Adult learners often can't do internships, so how do we get them the experiences they need to be successful in their job search? This exploratory case study will inform educators about the perceptions of online instructors toward the processes of developing and delivering rigorous experiential learning opportunities in online courses.
Transitioning journalism and mass communications curriculum to online and hybrid learning environments has challenged educators to rethink processes for course development, including how to best structure experiential learning assignments that prepare students for industry jobs. Few research studies have examined these specific processes and programs, their impact on faculty and adjunct instructors, the role of instructional design staff, student outcomes, student placement in industry jobs, or the overall student experience. Instead, journalism instructors and researchers have been preoccupied with industry trends such as the practice-education gap (Ferrucci, 2016), the impact of the fake news phenomenon (Bhaskaran, Mishra, & Nair, 2019; Gutsche, 2019; Mutsvairo & Bebawi, 2019 ), social media implications (Bor, 2014; Freberg & Kim, 2017; Kothari & Hickerson, 2015), and industry funding models (Ferrier, 2013).
Online courses are typically asynchronous, although instructors commonly host face-to-face meetings virtually through open-sourced video conferencing software (Garrett, Legon, & Frederickson 2019). Easily accessible and open-sourced technologies, along with institutional commitments to student and instructor support, have transformed the ability for educators to deliver rigorous learning experiences in online and blended modalities that match or exceed face-to-face learning (Bailey, Vaduganathan, Henry, Laverdiere, & Pugliese, 2018; Legon & Garrett, 2018; Garrett, Legon, & Fredericksen, 2019). That said, gaps still exist between student desire to access learning materials through mobile technologies, and learning management systems’ ability to support mobile access and functionality (Clinefelter et al., 2019). Technology is important in facilitating communication at three levels: instructor to student, student to student, and student to content. The importance of these levels is magnified when instructors introduce experiential learning methods to curriculum.
Kolb’s (1984; 2014) Experiential Learning Theory (ELT) built upon the constructivist work of Dewey, Lewin, Piaget, Vygotsky, and others. ELT was constructed to “explain how experience is transformed into learning and reliable knowledge” (2014, p. xxi). Kolb’s work is centered around two ways of acquiring experience (Concrete Experience (CE) and Abstract Conceptualization), and two ways of transforming experience (Reflective Observation (RO) and Active Experimentation AE). These methods of experiential knowledge acquisition and transformation are foundational to journalism curriculum in higher education, as well as a number of communications degree programs.
The typical journalism curriculum blends theory with practical application. Students first learn basic ethics, regulations, technologies, reporting and communication techniques, and then apply those competencies in practical settings — like campus or community-based assignments — to deepen knowledge and strengthen the potential for transfer. In the latter setting, student work is managed and facilitated by an instructor with experience relevant to the aforementioned reporting and communication techniques. This instructor-student relationship assumes the form of a cognitive apprenticeship (Collins, 2006), in which the expert instructor imparts knowledge within a specific domain that the apprentice student can learn and transfer to related environments. In journalism courses that feature practical learning methods, the instructor-student relationship is critical for student growth.
On-campus students often supplement that coursework experience through extracurricular activities like student television, student radio, or student newspaper outlets. The same blend of theory and practical application applies to communication programs like public relations, marketing, digital media, graphic design, website development, and organizational communication. The combination of theory and multiple examples of practical experience strengthens student credentials when applying for internships or job opportunities.
The purpose of our qualitative case study is two-fold. It: (a) explores the perceptions and experiences of journalism and mass communication instructors through the processes of developing a new course for an online degree program, and (b) identifies the parameters and strategies used to develop rigorous experiential learning opportunities for online students in journalism and mass communication degree programs.
Findings from this study will inform decisions at the highest levels of journalism education, specifically for colleges who are: considering, launching, or evaluating current online courses and programs.
We will share the results of our project and lead a discussion centering around using experiential learning to get real-world experiences for career-focused programs such as journalism. We will provide a bit.ly link to a shared folder containing our study results plus a document that everyone in the room can edit. We will use that document for real-time updating, brainstorming and strategizing during the discussion. Audience members will be encouraged to contribute as well.