ATS2255 - Smartphone journalism - 2017

6 points, SCA Band 1, 0.125 EFTSL

Undergraduate - Unit

Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered.

Faculty

Arts

Organisational Unit

Journalism

Coordinator(s)

Mr Nick Parkin

Unit guides

Offered

Caulfield

  • Second semester 2017 (Day)

Synopsis

'Smartphone Journalism' is a cutting-edge introduction to digital and broadcast journalism, as it is currently practiced in Australian newsrooms.

Students will learn how to use smartphones to engage in real-world journalistic practices, including interviewing, gathering information, recording audio, shooting video, taking photographs, scripting stories and delivering content to deadline.

Students will also understand and appreciate the technological, ethical and legal issues and complications that surround the use of smartphones when gathering and delivering content.

At the end of the course students will have created professional examples of digital/broadcast journalism.

Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the unit, students should be able to:

  1. Gather high-quality audio and visual content using a smartphone, including interviews, photos, voice reports and video reports;
  2. Competently deliver written, audio and visual content in an engaging and meaningful way, using a smartphone and a computer;
  3. Understand key ethical and legal issues and obligations associated with gathering and delivering smartphone content;
  4. Demonstrate an awareness of local, national and international people and events relevant to current affairs and media issues;
  5. Competently operate a range of technology, including smartphones, smartphone software, smartphone attachments, and audio/video/photo editing computer software;
  6. Work independently and as part of a team to produce content to deadline;
  7. Convey information in a clear, concise, factual and objective way using journalism and news conventions.

Assessment

Within semester assessment: 100%

Workload requirements

Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. A unit requires on average three/four hours of scheduled activities per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.

See also Unit timetable information

Chief examiner(s)

This unit applies to the following area(s) of study

Prerequisites

ATS1089, ATS1090 or ATS1328