There is No Mention of Journalism.
When Dylan started his IBCP pathway, they tossed him into a journalism class – and he immediately quit.
“I hate writing,” Dylan said.
So when Shane started the same IBCP pathway, we were thrilled. Shane loves writing. And journalism knowledge is essential for a student to learn to do any kind of video news.
But last week, Shane’s teacher told him that he would be on the newspaper staff for four years. And that’s when the trouble started.
In a handful of emails, I learned that the IBCP pathway called “Broadcast Media” is actually being taught inside journalism, with a strong journalism emphasis, for four full years. Shane wanted to do some creative work, some expressive work, some marketing work. He wanted to learn the skills needed to work in video – not just in news. And he wanted to work in the studio, as part of a hands-on production program. After all, that’s what the course description said he’d be doing.
So the following is from my ongoing investigation – which will determine whether or not Shane will even want access into the IB program. This is taken from an email that I’ve sent to anyone who might be able to help.
Here’s the description of the Program of Study, which includes the same four-course schedule as the IBCP program:
Students in the Broadcast Media program learn about career options in a field that is constantly evolving. In the television and radio studio, analog, tape-based recording technology is being replaced by digital, computer-based recording. International multimedia conglomerates have transformed the industry from a small number of local broadcasting outlets to a wide variety of audiences via hundreds of cable and satellite stations. The explosion of new programming and technology options has opened myriad career opportunities for students to pursue. These courses are career education electives. The Program of Study (POS) provides students with a planned, sequential program that blends academic, technical, and workplace skills to prepare for college or career. The POS contains a minimum of four courses and includes relevant courses and a capstone experience such as an internship or a college course.
‘Broadcast Media’ encompasses a lot and, I would think, requires a ton of hands-on, studio experience. Will the journalism teacher be working in the studio with the IBCP kids? Or would their higher-level classes – like in 9th grade – also be ‘combined with journalism?’ Is a tech teacher supervising any of these hands-on classes, or studio time? How are they learning video production if the focus is on writing and journalism?
Other than the first course, Video Production, which is ‘combined with journalism,’ there is no mention of journalism in the rest of the pathway courses. For example, the Electronic Field Production course description says:
This course introduces students to the fundamentals of television. Students learn production fundamentals, how television developed, and television technology through studio hands-on experience. Students create their own productions using a school’s video equipment. Field trips and guest lecturers provide initial career information.
There is no mention anywhere of IBCP pathway students being on the newspaper staff. There is also no mention of the kids’ video pieces all being journalistic pieces. Next year, Shane is supposed to be exposed to production fundamentals and television technology through hands-on studio experience – with field trips and guest lecturers. They are supposed to create their own productions using the school’s video equipment. He was really looking forward to this, but from your perspective, does that actually happen?
And now, I wait.