Course name: Journalism, public relations, media studies

Duration: 10 weeks

Payment Options: PayPal / Visa card

Certification: Participants who successfully complete the course will be awarded a certificate by AAU-eLearnAfricaLMS

 

Brief Introduction to the course

The course comprises eighteen (18) online Modules in journalism and mass media studies and one in Introduction to Pan African studies, all on offer for universities and colleges in Africa. The courses are available on offer on the AAU-eLearnAfrica Learning Management System. Modules instructor, Dr. Stanford G. Mukasa wrote: “Journalism and mass media studies are a critical component in human socioeconomic development in Africa and elsewhere in the world. In today’s world of social media, the world is inundated with information that is largely propagandistic, fake, misleading, and undermines human and social progress. Africa needs a cadre of professional journalists and communications practitioners who will use the mass media to provide information and knowledge that can be progressively The courses are intended to complement or meet a shortfall in educational institutions’ staffing or curriculum needs and resources. Universities and colleges are also encouraged to review the courses on offer and determine for adoption as many courses as required in their curricula. The courses are also available for individuals, working journalists who want to improve or update their skills, or students who want to take journalism as a career. applied to human socio-economic development. They will be tasked with interpreting complex social issues for ordinary citizens. That is the essence of development communication which underscores these courses.

How You Will Learn: The course is divided into flexible and manageable 18 modules, designed to make the learning process one that is worth experiencing through a variety of activities.

• Unlimited access to downloadable and online instructional materials
• Video recorded lectures and interactive live sessions per week with your peers and facilitators through online class presentations and small group discussions.
• Studies through a wide range of interactive contents: video lectures and many others.
• Online tests
• News reporting assignments Writing blogs
• Taking pictures of newsworthy events
• Interviewing newsmakers
• Survey of the community. For instance, Dr. Mukasa’s students in Somaliland did a survey of people’s attitudes towards chewing Khat.
• Other related assignments
• Applying what is learned to short quizzes and assignments ( a short class presentation assignment and a project) builds up the ability to bring about the leadership transformation required in your institution.

 

Module 1: Mass media and society in Africa Part 1

Course Overview: One of 20 online courses in journalism and mass media studies on offer. The course introduces participants to the state of the mass media in Africa, their history, and their roles and goals in society. The module will focus on the state of the mass media in Africa; its history and the environment in which the mass media operates. It will be an overview of

1. Rethinking journalism training in Africa
2. History
3. Post-colonial press
4.  Freedom of the press in Africa
5. Philosophy
6. Ownership

One of 20 online courses in journalism and mass media studies on offer. The course introduces participants to the state of the mass media in Africa, their history, and their roles and goals in society.

Benefits: Students/participants will understand and discuss with relatively professional skills the following course objectives.

• the state of the mass media in Africa as well as their own countries.
• the roles and goals of the mass media.
• the impact of the mass media in Africa on society in the era of the Internet and Social Media.

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Module 2: Mass media and society in Africa 2

Course Overview: This module will focus on the theories of mass media and mass communication and be introduced to the concept of the media world, an emerging media environment describing the media effects on society, mass media roles, and goals. Community-oriented mass media. Mass media issues in African communication. The Free Press, Partly Free Press, and Not Free Press. the history of the mass media and their influence on social behavior. ethical issues in the mass media effects, for example, advertising. value transmission by the mass media on demographic groups in society press freedom of expression as a fundamental human right.

Benefits: Students/participants will understand and discuss with relatively professional skills the following course objectives.

• the history of the mass media and their influence on social behavior.
• ethical issues in the mass media effects, for example, advertising.
• value transmission by the mass media on demographic groups in society.
• press freedom of expression as a fundamental human right.

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Module 3: Basic journalism writing skills

Course Overview: The course deals with gaining skills in professional writing. Focuses on grammar spelling, punctuation, and style. Writing headlines: stories for print and electronic media, feature writing; also interviewing techniques, and covering meetings. Basic Grammar style How to write stories for print and electronic media; How to interview officials and other newsmakers How to cover meetings and other important events

Benefits: The course will take students through the techniques of professional writing, so they become credible Professional Writers. Hence be able to write for any organization.

Participants/ Students will learn

• Basic Grammar style How to write stories for print and electronic media.
• How to interview officials and other newsmakers
• How to cover meetings and other important events

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Module 4: Research methods in
journalism

Course Overview: The course explores the role of social research in Africa. It will discuss how a community journalist can be a social researcher for the local community. Research instrument design, use of primary and secondary sources of information. about social research, how to search for information, how to design a research instrument, and conduct a survey. learn how to use the internet and other primary and secondary sources of information to write stories: court records, propaganda posters, ads, etc.

 

Benefits: Participants will learn

• about social research, how to search for information, how to design a research instrument, and conduct a survey.
•  learn how to use the internet and other primary and secondary sources of information to write stories: court records, propaganda posters, ads, etc.

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Module 5: Public opinion polling

Course Overview: The course deals with public opinion and its role in society. It addresses its historical origin and its empowering effect on citizens regarding how they can influence how they are governed. Key questions in public opinion revolve around,

1.  the citizens’ ability to influence government on issues that affect them and
2. How to measure public opinion accurately.

Benefits: Participants / Students will learn

• to design a research instrument for surveying public opinion,
• conduct a survey
• write a poll-based story

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Module 6: The Editorial Process

Course Overview: The course focuses on the editorial process which involves how story ideas are generated, discussed, and reported. This includes editing for style, grammar, and punctuation; factual accuracy to avoid potential libel, as well as writing headlines.

