How Adolescents Advance Intellectual Curiosity by Learning to Create
Broadcast News
Renee HobbsHarrington School of Communication and Media
University of Rhode IslandTWITTER: @reneehobbs
International Communication AssociationSan Juan PR May 23, 2015
http://mediaeducationlab.com
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What is the impact of a media-industry supported high school program in broadcast journalism on adolescents?
RQ1: What kinds of media production skills do students engage in in a high school broadcast journalism program? RQ2: How is intellectual curiosity, the ability to give and receive feedback and confidence in self-expression activated through participating in the program?
Research Question
One of the “great debates” Should media industry support media literacy?
www.studentreportinglabs.com
38 participating schools
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Communication, Education & Democracy. Institutions of education, communication practices & democratic values are interconnected (Dewey) Inquiry Learning. People learn best from experiences that are carefully supported or scaffolded to meet the needs of the learner (Vygotsky)
Critical Pedagogy. Awareness, analysis, and reflection enable people to take action to make society more just and equitable (Freire)
Medium Theory. Media & technology are immersive cultural environments; media structures re-shape human perception & values (McLuhan)
Active Audience Theory. Audiences are active; meaning-making is variable; lived experience & social context are key dimensions of interpretation (Hall)
Theoretical Framework
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Program Assessment uses formative and summative research to guide program developers in planning, reflection, action and evaluation. Key characteristics include:• Participants collaborate at every stage• Intended to result in some action, change or improvement
Methods • Pre-post online survey• Interviews with teachers and mentors• Classroom observations• Analysis of student work samples
Research Design
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Learning Goals Students demonstrate independence in reading, analyzing and expressing ideas, seeking out and
using resources to gain knowledge
Students gain content knowledge across a wide range of subject matter, gained by listening, reading and sharing information and expressing ideas.
Students adapt their communication in relation to audience, task and purpose with sensitivity
to the way in which different disciplines call for different types of evidence. Students are engaged, open-minded and discerning readers and listeners, asking critical
questions to assess the veracity of claims and the soundness of reasoning, using evidence to develop their ideas.
Students use technology to gain knowledge and express ideas, with sensitivity to the strengths
and limitations of various technological tools and media.
Students learn to appreciate diverse interpretations and points of view to understand points of view that are much different from their own.
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ExpectationsStudents produce 2 broadcast news packages on a theme topic and 1 package on a topic of their choice
Teachers• Flexible levels of participation are encouraged• Wide range of backgrounds and previous experiences• Provided with modest 1-day (optional) orientation program
Mentors• Identified by local PBS affiliate• Level of participation/engagement varies widely• Role and function varies widely
Program Characteristics
“maximum program variability with no fidelity checks”
N = 566 HS students
Race13% African-American30% Caucasian36% Hispanic/Latino
Age Range 13 – 1840% age 17
Gender60% male
Class35% low SES
Sample
COMMUNITY FOCUS Texas residents reflect on damages after an Austin fire Chicago teen reflects on gang-related deaths that altered his life How does Alabama’s immigration law affect student retention?
ENVIRONMENT Water conservation: Friend or foe? Oakland youth urge citizens to deal with climate change
EDUCATION Student athletes asked to monitor social media presence Are Constitutional rights upheld in South Carolina schools? Philly teens explore possible solutions to high school dropout epidemic
Sample of Inquiry Topics
PRODUCTION SKILLS
Non-technical skills Technical skills
IN-CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
Gathering &
Synthesizing Info
Using Digital Media
Revision
MEDIA LITERACY
CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
Sign an online petition
Express an opinion to news media
Blog about an issue
Write an opinion letter
Gathering and Synthesizing InformationPercentage Analyzed videos
70%Created a story board
65%Conducted interviews
68%Fact-checked information
49%Pitched a news story
54%Discussed different points of view aboutsocial and political issues
53%
Using Digital Media to Communicate IdeasUsed a video camera to record visuals 69%Wrote a script
64%Performed in front of the camera
65%Worked behind the scenes/different roles 64%Logged footage
43%Edited visuals and sounds
68%Used images/sounds to tell a story 54%Posted videos online
38%
Engaging in Cycles of Revision & FeedbackEdited reports in response to feedback 38%
Not all students participated in all
production activities
PRODUCTION SKILLS
MEDIA LITERACY
CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
Sign an online petition
Express an opinion to news media
Blog about an issue
Write an opinion letter
Students demonstrate statistically significant
growth in both communication &
technical skills
ATTITUDES
Intellectual Curiosity
Giving & Receiving Feedback
Confidence in Self-Expression
Students demonstrate statistically significant
growth over time
PRODUCTION SKILLS
Communication skills
Technical skills
Giving & Receiving
Feedback
Confidence in Self Expression
IN-CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
Gathering &
Synthesizing Info
Using Digital Media
Revision
Intellectual Curiosity
R =.33
R =.40
R =.35
What factors are associated with intellectual curiosity?
Predictor b SE T p
Constant 1.255 0.441 2.84In-Class Activities -0.019 0.022 -0.878 NSTechnical Skills 0.047 0.02 2.309 0.02Confidence Self-Exp 0.345 0.049 7.06 0.001Comm Skills 0.05 0.029 1.739 0.08Feedback 0.288 0.054 5.348 0.001
Regression Analysis on Intellectual Curiosity
PRODUCTION SKILLS
Communication skills
Technical skills
Giving & Receiving
Feedback
Confidence in Self Expression
IN-CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
Gathering &
Synthesizing Info
Using Digital Media
Revision
Intellectual Curiosity
ACCESS
Inquiry learning model of media literacy
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Intellectual curiosity is stimulated by learning tasks that include social interaction that builds confidence in self-expression & giving and receiving feedback
Technical skills acquisition should not to be feared as diminishing or trivializing academic performance as it strongly contributes to intellectual curiosity
The diversity and variability of in-class media production activities is not associated with intellectual curiosity. Students may not need to rotate through all production roles to derive benefit from media production experiences
Implications
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“In some, intellectual curiosity is so insatiable that nothing can discourage it, but in most, its edge is easily dulled and blunted. Some lose it in indifference or carelessness, others in a frivolous flippancy; many escape these evils only to become incased in a hard dogmatism which is equally fatal to the spirit of wonder….”
--Dewey, 1910, p.33
Reflection
One of the “great debates” Should media industry support media literacy?
Hobbs, R., Donnelly, K., Friesem, J. & Moen, M. (2013). Learning to engage: How positive attitudes about the news, media literacy and video production contribute to adolescent civic engagement. Educational Media International 50(4), 231 – 246. Hobbs, R. (2013).“Kids Who Produce News Become Better Citizens,” Panel presentation, SXSWEdu, Austin, TX, March 6.
Hobbs, R. & Donnelly, K. Friesem, J. & Moen, M. . (2013, August). Evaluation of PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs. Kingston, RI: Media Education Lab. University of Rhode Island.
Hobbs, R., Clay, D., Clapman, L. & Cheers, I. (2010). PBS News Hour Student Reporting Labs. [News reporting and production curriculum.] PBS News Hour: Washington, D.C.
www.mediaeducationlab.com
www.mediaeducationlab.com
Renee HobbsProfessor, Department of Communication StudiesDirector, Media Education LabHarrington School of Communication and MediaUniversity of Rhode IslandEmail: [email protected]: @reneehobbs