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Abstract
This study examined instructor and learner experiences in a Journalism for Social Change (JSC) Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) designed to introduce learners around the world to constructive, solutions-based journalism techniques, as well as engage learners in developing news stories promoting positive change about critical child welfare (CW) issues. Mixed-methods were used to identify five themes across instructor and learner experiences. Results suggest MOOCs have the potential to increase learners’ journalism content knowledge and to mobilize citizen journalists around social justice topics impacting communities. This study adds to an ongoing body of work investigating MOOC design for changing attitudes.
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Author Biographies
Jamie Loizzo is an assistant professor of agricultural and environmental sciences communication at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She teaches science communication courses, founded a science literacy program called Streaming Science, and has teaching and research interests in informal science communication, distance learning, and massive open online courses.
Sunnie Lee Watson is assistant professor of learning design and technology at Purdue university. She teaches and conducts scholarly work in the field of information age, learner-centered education. Her areas of research focus on attitude change instruction, information-age educational technology such as MOOCs and PIES, and Critical Systems Theory for qualitative educational research and school change.
William R. Watson is an associate professor of learning design and technology in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at Purdue University and director of the Purdue Center for Serious Games and Learning in Virtual Environments. His research focuses on the critical, systemic change of education to realize a learner-centered paradigm, including the application of technology such as video games, digital badges, MOOCs, and personalized integrated educational software (PIES) to create personalized learning environments.
