For more than 30 years, student journalists' freedom of expression has been in flux. Freedom of expression is central to journalism education. Without this freedom, teaching students the courage and truth telling central to the profession becomes impossible. To reinstate compromised freedoms, North Dakota student journalists created The John Wall…

A social change agenda is central in feminist psychology. In creating learning outcomes for a psychology of women course, instructors might wish to facilitate processes that have the potential to move individuals from acceptance of a status quo toward various degrees of feminist thinking. This agenda could include endorsing social constructionist…

Corporate influence is a defining characteristic of mass media in the U.S. A typical introductory textbook devotes a number of chapters to the economic structure of the mass media including advertising, public relations, and corporate ownership, then also includes chapter sections on the economics of the various media (television, radio,…

This article presents a course design of English 283: Rhetorical Theory and Applications. The course is described in the undergraduate catalogue as offering a "critical and analytical examination of the nature and historical development of rhetorical theory and its applications to contemporary discourse." The course fulfills requirements…

Describes one way of systematically teaching critical thinking skills in a journalism-mass communication program. Begins with a general discussion of critical thinking. Proceeds to the theory and structure underlying the course as it is taught at the Ohio State University School of Journalism. (RS)

Describes an undergraduate course which focuses on the effects of the mass media on the viewing public. The course is intended to increase awareness of the media so that students may respond to it more intelligently. Course topics, source materials, and class formats are discussed. (GEA)

Maintains that perspectives of cultural diversity and gender are appropriate for courses in mass communication and society. Describes the academic techniques (a focus on culture and media studies) and the instructional techniques of such a course developed at Stanford University. Notes the need to deal with zero-sum perceptions of such endeavors…

For a new course in media editing at the University of Missouri at Kansas City, a nonlinear, affordable AVID Media Suite Pro system was selected for the student video laboratory, a textbook was chosen, and an instructor was trained. However, there were difficulties concerning the acquisition, delivery, setup, and debugging of the editing…

One difficulty in teaching service courses such as psychology of adolescence is maintaining the interest of nonmajors without sacrificing course-relevant content. Described is a project that overcomes this problem by requiring students to observe some type of media (e.g., television) and determine the extent to which particular themes occur.…

In addition to introducing students to the basic skills of public relations writing, a public relations course should move students toward public relations "thinking" and provide them with tangible evidence to demonstrate their writing talents to a prospective employer. One such course begins with a brainstorming exercise that lends…

Describes a mass communications course that meets at media sites so that students can see first hand the business aspects of managing a publishing or broadcast concern. (HTH)

Briefly describes materials and rationale of a media law course specifically designed for students preparing for careers outside print and broadcast news. (CRH)

Described is a sociology of communications and media course in which college students look at and analyze major media institutions in order to understand communications in society. The strategy of developing students' analytic, synthesis, and critical thinking skills is applicable to other programs and courses. (RM)

Describes the development of a hybrid master's degree that combines research and practice at the University of Nevada-Reno. Relates how the curriculum in journalism and mass communication was developed, including descriptions of core courses and applied research techniques. Concludes that while the experience has not been completely satisfactory,…

This paper introduces and explains what was being done in biocybernetic communication research at the Myer Pollack Communication Research Laboratory in Montreal (Canada) from 1967 to 1984. It also lists persons and researchers directly involved in the activities and projects of the laboratory. The paper concludes with brief descriptions of five…