Journalism and mass communication education in the age of technology

The developmental research project was undertaken to determine the best way to structure the future of journalism and mass communication education so that it remains a viable discipline within the academy. New media technology is an emerging discipline within the journalism field. While many new jobs exist for graduates who are skilled in the field, only a small number of colleges and universities are offering undergraduate programs to train students in new media technology. The goal of the dissertation is to propose a new undergraduate major in new media technology that schools can implement. The literature review traces the origins and development of journalism and mass communication education through the 19th and 20th centuries and focuses on the emerging field of new media technology and online journalism.;To help answer the research questions, a survey questionnaire was distributed to: (a) journalism and mass communications educators at the 108 U.S. programs accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC). Of special interest are the schools that currently offer a new media technology program or major; and (b) the over 300 media professionals who are members of the Online News Association (ONA). The total number of participants was 102. In the surveys, participants shared their views on the current state of journalism and mass communication education as well as the new media industry through a combination of rank-order items, Likert-type scales, and open-ended questions. Results were used to identify skills needed in the industry of graduates and current program requirements and to define a prescription for the best possible undergraduate program in new media technology. Expert validation attests to the feasibility of the model program.