Group presentations in seminar
Reading response essays due for last week’s presenters.
While we're not all in Toronto, it is important to acknowledge the traditional, treaty and unceded lands of Indigenous peoples where ever we may be.
Toronto is in the 'Dish With One Spoon Territory’. The Dish With One Spoon is a treaty between the Anishinaabe, Mississaugas and Haudenosaunee that bound them to share the territory and protect the land. Subsequent Indigenous Nations and peoples, Europeans and all newcomers have been invited into this treaty in the spirit of peace, friendship and respect.
Karyn, aka Pabàmàdiz, is best known for her work as a Parliament Hill reporter and as the Executive Director of News and Current Affairs at APTN (Aboriginal Peoples Television Network), where she ran the news department for seven years. She joined Ryerson's faculty in the Spring of 2020 while completing a Nieman Fellowship at Harvard University. Karyn has worked in both daily news and on long-form investigations at a variety of outlets including ichannel, VisionTV, CBC and CTV. Her work has been recognized by CAJ, NAJA, and others.
Karyn is a citizen of the Pikwàkanagàn First Nation in Ontario, and is of mixed Algonquin and Italian descent. When she is not engaged in acts of journalism, you'll find her paddling a canoe, shooting photos and eating frybread.
This course takes a close look at some of the larger issues that journalists face in their day-to-day work. The list of issues includes, but is not limited to: diversity of race, gender, sexuality and religion in newsroom makeup and story coverage; the changing landscape of news media in the digital age and the revolving notion of who is a journalist in the world of bloggers and citizen journalists; the relationship between journalism and public relations; and the role of news media as a watchdog of democracy.
This course asks students to think critically about complex and nuanced issues affecting journalists and their audiences. Students will analyze, discuss, and draw their own conclusions to critical issues. The course encourages thinking about the role of journalism in creating a fair and just world, and how journalism supports, and sometimes fails to support, the human rights we expect in a democracy.
Topics include critical thinking, journalism and the public interest, whether journalists can maintain ideals of fairness and impartiality, the relationship between journalists and their sources, the diversity of race, gender, sexuality and ability in coverage and newsroom staffing, the role of social media, media trust and misinformation.
The course examines the role of journalists within overlapping and ever-expanding spheres:
• The Journalist as an Individual: Who is a Journalist. We’ll examine the fundamentals of the profession, including the public interest, issues of objectivity and implicit bias and share perspectives on how to cover complex stories.
• Journalist in the Newsroom: How do Canadian newsrooms stack up when it comes to reflecting the diversity of their audiences? We’ll explore how “solutions journalism” hopes to improve coverage of marginalized communities and individuals.
• Journalist in the Community: Identity issues are at the centre of many of the big stories journalists cover. By reviewing media examples and hearing from journalists and advocates, we’ll learn more about representation in news and feature coverage when it comes to race, gender, sexuality, ability and Indigenous issues.
• Journalist in the World: In our post-truth world, stories about terrorism and extremism are never far from the headlines. We’ll explore how these media narratives are shaped and also dive into issues central to covering climate change. We’ll also talk about the perils of misinformation and the global media trust crisis.
Upon the successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
The first week, Tuesday September 8.
In subsequent weeks:
The class is divided into asynchronous learning and synchronous learning, as an adaptation to online learning.
Asynchronous
Live Classes
Zoom links posted in D2L will bring you to the weekly 1 hour live lecture and seminars.
The one-hour live lecture:
Seminars
Because this is a journalism course, the news often overtakes our best-laid plans, and new readings will be added throughout the semester. So please, make sure you check D2L regularly.
Attendance issues and accommodations:
Acknowledging that some students may have challenges attending due to time zone issues should contact the professor as soon as possible to discuss accommodations. While we will do our best to accommodate you please be aware that real-time lab participation is a course requirement. Students who experience connectivity issues should contact their TAs. Please be aware it is possible to participate by telephone in Zoom, through a local number, as an alternative if video calling is not possible due to connectivity issues.
Please note: There are no lectures guest speakers or seminars on October 13, 20 and December 1. There are respectively reading week, midterm, and the final exam.
There is no required textbook for this course.
Mandatory course readings will be posted in D2L one week before class.
Each week there will be about 6 - 8 readings that amplify the themes of that week. These are relatively short, easy-to-digest pieces of journalism and you are expected to read them to participate fully in class discussions and answer test questions. In addition, there are occasionally book chapters, a video or audio component. After Week 1 there will also be pre-recorded lectures (about 30 min). Some weeks will be lighters and others will be heavier but generally, you should allow yourself 1.5 hours for this work.
As we will be discussing ongoing issues in the news as they relate to the themes of the course, you are expected to pay attention to the news through regular reading, viewing and/or listening of news from trustworthy sources.
