BerkeleyX: J4SC101x Journalism for Social Change

Syllabus

Course Description

J4SC101 has been designed for students who are interested in the intersection of public policy, journalism and social sciences and who are looking to use their expertise and careers to drive positive social change.

In a vibrant democracy, journalism and media have the power and responsibility to both inform and inspire the public to political action. Achieving this requires a deep understanding of current social problems and how policy is formulated, alongside the ability to tell that story in a manner that drives an otherwise apathetic public into action.

The goal of this online course is two-fold: 1) to teach students of journalism, public policy and social work how to use journalism and media as an implement of social change; and 2) have those students become effective change agents themselves. This class is not theoretical – students should be prepared to dig in deep and make meaningful contributions to policy change on both the state and federal level.

At first glance, prospective students may find the subject matter – Child Maltreatment and Vulnerable Children – narrow. But, choosing a single issue area is a deliberate choice. If this course were structured more broadly, with a host of different issues, the effectiveness of each student’s contribution would be limited. Instead Journalism for Social Change intends to leave each student with the experience of being a player in promulgating policy reform around the issues facing vulnerable children. Further, the umbrella of children allows us to explore the broad, but deeply interwoven policy areas concerning: communities, poverty, child protection, child maltreatment prevention, foster care, and the courts.

Prerequisites

• While there are no formal prerequisites, students will need writing skills at an undergraduate level

Learning Outcomes

After successfully completing this course, you will:

• Be able to distinguish a solution-based story from a typical news story;
• Identify examples of how media has engendered positive social change;
• Understand the ethical tenants when covering juvenile court issues;
• Define differential response in terms of preventing child maltreatment;
• Identify ‘at-birth’ risk factors for subsequent child maltreatment
• Be able to effectively pitch and write a story
• Identify at least one ‘out of the box’ idea to improve the lives of vulnerable children.

Technical Requirements

This course is built on a Learning Management system (LMS) called edX. In order to use edX, you’ll need the most current version of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Internet Explorer 9 and above.

Learning Activities

This course consists of seven units. Each unit includes a combination of multimedia lectures, reading assignments, discussion assignments, and/or other assessment activities.

Lectures

For each unit, there are videos of interviews and/or narrated PowerPoint lectures that highlight concepts that are either particularly important.

Readings

Readings will correspond to one or more concepts in the unit and supplementary reading material links are provided in the online classroom.

Pitches

The course will include one (1) pitch assignment. Students will complete the pitch assignment included in Unit Four through the Learning Management System. Students will assess their own pitch assignment in addition to assessing contributions made by their peers using provided rubrics.

Discussions

Students will respond to posted discussion topics in several units and will also be required to read and respond to the postings of their peers. A rubric will be provided in the LMS. Discussion assignments are also a way for you to interact with your peers in this online class where the format can sometimes be isolating.

Each of us brings a unique perspective to this class based upon our life experiences and previous studies. Because of the asynchronous nature of the course at times it might be hard to sustain an actual conversation in the discussion threads with your fellow students. So instead, let's look to the discussion threads as a place to connect our multiple perspectives and construct an evolving knowledge base. The process will enrich your own studies, and the words you leave behind will help students who join the class even after you've gone on to new pursuits.

When a module has a discussion assignment, please respond to the questions in a manner that reflects critical thinking. Please feel free, as well, to positively critique and offer leads and suggestions to comments and questions that other students have made. Before Unit One you'll introduce yourself to your instructor and course mates.

Final Paper Assignment

You’ll develop one of your pitches into a 600-800 word story and submit it through the LMS in Unit Six.

Quizzes

You’ll take two brief quizzes to review the material presented in Units One and Two.

Communication and Office Hours

All contact happens through the discussion boards.

Grading and Course Policies

Successful completion of the course will be based according to the following percentages:

Table 1: Final Grade Percentages

Discussion Board Assignments	25%
Quizzes	15%
Pitch Assignments	30%
Final Paper Submission	30%

Course Outline

You'll find complete instructions for your assignments within the course units.

I. Unit One

• Solution Based Journalism
• Response to readings & lecture
• Journalism’s Role in Social Change
• Discussion—Positive social change stimulated by media coverage
• Journalism in the ‘Best Interests’ of Children
• Code of ethics quiz

II. Unit Two

• Reporting Boot Camp
• Activity—Conducting an interview
• Child Safety v. Family Preservation
• Discussion—Child safety v. family preservation
• Child Maltreatment, a Public Health Lens
• ACE and public agencies quiz
• Discussion—ACE test

III. Unit Three

• Research Reporting
• The Child Protection System
• Using Research to Tell Stories

IV. Unit Four

• Reporting on Public Policy
• Submit your public policy pitch
• Preventing Child Maltreatment—In Practice
• Myriad Issues Contribute to Child Maltreatment and Death

V. Unit Five

• Narrative Reporting
• Activity—Choosing sources
• Policy Debate on Open Courts
• Change Impelled by Open Courts
• Discussion—Access to the juvenile dependency courts

VI. Unit Six

• A Watched System
• Final Paper Submission
• Discussion—Filing a petition
• Youth Advocacy
• From a Child’s Perspective
• Discussion—Children in the child welfare system

VII. Unit Seven

• Examples of Best Student Work
• Discussion—Responding to your peers
• No Place for Children—Exploring the “neighborhood effect”
• Discussion—What’s your big idea?
• Reflection
• Course survey