Media Studies in a Changing Society (Part 2)

Media Studies in a Changing Society

Teacher: Dr Lo Wai Han (Janet)

Department: Department of Journalism, HKBU

The course GDCV 1027 Media Studies in a Changing Society employs Flipped Classrooms, asynchronous online discussion, e-service-learning and VR videos as teaching and learning strategies to enhance students' understanding of the theoretical relationships between storytelling techniques and their effects. Students needed to engage in a critical reflection of the impact of storytelling and to ponder how it shapes current practices in news-making and beyond. They gained practical knowledge on how to effectively apply storytelling techniques to media practices in real life. Students had opportunities to interact with overseas classmates from QUT Business School, Queensland University of Technology in Australia for idea exchange. Moreover, students were required to prepare teaching materials and give mini-lectures of digital storytelling techniques and medical literacy to local secondary school students.

There are six methods to collect students' feedback, including (1) results of the short quizzes on FutureLearn; (2) online discussion with other students (on two to three discussion topics); (3) online reflection completed by the students on FutureLearn; (4) extended discussion in class based on materials on FutureLearn; (5) "Internationalization" learning experience from learners' and overseas partner perspectives, and (6) Course Feedback Questionnaire in HKBU. It is found that students loved first-hand experiences of digital storytelling techniques using VR equipment. They feel rewarding from realising the international practitioners' perspective in journalism, Public Relations, and advertising and how they work in global industry.

Concerning the challenges in the course, Dr Lo felt regretful that HKBU students could not use professional VR equipment in the campus for full 360-degree experience of the videos prepared. Moreover, Dr Lo opined linking the Flipped Classroom content to face-to-face content in both HKBU and international partners was challenging given different educational systems and requirements in two jurisdictions (e.g., QUT students were not compulsory to get into the online platform).

Despite of the challenges, Dr Lo would continue this initiative due to the cross-cultural gains from students.