Course Title: Newsroom

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Newsroom

Credit Points: 36

Terms

Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

COMM2655

City Campus

Undergraduate

345H Media and Communication

Face-to-Face

Sem 2 2015,
Sem 2 2016,
Sem 2 2017,
Sem 2 2018

Course Coordinator: Dr Alex Wake

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 9749

Course Coordinator Email: alex.wake@rmit.edu.au


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

Required Prior Study

Successful completion of COMM2658 Journalism: Professional Placement.

OR

Alternatively you may be able to demonstrate the required skills and knowledge before you start this course. Contact your course coordinator if you think you may be eligible for recognition of prior learning. Further information: Credit at RMIT


Course Description

This capstone course will prepare you to work in a converged, multimedia newsroom (print/online/radio/television). You will produce both short and longer-form journalism in a deadline-driven environment that mirrors industry practice. The course will enable you to synthesise and integrate knowledge, connect theory and practice as well as demonstrate holistic achievement of program learning outcomes.

You will work to strict deadlines and editorial expectations and use the skills and knowledge learned in earlier courses to produce news and current affairs reports in a Digital First newsroom environment. Your reports will be showcased on City Journal, and on live broadcast platforms.

This course includes a work integrated learning experience in which your knowledge and skills will be applied and assessed in a real or simulated workplace context and where feedback from industry and/ or community is integral to your experience.


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

In this course you will develop the following program learning outcomes:

  • Discuss and analyse major evolving local and international events.
  • Develop practical and technical skills to quickly adapt to current and future changes in the industry.
  • Apply a body of theoretical and practical knowledge and specific skills in media and communication, specifically journalism, on which to base your professional practice or future study.
  • Demonstrate creativity, critical thinking and innovation when identifying and solving problems in diverse contexts within the discipline of journalism.
  • Communicate using diverse formats and strategies to audiences within and external to your discipline.
  • Develop practical and technical skills to quickly adapt to changes in the journalism industry.
  • Work with others in a range of roles and contexts, demonstrating cultural, environmental and social awareness and ethical and reflective practice.
  • Apply initiative and judgement in planning, problems solving and decision making in your practice or future study.


Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:

  • Produce news stories for print, online and broadcast platforms in a converged newsroom to meet strict deadlines.
  • Undertake a range of editorial roles making management decisions in a deadline-driven environment.
  • Critically analyse and address platform-specific requirements for news production.
  • Compare and contrast the differences between the roles of production and editorial staff in a converged newsroom.
  • Critically reflect on your performance as a journalist and identify areas for future development.


Overview of Learning Activities

You will be actively engaged in learning that involves a range of activities such as studios, project work, lectures, tutorials, class discussion, individual and group activities.

You can expect to receive industry/community feedback.


Overview of Learning Resources

RMIT will provide you with resources and tools for learning in this course through our online systems.

A list of recommended learning resources will be provided by your lecturer, including books, journal articles and web resources. You will also be expected to seek further resources relevant to the focus of your own learning.

The University Library has extensive resources for Journalism students. The Library has produced a subject guide that includes quality online and print resources for your studies: http://rmit.libguides.com/journalism

The Library provides guides on academic referencing: http://www.rmit.edu.au/library/referencing and subject specialist help via your Liaison Librarian.
 


Overview of Assessment

You will be assessed on how well you meet the course’s learning outcomes and on your development against the program learning outcomes. Assessment may include reports, reflective papers, creative projects and presentations, individually and in groups. Assessment will cover both theoretical and practical aspects of your learning.

Feedback will be given on all assessment tasks.

If you have a long term medical condition and/or disability it may be possible to negotiate to vary aspects of the learning or assessment methods. You can contact the program coordinator or the Equitable Learning Services if you would like to find out more.

Your course assessment conforms to RMIT assessment principles, regulations, policies, procedures and instructions which are available for review online: Assessment