Posted in D2L
For more information about exams, please see Ryerson University’s Senate Policy on Examinations No. 135. For more information about grade appeals and reassessments please see relevant Senate Policies:
Assessment | Course Weight (in %) | Week Assigned | Week Due | Week Returned |
Seminar presentation of class readings and leading class discussion (In groups) | 10 | Week 1 | TBD: Groups selected and presentation weeks set through random process. | 10 days following deadline |
Reflective/Critical readings response essay | 15 | Week 1 | Individual 600-word papers due one week following class presentation of readings. | 10 days following deadline |
Midterm Take-home Test | 20 | Week7 (Oct.20) 11 AM ET | Due Wednesday, October Noon ET in D2L | 10 days following deadline |
Final Take-home Test | 25 | Week 13 Dec 1 at 11AM ET | Due Dec. 9th at noon ET | 10 days following deadline |
Attendance and Participation | 20 | Ongoing | N/A | |
Quizzes | 10 | Ongoing | From Sept 29 to December 1 | |
Total | 100% |
Our shared goal is an environment that fosters critical thinking, collegiality and respect in considering complex issues. affecting journalists and our audiences. We will have some difficult and important conversations in this course, in the lecture and in the seminars. These discussions will only transpire in productive ways if we’re reflective and conscious of the things we say and do are able to become comfortable with the sometimes uncomfortable. Throughout the course, we would like for us to assume the best intent of everyone in the room. To facilitate the most supportive communication conditions possible, we will collaborate on the Discussion Guidelines in our opening lecture and seminar. It will serve as an important set of guidelines for the semester.
A note about devices
Throughout the semester, we will have guest speakers from the media industry. They are generously taking the time to share their expertise. You are expected to give them your undivided attention. Please do not do other work or text, and respect the time they have taken to come to class. Buzzing phones and can be disruptive even over Zoom and texting or multi-tasking during seminars is not conducive to learning. Please do not send or read messages via your handheld device during classes. If you are expecting a truly important call during a class, inform me or your TA in advance, and mute your mic. If a call does come in, turn off your video.
Please speak to us if you have any concerns about device use during class.
Deadlines matter in journalism, they matter at RSJ and they matter in this class. Extensions will be granted only on health or compelling compassionate grounds and MUST be discussed before the work is due.
"For more information, see "Health Certificate" information below."
All other late work will be penalized one letter grade (from B to B- etc.) for each day or portion of day beyond the deadline. That means an assignment due at 6 pm and handed in beyond that deadline will lose one letter grade for every 24 hours past the deadline.
If you will miss an assignment, test or examination due to illness, you should let your instructor know in advance and then submit an Academic Consideration Request Form within three working days of the missed assessment. If you are a B. Journ., student, this form should go to RSJ student affairs coordinator, Bev Petrovic; all other students should submit the documentation to their home department or program's student affairs coordinator or program administrator.
If this happens only once per semester, you will NOT have to provide a health certificate or other documentation from a health-care provider — Ryerson University’s new policy on missed assessments indicates that students need a health certificate signed by a physician only if they miss more than one assignment, test or examination in a course in a single semester. If you are going to miss a second assessment, please let me know in advance or ASAP after the fact.
Students are expected to complete all assignments, tests, and exams within the time frames and by the dates indicated in this outline. If you need accommodations according to Policy 159: Academic Accommodation of Students with Disabilities, the student and instructor must discuss any modifications as soon as possible.
Religious, Aboriginal, and Spiritual Observance
For accommodations based on medical or religious, Aboriginal, and spiritual observance reasons, a Request for Accommodation of Student Religious, Aboriginal and Spiritual Observance form and an Academic Consideration Request form must be submitted within the first two weeks of class or, for a final examination, within two weeks of the posting of the examination schedule.
Your work should be accurate, verifiable and your own; using fake interviews, misrepresenting or making up sources, data or using misleading visuals/audio, are all serious journalistic and academic offences. Your work also must be free of any copyright restrictions. If you have ANY doubts, please speak to the instructor. Details are in the School of Journalism's Rules of Conduct, which contain greater detail about truth-telling issues specific to the practice of journalism. These are in the student handbook.
All work you submit must be entirely your own. Penalties for fabrication, plagiarism or other forms of cheating will range from failing an assignment to failing the course and will include a disciplinary notice being placed on your academic record.
You are required to adhere to Ryerson University's Academic Integrity policy which covers plagiarism and other transgressions. It is at:
http://www.ryerson.ca/senate/policies/pol60.pdfThe following section addresses course-specific issues and general information about student access and support.
To learn more about course management expectations, please review Ryerson University’s Course Management Policy No.166
Ryerson University’s Student Learning Support office will work confidentially and directly with you if you have temporary and permanent disabilities that impact your academic functioning; your rights and responsibilities are outlined here:
Ryerson Senate Policy for Academic Accommodation of Students with Disabilities No. 159.
Once the instructor receives an accommodation letter, the instructor should meet with the student to discuss what arrangements should be made to assignments, classes or other issues in the course.
All students in full and part-time graduate and undergraduate degree programs and all continuing education students are required to activate and maintain their Ryerson online identity at ryerson.ca/accounts in order to regularly access Ryerson’s email, RAMSS, the my.ryerson.ca portal and learning management system, and other systems by which they will receive official university communications.
If you are experiencing technical or administrative issues with your course, help is available by completing the Ask RSJ form.
