Student Reporting Abroad: A journalism project built on internationalisation

Abstract

This article updates research by the writer on overseas reporting trips for Australian Journalism students, conducted since 2000. It describes changing educational contexts, with expanded internationalisation and work integrated learning. A precursor of both, the trips project provides a Faculty-level model for implementing such changes. Previous research, to 2008, recorded 60 students making nine field trips, to Southeast Asia, China, Papua New Guinea or Europe. Participants working as foreign correspondents for campus-based media outlets, would apply that experience to theoretical work, e.g. on international journalism or inter-cultural issues. The research has supported arguments for internationalisation of the curriculum, positing that intensified experience will concentrate the mind, improve skills and stimulate reflection. The present work goes further, with more individual and detailed probing of student responses. As a case study, nine participants travelling to South-east Asia and Europe in 2012 documented their experience and their reflective work. The investigation concludes such travel programmes can be highly effective in core learning.

Models of Work-Integrated Learning in Journalism Education

“…He argues that, despite the difficulties associated with taking students into different cultures, students develop intercultural communication skills in the field. Both authors (Woolley, 2017, Duffield, 2014, Duffield, 2008 report positive employment outcomes for students who participated in these field reporting experiences.…”

Bearing Witness: A Pacific Climate Crisis Documentary and Journalism Development Project

“…While the value of journalism fieldtrips is evident in student assessments and in the work that has been produced (students have won Ossie student journalism awards for their work in the first two years and produced a documentary that has played in film festivals in the third year) is useful and instructive to consider Lee Duffield’s analysis of his QUT students’ experiences participating in journalism fieldtrips in the Pacific and in Europe (Duffield, 2014, 2016).…”

“…Duffield describes a Work Integrated Learning (WIL) model as a common theme in tertiary education that can equip students to effectively transition into the workplace. Citing Cooper et al (2010) and Duffield (2014, p. 209) identifies wider currents that not only influence course design but challenge our ideas of a course anchored within the geographical confines of the university. Cooper et al (2010, p. 2) ‘identify changes in industry associated with globalisation as the driver for change…the demand for work-ready graduates, who are familiar with organisational practices in the workplace is increasing.’ Duffield’s analysis of the fieldtrips which he has co-ordinated reveal the value of an in-the-field approach that encourages flexibility, professional practice and a supportive learning/news production environment where the teacher/practitioner is on hand to guide the process of learning and news production (2014, p. 220; 2016).…”

“…This paper examines the principles of collaboration between a student filmmaker and student journalist, both postgraduate, in the 2018 edition of the project in terms of creative/news outcomes and also in terms of the pedagogical approach taken to aid the preparation, production and post-production in this project. Additionally, we explore this new context in terms of past work (Duffield, 2014, 2016; Marbrook et al, 2017; Robie, 2018; Robie & Chand, 2017) and where the project might develop in the future.…”

Intercultural Competencies Needed for Evolving Media Professions: Educating the Next Generation of Globally Minded Communicators

“…An expanded perspective helps young journalists to contextualize national and international events and to consider effects on populations outside the United States (Deuze, 2001). Strategies for doing this have included exposing students to international reporting experiences (Duffield, 2014; Weaver & Willnat, 2012) and teaching them about press operations in other countries (Rodny-Gumede, 2013).…”