the other sequences. The principles of convergence should be incorporated into every journalism student's curriculum regardless of their emphasis area.
When Slate editor David Plotz came to the the Missouri School of Journalism to receive his Missouri Honor Medal in 2009, he noted the importance of convergence skills for all graduates. Plotz went so far as to say his most valuable Slate employee is a young man in his 20s who is able to both report and then create online multimedia for his stories. With the removal of the convergence emphasis, every student at the Missouri School of Journalism will have that same winning combination of skills.
The students we spoke with stressed that the only people who are learning the convergence skills necessary for the profession are in the convergence sequence. Those skills have become too important to be limited to only some students.
Beginning with a fundamentals of multimedia core class, existing convergence professors would teach convergence courses to all students including those in strategic communication. Each graduate of the Missouri School of Journalism should have a basic understanding of multimedia, writing code and an online portfolio.
