57197 Working with Industry

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject handbook information prior to 2023 is available in the Archives.

Description

This subject involves a sustained collaborative, problem-solving interaction between UTS, the student and a media industry 'client'. Students undertake a project informed by detailed discussions with the 'client' and their university supervisor and work to solve a real-life problem using multiple journalistic and related skills. The learning is largely self-directed and involves students working in small groups. It may also be possible for students to work on individual projects, with the approval of the subject coordinator. Students use skills in research, reporting and editing and gain a hands-on experience in other areas of practice, such as audience development. There is a meet-and-greet with several prospective industry 'clients'. Industry clients range from journalism start-ups, new and established media, not-for profit groups and media operations closely aligned to UTS, such as 2SER and Central News.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)

This subject engages with the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs), which are tailored to the Graduate Attributes set for all graduates of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences:

• Possess an advanced understanding of the professional skills and techniques in a range of contexts appropriate to contemporary journalism practice (1.1)
• Apply a high level of initiative to create content using multiple techniques and within industry accepted frameworks of accountability (1.2)
• Reflect critically on the theory and professional practice of contemporary journalism (2.2)
• Plan and execute a substantial research-based project, demonstrating advanced communication and technical research skills (2.3)
• Develop and maintain collaborative networks, contacts and linkages within industry bodies and across disciplines, while ensuring ethical practice and social responsibility at all times (5.1)
• Demonstrate advanced skills in engagement to enable effective communication with multiple stakeholders, using traditional and emerging techniques (6.1)

Teaching and learning strategies

This subject concentrates on the development of professional identity and work readiness using a combination of in-class, on-site and online strategies within the framework of a workshop/studio model. There will be three distinct modules: professional identity (weeks 1-4), industry experience/work readiness (weeks 5-10) evaluation/reflection (weeks 11-12). There will be a strong emphasis on self-directed learning and industry collaboration – in conjunction with face-to-face meetings with the subject co-ordinator or a UTS appointed mentor.

Students will draw on their own journalistic capabilities to develop analytical, project management and other collaborative skill sets. In small groups (and potentially as an individual, see above) they will work with industry client on a specific task, issue or practical problem area. Students will be exposed to guest lecturers and ‘client’ mentors to assist them understand how professional identity develops and how to meet the needs of their client and their client’s audience. The journalistic ‘outputs’ are likely to involve research, reporting, editing and online/cross-platform production. Specific projects will use other areas of media practice, such as audience development. Effort will be made to match projects with a students existing or preferred skillset. But there will also be an emphasis on developing capacities and growing ‘employability’ skills.

Content (topics)

This subject will equip students with the tools and skills that enable to look both inwards and out. Inwards to their own professional identity and work readiness and outwards to the contemporary challenges facing journalism. They will encounter key industry trends; the goals, practices and objectives of media companies; and, the pressing concerns of a sector under economic, technological and societal pressure. On a personal level, the subjects aim to equip students with frameworks to understand what ideas such as employability, work readiness and audience-first mean.

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Group ‘client’ profile

Assessment task 2: Individual project journal

Assessment task 3: Individual class presentation

Minimum requirements

Attendance
Attendance to tutorials in the first four weeks is essential to the completion of this subject.

Consultation with both your university mentor is essential. More than two absences from those meetings (held during weeks 5-10) will result in the final assessment not being marked.

Attendance is essential in this subject. Classes are based on a collaborative approach that involves essential work-shopping and interchange of ideas with other students and the tutor. A roll will be taken at each class. Students who have more than two absences from scheduled class will be refused final assessment (see Rule 3.8).?

In this subject assessment tasks are cumulative so that each task builds understanding and/or skills, informed by formative feedback. Consequently, all assessments must be submitted in order for you to receive feedback. Students who do not submit all assessments will not pass the subject.

Recommended texts

Regular readings will be posted in Canvas.

Classic management books
The Essential Drucker (Drucker, P., Harper Business, 2001)

The Knowing-Doing Gap: How smart companies turn knowledge into action (Pfeffer, J., and Sutton, R., Harvard Business School Press, 1999)

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team (Lencioni., P (Jossey-Bass, 2002)

References

Below are some useful tools and interesting readings:

Lean canvas
https://canvanizer.com/new/lean-canvas

Human-centred design
https://www.ideo.com/post/design-kit

Project management tools
https://www.atlassian.com/software/jira
https://trello.com

Fresh ideas in journalism
https://localnewslab.org
https://medium.com/journalism-innovation

Books/reports on journalism innovation/management
Jarvis, J, 2014, Greek Bearing Gifts, CUNY Journalism Press, New York
Simons, M, 2012, Journalism at the Crossroads, Scribe, Melbourne
Finberg H, Klinger L, 2014, Core Skills for the Future of Journalism, The Poynter Institute for Media Studies, St. Petersburg, Florida
Newman, N, 2016, Digital News Report 2016, Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, Oxford University
Berkun, S, 2010, The Myths of Innovation, O’Reilly, Cambridge
Osterwalder, A & Pigneur, Y, 2010, Business Model Generation, John Wiley & Sons
Stencel, M & Perry K, 2016, Superpowers: the digital skills newsrooms need, Tow-Knight Center for Entrepreneurial Journalism, CUNY, New York
Drucker P, 2001, The Essential Drucker, Harper Business, New York
Cavoulacos, A., Minshew. K, 2017, The New Rules of Work, Orion Spring, London
Pfeffer, J., and Sutton, R. 1999, The Knowing-Doing Gap: How smart companies turn knowledge into action, Harvard Business School Press, Boston
Dodd, A and Sykes, H 2016, Media Innovation & Disruption, Future Leaders, Sydney