About this Course

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This is a course in basic journalism skills, designed for the many people who are now taking advantage of new media to publish news, views and information. For five hundred years, the privilege of being able to publish was enjoyed by very few people – those who had access to a printing press or a radio microphone or a television camera. Now, almost anyone can publish to the world within minutes of being able to do so. But is it journalism?
How does a citizen journalist find things out, so they can report facts and news - moving beyond merely braying opinion? And what are the legal and ethical pitfalls to publishing facts that some people might prefer remain secret?

Over six weeks, this course teaches the basics of news writing, how to interview people to gain crucial information, how to develop and manage your sources and how to use your legal rights to access public information - and stay on the right side of the law when you publish. We discuss the ethics behind journalism practice, and conduct a mock investigation into local government. This course aims to empower engaged citizens to better participate in the news ecology.

View the MOOC promotional video here: http://tinyurl.com/jj46rxw

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Beginner Level

Approx. 22 hours to complete

English

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Beginner Level

Approx. 22 hours to complete

English

Instructors

Dr. Denis Muller

Senior Lecturer and Senior Research Fellow

Centre for Advancing Journalism

1,427 Learners

1 Course

Dr. Margaret Simons

Associate Professor and Director

Centre for Advancing Journalism

1,427 Learners

1 Course

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Week1

Week 1

4 hours to complete

What is a Journalist, and What is News?

This week we will discuss what journalism is, what journalists do, and how this has been affected over time by technology. We'll think about the exciting changes of our own time – the first in human history when the means of publication are in everyone's hands. We will then talk about the principles of news writing, and the nature of news. Finally, we will introduce Newstown, a fictitious place in Victoria, Australia. We also attend a news conference held in the Newstown Council Chambers. We will be using Newstown as the basis of our skills based exercises in this MOOC, so please take the time to become familiar with the town and its issues by following the link to Newstown in the course resources.

4 hours to complete

7 videos (Total 64 min), 3 readings, 3 quizzes

7 videos

Journalism Skills for Engaged Citizens - overview3mCourse introduction5m1.1 What is a journalist? Part A12m1.2 What is a journalist? Part B14m1.3 Principles of good news writing15m1.4 What is news?8m1.5 Newstown media conference4m

3 readings

Welcome to Journalism Skills for Engaged Citizens10mWeek 1 outline10mStart of course survey10m

2 practice exercises

Week 1 Newstown quiz - This is a practice quiz and does not contribute to your final grade30mActive or passive sentences quiz - This is a practice quiz and does not contribute to your final grade30m

Week2

Week 2

2 hours to complete

Attribution, Verification and the Structure of News Writing

This week we discuss some more core skills of journalism, particularly the very important concepts of attribution of information, and verification. We explore the structure of news writing in some more detail. Finally, make sure you take a close look at the Newstown site, and keep looking at it from now on as the course develops. Some new information has been posted that you will need to use in this week's first assessable news writing exercise.

2 hours to complete

4 videos (Total 31 min), 1 reading, 2 quizzes

Week3

Week 3

1 hour to complete

Finding Things Out: Places, Paper and People

This week we discuss some more core skills of journalism, particularly the very important concepts of attribution of information, and verification. We explore the structure of news writing in some more detail. Finally, make sure you take a close look at the Newstown site, and keep looking at it from now on as the course develops. Some new information has been posted that you will need to use in this week's first assessable news writing exercise.

1 hour to complete

6 videos (Total 49 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

Week4

Week 4

6 hours to complete

More on Interviews

6 hours to complete

12 videos (Total 96 min), 1 reading, 2 quizzes

12 videos

4.1 Finding things out: Interviews12m4.2 Dealing with traumatised people13m4.3 Interview with the Mayor – a bad example 3m4.4 Interview with the Mayor – a good example11m4.5 Interview with the Developer – a bad example8m4.6 Interview with the Developer – a good example19m4.7 Interview with a Wildfire Victim – a bad example 1m4.8 Interview with a Wildfire Victim – a good example 4m4.9 Interview with a Conservationist – a bad example3m4.10 Interview with a Conservationist – a good example11m4.11 Telephone interview – a bad example 1m4.12 Telephone interview – a good example 5m

1 reading

Week 4 outline10m

1 practice exercise

Week 4 quiz - Open and closed questions - This is a practice quiz and does not contribute to your final grade30m

Week5

Week 5

6 hours to complete

Contacts and Confidential Sources; Applying the Skills and Organising Your Material

This week we explore the complications of dealing with off the record sources and long term contacts. We watch an encounter with a Newstown 'Deep Throat' and discuss how to handle the encounter and the information offered. Remember to check out the Newstown website for more information becoming available. We begin to pull all the threads of the Newstown story together, and apply the skills we have learned in the earlier modules of this course. We talk about how to read and analyse the public documents on the Newstown site, how to organise material, what questions to ask based on this material, and how to pull it all together into a story for The Alternative. We also provide you with an exemplar news report to give you some guidance for the final news writing assessment and how it might be done.

6 hours to complete

4 videos (Total 36 min), 1 reading, 2 quizzes

Week6

Week 6

2 hours to complete

Media Law and Impartiality; Wrapping Up the Course

2 hours to complete

5 videos (Total 71 min), 2 readings, 1 quiz

Reviews

4.5

5 reviews

5 stars
72.72%
4 stars
18.18%
2 stars
9.09%

TOP REVIEWS FROM JOURNALISM SKILLS FOR ENGAGED CITIZENS

by ASSep 14, 2017

Completed this course in September 2016 - very engaging and informative. I really enjoyed participating in this course.

by MJSep 16, 2016

such professional tutors, carefully chosen diction.

by MSOct 25, 2016

Well organized. Interactive. I felt like a journalist! Thank Margaret & Denis for organizing this course. Was such a pleasure to participate.

View all reviews

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.

Journalism Skills for Engaged Citizens

Journalism Skills for Engaged Citizens

About this Course