Ryerson University offers services to address a broad range of common challenges students face. Don’t hesitate to ask your instructor for assistance connecting with any of these great resources.
There is a wide range of other services available to Ryerson students; if you need any kind of assistance, PLEASE just ask—ask your instructor, the course lecturer, the student affairs coordinator or any other RSJ instructor or staff member.
In addition to Ryerson’s services and supports, Good2Talk is a free, confidential helpline providing professional counselling and information and referrals for mental health, addictions and well-being to post-secondary students in Ontario, 24/7/365. Students can reach Good2Talk by calling 1-866-925-5454 or by dialing 2-1-1 and asking to be connected to Good2Talk.
This is a demanding program; our expectations are high and the standards are rigorous. But please know that, when you encounter problems, we are here to help. For that reason, you should never hesitate to reach out.
TESTS: 45%
There will be two take home tests during the term comprised of short-answer and essay questions that will assess your understanding of the course material and your critical thinking about the issues raised. While this is not a writing course, writing clarity, organization, grammar and spelling will be a factor in grading. Rubrics for grading will be posted in D2L. Test questions will be based on material from lectures, seminar readings and guest speakers.
Seminar and reading response essay paper
Seminar presentation: 10% In groups of 3-4, students will present course material and lead the weekly discussions of seminar readings and related discussion based on that day’s lecture, required readings and supplementary readings. Group presentations will run all weeks 3-12 except for breaks. Groups must include a detailed list of the work of each individual in preparing for a 15-20 minute presentation that helps the seminar group develop a deeper understanding and think critically about the material. This is due at the beginning of class. Students will be marked individually. Deadlines throughout term from Week 3-11 are based on the random draw in Week 1.
Reading response reflective/critical essay. 15 % Students will write a 600-word essay summarizing key themes and reflecting on at least one of the readings presented during their seminar, making connections to other readings, class themes and including an example of journalism that amplifies the themes of the selected article(s). Deadlines throughout term from Week 3-12, based on random draw in Week 1. More details of this assignment will be posted in D2L.
Quizzes 10% : There will be 5 Quizzes in D2L based on the readings. These are short answer or multiple choice.
Participation and attendance 20%: You may miss one guest speaker and one seminar without being penalized, but you are generally expected to attend and participate in group discussion and class exercises.
Please note this is a live class, from 10 am ET to 12PM ET, Please complete all reading materials in D2L before class. Zoom Link is posted in D2L.
Guest Speaker 11AM -12PM ET: Brent Jolly, CAJ President, also director National NewsMedia Council
Seminar Groups 1PM 2PM ET
By the end of this week…
Posted in D2L
Posted in D2L
Please note this week's lecture and all subsequent lectures are pre-taped a week before class and posted in D2L . Please complete all materials in D2L prior to attending the Guest Speaker event and the Seminar, which are live on Zoom.
Guest Speaker 11AM -12PM ET: Melissa Rigden, Host Producer APTN
Seminars 1-2 PM ET
By the end of this week…
Posted in D2L
Posted in D2L
Practice Quiz will be posted in D2L. This is a practice quiz only, it is not graded.
11 am -12 PM Guest Speaker: Sean Towgood, CBC
1PM -2PM ET Seminar
Posted in D2L
Posted in D2L
Group presentation in seminars
Quiz 1: Posted in D2L
Posted in D2L
Posted in D2L
Group presentations in seminar
Reading response essays due for last week’s presenters.
Quiz 2: Posted in D2L
11 AM ET -12 PM ET Guest speaker: TBA
1PM -2PM Seminars
Posted in D2L
Posted in D2L
Group presentations in seminars
Reading response essays due for last week’s presenters.
Quizz 3: Posted in D2L
Reading week
Midterm test assigned. Posted in D2L with deadline details.
GUEST SPEAKER: Denise Balkissoon. Please also view the 1 hour panel in D2L.
Seminar 1PM-2PM ET
By the end of this week…
Posted in D2L
Posted in D2L
Group presentations in seminars.
Reading response essays due for last week’s presenters.
The challenges of covering gender and sexuality
1PM- 2PM ET Seminar
Posted in D2L
Posted in D2L
Group presentations in seminars.
Reading response essays due for last week’s presenters.
Quiz 4: Posted in D2L
Understanding and covering Indigenous issues
Journalism’s responsibilities in the era of Truth and Reconciliation
1PM- 2PM ET Seminar
By the end of this week…
Develop deeper understanding of the complexity of covering Canada’s Indigenous people and the role of journalism in Truth and Reconciliation.
Guest Speaker: JHR Indigenous
Posted in D2L
Posted in D2L
Group presentations in seminars.
Reading response essays due for last week’s presenters.
Quiz 5 : Posted in D2L
1PM- 2PM ET Seminar
By the end of this week…
Posted in D2L
Posted in D2L
Group presentations in seminars.
Reading response essays due for last week’s presenters.
Covering climate change in a polarized world
1PM- 2PM ET Seminar
By the end of this week…
Posted in D2L
Posted in D2L
Group presentations in seminars
Reading response essays due for last week’s presenters.