iTalkNews.com as Blackboard

For Article: Which J-Schools Are Really Keeping Pace with Online Media?
Posted by Jane Abao 2/6/2007 9:24:50 PM

Learning and teaching journalism does not necessarily mean there has to be a building and a campus that you can see first. My student editors go online as an adjunct to our face-to-face weekly classes. I hold classes online without syllabus, guided by the stigmergy concept where the next thing that happens is directed by our mix of environment, materials, and activity. This at least respects the ideals of Citizen Journalism where any fears of teacher structures might destroy pristine elements from the citizen input. As they say, in Citizen Journalism, as is, where is. However, I still believe Citizen Journalism is not equivalent to ignorance and any journalist should at least know why he is writing, for what and for whom. When these questions arise, then there is a need to know some principles of writing.

As to conversational media, this may be seen from the point of view of the ever necessary dialogue between writer and reader. It is not enough to just write or post and that’s the end of it. Any communication system needs a feedback component in order to be complete.

What mostly runs in my online trainings is the theory of transactional distance where dialogue tries to bridge the gap between me and my students. Face to face, these students would not have the time, the courage, and the readiness to talk, but online, I find that they are more efficient in interacting. Their work posted for critiquing online, the experience is rewarding for both us. But what is encouraging is their chance to hone their reasoning skills by purposely commenting intelligently on news and editorials posted for the day on the website and then I rate how well they place their arguments. They have a quota of 5 comments per day, which means they have to analyze at least 5 news and editorials, plus post their own work which I check for mechanics and content, and which their peers also critique.

Where is our school? We use iTalkNews as our blackboard.