AMST40630 CNN Academy Newsroom 1

Academic Year 2022/2023

This module will introduce postgraduate students to the fundamentals of news production as well as trending topics in today’s digital-first media environment. Students will first grapple with ethics in journalism before learning about topics such as storytelling best practices, multiplatform content production techniques, social storytelling methods and digital tools for investigative reporting. Each week students will be required to complete multiple self-learning exercises on the CNN Academy Hub e-learning platform and submit assessments related to that week’s topic. They will then take part in a 2-hour live seminar with a CNN signature talent or newsroom journalist moderated by the CNN Academy trainer. At the end of the course, students will have a much better understanding how a newsroom operates. The course will also feature a practical learning element with students learning the fundamentals of audio storytelling and podcast production. For their final assessment, students will produce a podcast episode + accompanying write up that will be featured on the UCD Clinton Institute's America Unfiltered platform.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

Students will:

• understand the ethical considerations that go into producing news stories
• learn the basic pillars of storytelling
• understand how to produce an audio story and publish it

Indicative Module Content:

Content includes:

• ethics in journalism
• storytelling best practices
• multiplatform content production techniques
• digital tools for investigative reporting
• newsroom practices
• podcast production

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

24
Practical

6
Autonomous Student Learning

210
Online Learning

24
Total

264
Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Seminar based, interacting with the CNN Academy Hub. Includes self-learning exercises and concludes with students producing a podcast episode and accompanying report.
 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Presentation: Students will pitch a multimedia story Varies over the Trimester n/a Graded No

20
Assignment: Students will be required to complete multiple self-learning exercises on the CNN Academy Hub e-learning platform and submit assessments related to the week’s topic. Varies over the Trimester n/a Graded No

20
Essay: A reflective commentary on the making of the multimedia product. Coursework (End of Trimester) n/a Graded No

20
Project: This will be EITHER
(a) a multimedia product
OR
(b) a reflective commentary on work undertaken during the week of study organised by the CNN Academy in Abu Dhabi		 Coursework (End of Trimester) n/a Graded No

40

Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 
Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, on an activity or draft prior to summative assessment
• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Students will receive feedback on draft materials and again post-assessment.