Laboratory of Journalism

PROJECT – LABORATORY OF JOURNALISM

Involved teachers: all the teachers of the school who want to support the expert in presence, on shifts.

Course lenghth: from October to May (frequency: one session a week in the afternoon), period of time corresponding to 16 weeks (32 hours), subjected to change under circumstances connected to the teaching activity.

Contents

In line with the educational school mission - the project "Laboratory of Journalism" represents a sort of "workout', where our students can put into practice a given situation,  which through the "simulation of an editorial structure", allow them to immerse themselves in a professional setting. The educational and pedagogical structure of this editorial staff , that has its origins within the school curriculum, must take into consideration theory ( real lesson with a laboratorial approach focused on the strategies of the  flipped classroom – together with a real practice of journalism in agreement with the school-work experience model ( in Italian: Alternanza Scuola-Lavoro).

Beneficiaries

The project "Laboratory of Journalism" is addressed to all our school' s students, until reaching available posts. The students enrolled at "ICT - Computer and Telecommunications"  will consider the modern technological media used by the current journalism nowadays. The students enrolled at the curriculum of " Tourism Economics and Management", will be able to express their communication skills by experimenting  sector-specific forms of journalism in compliance with tthe foreign languages included in school curriculum of the students. In this way, the School Institution contributes to the develpoment of learning and competence. This is the reason why this laboratorial project is viewed  with a social and educational purpose. In our Educational Plan Offer it's very important to promote the inclusion of the students in a reality external to school. In its different facets this reality is subject to the constant consideration by journalism.

The students enrolled at Human Sciences High School will be able to analyze and summarize a written text and at the same time to get to know the primary journalistic techniques, that are useful to write a news report, a review, an interview or a report for a news broadcast.

The Laboratory of Journalism will follow the cultural, sports and enteintanment activities in the city of Milan and in the municipality of its hinterland, by using the critical and proactive perspective of the young people.

Aims

The "Laboratory of Journalism" offers the students the possibility to test their skills in a job with well-defined features, in a professional situation of simulation ( theory and practice) under their teacher's direction. 

It is also necessary that the students interface with professional figures who are expert in their field of expertise. Students must be able to perceive a  concretely different situation, to understand that this reality present at school complies with the standards of the professional world. Therefore, it cannot be excluded the visit of editorial offices at the end of the journalism class and teachers must avoid to apply the proceedings of the typical school life, such as homework, marks and remarks, but on the contrary to embrace a professional approach to this experience.  The expert - present at the Laboratory-  has to use his knowledge in such a way, so that students can improve their ability and competence in compliance with the world of media communication. Students will use the adequate tools to achieve these results, by realizing a final object provided with all the features of a press-product, no matter which instrument will be used for this choice.

Objectives

To achieve this goal, the Laboratory's aim wants to enable the students to:

• improve their communicative strategies and skills;
• develop their potential by using multimedial instruments;
• identify the real connection between their school curriculum and the professional world;
• be gradually aware of their role within a small and big group throgh role-playing activities;
• to acquire problem-solving strategies in a team-work ;
• improve their attitude on the job at desk ;
• behave correctly by interacting with the reference expert ;
• show a great spirit of cohesion and participation with their peers;
• raise their interests to the current topical issues, especially important for the students who have to sit the State Examination;
• publish an on-line school newspaper.