 

Benefits: Participants / Students will learn

• How to edit stories
• Media management
• Layout and design

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MODULE 7: BUSINESS REPORTING

Course Overview: The business reporting course takes the student through several processes and skills. First is an understanding of business and the national budgets. Next is how to cover business news, breaking down complex statistics into language that ordinary people can understand.

 

Benefits: Participants/ Students will gain an in-depth understanding of the world of business:

• Focusing on companies and industries
• Understanding why and how companies operate
• Writing stories based on companies’ report
• Attending local business organizations like the chamber of commerce
• how to write news and information blogs about business, NGOs, and other organizations

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MODULE 8: PUBLIC RELATIONS

Course Overview: Learn about Strategic communication; public relations writing—press releases. Students learn about public relations as strategic communication aimed at creating a positive image of individuals, institutions, and companies. This entails a public relations campaign with specific objectives and measurable results.

Benefits: Participants / Students will learn

• Strategic communication
• Public relations
• Public relations campaigns
• Elements of public relations writing – Press releases
• Social media in public releases

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MODULE 9: HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL JOURNALISM

Course Overview: Health, climate change, and disasters are permanent features of African life, just like in other continents. Health and environmental reporting requirements that the journalist is knowledgeable about health and environmental issues. The course will teach the students the skills needed to write credible, informative, and educational articles for the community.

 

Benefits: Participants / Students will learn how to identify

• Health
• Environmental issues
• National and local disasters and
• Disaster mitigation policies

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MODULE 10: JOURNALISM LAW AND ETHICS

Course Overview: Learn about laws that govern the mass media. Includes ethical issues in journalism. Today’s journalism, or any type of writing for the public, requires that the journalist or writer have a good understanding of media laws to avoid potential libel lawsuits. Journalists or writers also need to have a good understanding of ethical ways of collecting or publishing information. The course will teach students laws and ethics as they apply to journalism. Students will also review media laws that apply to their countries.

Benefits: Participants/ Students will learn about the laws that govern the mass media and ethical issues in journalism.

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MODULE 11: PUBLIC AFFAIRS REPORTING

Course Overview: Public affairs reporting is focused on writing about national, local government, NGOs, civil society, and public officials and policies that affect the public. Students will learn how to cover meetings, interview public officials, and cover events that affect the public. Students will get a chance to attend national or local meetings in their home countries as well as interview politicians, government, and other public officials.

Benefits: Participants / Students will learn how to cover and write about

• Local politics
• Meetings
• Local government
• Council and
• National parliamentary meetings

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MODULE 12: SPORTS, ARTS, AND CULTURE REPORTING

Course Overview: Sports, arts, and entertainment form the social and cultural fabric of communities or nations. Students will learn how to write stories that generate excitement and interest among members of the public. Students will visit sporting events, cultural festivals, and entertainment events and write stories that capture the excitement of the events.

Benefits: Participants/ Students will learn how to cover sports, arts, and cultural events

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MODULE 13: PHOTOJOURNALISM

Course Overview: The course is an introduction to still photography for the new media—photojournalism. Includes taking pictures that tell a human interest story.

Benefits: Participants or students will learn how to take pictures that tell a story.

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MODULE 14: GEOPOLITICS OF INFORMATION

Course Overview: Students will learn the geopolitics of information and news coverage, especially biases and stereotypes in western media coverage of Africa. deals with international news events and analysis of international news coverage from sources around the world. Emphasis is placed on analyzing comparative coverage of events between the Developing World and the western dominated international news media sources in different sources, and on understanding the geopolitics of world news. Students study not only current international news but also how it is reported. The goal of the course is to foster a critical attitude toward news. Gain exposure to new information and communication technologies in world news and their impact on world events.

Benefits: Participants / Students will learn how information is used as an instrument of coercive power and influence among nations and corporations.

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MODULE 15: ADVERTISING

Course Overview: This will be offered as part of strategic communication.

Benefit: Participants/ Students will learn creative writing aimed at generating consumer interest in a product or service.

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MODULE 16: INTRODUCTION TO PAN AFRICAN STUDIES

Course Overview: A multidisciplinary introduction to Africa and the African Diaspora. Explores the effects of Africa’s history, in particular colonialism and independence, on present-day Africa; examines the relationship between Africa and the African Diaspora with special attention to African arts, social systems, and political and economic development; looks at Africa’s contribution to contemporary culture in the Americas.

 

Benefits: Participants / Students will

• learn about Africa and the African Diaspora from a multi-disciplinary perspective.
• be sensitized to the relevance of the Pan-African cultural heritage and its contributions to the global society.
• gain an intellectual understanding of and discuss the diversity of the African continent and the variety of political developments that have occurred on the continent since independence.
• understand the relationship between Africa and the African Diaspora. appreciate the belief system, values, symbols, and world-view of a non-Western culture.

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MODULE 17: INTRODUCTION TO BROADCAST JOURNALISM

Course Overview: The course will bring to bear an understanding of the style, structure, and language of broadcast scripts.

Benefits: Participants / Students will learn how to report and write for the electronic media such as broadcasts, blogs, and Internet-based publications

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MODULE 18: SCIENCE JOURNALISM

Course Overview: The course will focus on research in new technological applications in Africa, especially in rural areas. Students will visit places where the new technologies are being used to improve life–solar for cooking, pushing instead of carrying drums of water for home use, and solar for lighting. Students will also visit and interview research stations in their countries to write about new technologies or drought resistance crops that are being researched. They will write feature articles in order to inspire communities to adopt the technologies.

Benefits: It will help participants, especially in development communications, to identify scientific technologies adaptable for socio-economic progress in Africa

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For further inquiries, contact us: aaulms@aau.org / estherm@elearnafrica.com