Abstract
Social Science disciplines are typically shaped by leaders in fields such as sociology, economics, psychology, and history. Communications and Media Studies, however, lives academically within and alongside many social science and other disciplines. With the omnipresence of global social media, “practitioners” are noticeable in everyday life outside of academia and range widely in age and experience. We could argue that anyone posting, tweeting, blogging and the like is a journalist, and we cannot deny everyone is a communicator. As a result of ever-present media in daily life, faculty at Brandman University observed that many students in their Bachelor’s degree program in Communications and Media tend to address assignments superficially as informal citizen practitioners rather as future communications professionals. Yet it is paramount for students to understand the “science” and not just the “social” component of social science in the media/communications field. This workshop will address pedagogical approaches to helping students dig deeper and prepare for careers. Participants will engage in activities to meet this challenge. They will also critique and brainstorm assignments that require the application of critical thinking skills and demonstrate relevance in the professional world. This session is relevant for faculty seeking to encourage students to go beyond the casual relationship with communications and media and inspire them to apply a sophisticated scientific lens to their studies. The session is also applicable to employers seeking to improve their pool of candidates by sharing ideas for student projects representing needs in the current and future workplace.
Presenters
Ellen DerwinAssociate Dean and Professor, Arts and Sciences, University of Massachusetts Global, Georgia, United States Leigh Ann Wilson
Digital Media
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