About the Project
In the Spring of 2007, instructors at the University of Minnesota's School of Journalism and Mass Communication began using student-created news blogs to enhance learning among undergraduate journalism students. The project aims to engage students with the news more deeply and to do so through Web technologies. Students are using news blogs in the basic reporting and news writing class and in an intermediate public affairs reporting class. This blog will track discussions and issues in the project to encourage other faculty in journalism schools to consider the approach. The initiative is led by Gayle Golden, a full-time faculty lecturer and journalist who has written for a wide range of newspapers and magazines during her 25-year career. At the U, she has led initiatives on curriculum coordination and innovative approaches to learning. Participating instructors are journalist and writing coach Marilyn Moyer and journalist Dan Bernard. Teaching assistants offering substantial support are John Hoff and Garlyn Moen.