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LIVING THE NEWS: LEARNING COMMUNITIES AND THE BG NEWS AS AN APPROACH TO ADDRESS JOURNALISM EDUCATION GOALS

Barhite, Brandi M.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1305141584

Abstract Details

2011, Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, Media and Communication.
Numerous studies have demonstrated the value of learning communities on campus to higher education because students who participate in them are more likely to be engaged in their field of interest, more likely to attend workshops, and more likely to develop relationships with faculty who become mentors. Similarly, anecdotal evidence suggests that working for a student newspaper can have a lasting value for students' personal and professional development. But while learning communities usually involve students in a common major like theater or an interest like service learning, involvement in the student newspaper on many campuses has no connection to a particular major or department. This is true at Bowling Green State University, where students of any major may begin at The BG News whenever they want and quit whenever they want. In keeping with national accrediting expectations, the BGSU Department of Journalism and Public Relations has eleven learning outcomes for its majors, many of which are furthered when students work at The BG News. This thesis explores how a learning community connected both with The BG News and the journalism department might benefit students, meet the needs of the changing student newspaper landscape and assist the department in preparing majors for professional media careers. A review of the literature provided a list of the academic and social outcomes that scholars have identified as the result of student participation in learning communities. Those results were then matched against the particular journalism objectives to determine whether there was any correlation. The analysis suggests there might be a benefit for both department and students. First, students in a learning community are surrounded by peers with similar interests and faculty who can help at almost any time. Secondly, when students live or meet on a regular basis, they become more engaged. Finally, a community creates a closeness and passion that mimics the newsroom teamwork, which can reinforce the BGSU journalism objectives. These findings suggest a learning community tied to the paper and the department would be advantageous because it would further departmental goals and enhance the very aspects of teamwork that build better journalists.
Catherine Cassara, PhD (Advisor)
Brett Holden, PhD (Committee Chair)
James Foust, PhD (Committee Member)
Bortel Robert, MA (Committee Member)
56 p.
Journalism
student newspapers; learning communities; media

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Barhite, B. M. (2011). LIVING THE NEWS: LEARNING COMMUNITIES AND THE BG NEWS AS AN APPROACH TO ADDRESS JOURNALISM EDUCATION GOALS [Master's thesis, Bowling Green State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1305141584

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Barhite, Brandi. LIVING THE NEWS: LEARNING COMMUNITIES AND THE BG NEWS AS AN APPROACH TO ADDRESS JOURNALISM EDUCATION GOALS. 2011. Bowling Green State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1305141584.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Barhite, Brandi. "LIVING THE NEWS: LEARNING COMMUNITIES AND THE BG NEWS AS AN APPROACH TO ADDRESS JOURNALISM EDUCATION GOALS." Master's thesis, Bowling Green State University, 2011. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1305141584

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

bgsu1305141584
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© 2011, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Bowling Green State University and OhioLINK.