CALL - for papers for special issue of Journal of Applied Journalism & Media Studies

Reflexivity in the Digital World: Rethinking journalism teaching and learning in an interactive world

Deadline for abstracts: 30 November 2012

Deadline for final papers: 15 March 2013

Digital and interactive technologies have revolutionised the way people use and consume media content in the past two decades. As a result, ways of practising journalism and delivering news have been challenged. Traditional mainstream news media have struggled to keep up with these changes and survive in a rapidly changing society. As a consequence, the journalism labour market too is changing dramatically, which raises serious issues regarding the future of journalism education and training. 

This special issue of Journal of Applied Journalism & Media Studies, (Guest Editor: Jairo Lugo-Ocando, University of Sheffield) will offer a platform to share research and experiences with regards to the future of journalism education in a digital and interactive world. This issue welcomes long and short papers from scholars and practitioners that address these issues. They welcome scholarly articles, essays and book reviews *. The special issue will be published in the second half of 2013. Some of the questions for journalism educators include among others:

• Is there a future for journalism education in the digital age?
• What should be the scope and nature of curricular developments in journalism education in light of these changes?
• To what degree have journalism educational provisions been able to deliver the knowledge and skills needed to face the challenges posed by the new media landscape?
• From which experiences in journalism education can we learn the most about teaching and learning in a changing media landscape?
• How do tensions from old and new demands affect the delivery and teaching of journalism education in the context of technological change?
• What new approaches, paradigms and philosophies have emerged in education in recent times that could help us understand/assess better the impact of technological changes in journalism education?
• How are digital technologies affecting the traditional debates/tensions between journalism training and journalism education?
• How have digital technologies affected the construction of journalism identities of prospective journalists, journalism students and journalism educators?
• Are there areas in journalism education more affected than others by technological digitalisation, media convergence and audience fragmentation?
• Should journalism educators follow industry trends to set and develop the parameters of journalism teaching and learning or explore alternative ways?
• What is the role of journalism academic research in journalism education in light of technological changes?

These and other similar questions open new discussions, while re-opening old debates, regarding the nature, objectives and reach of journalism education in an age of profound changes. Therefore, the editors want to invite also pieces describing, assessing and analysing innovative experiences in learning and teaching journalism. They also want to invite papers and essays from practitioners of both, journalism and journalism education who think they might make a contribution towards this debate.

* Long papers: 6000 to 7000 words, Short papers: 2500 to 3000 words, Book Reviews: 500 to 800 words.

Papers can be sent to: j.lugo-ocando@sheffield.ac.uk

Journal of Applied Journalism & Media Studies

Volume 1, Issue 1 of this journal is currently available free online