My teaching Approach
My position as a professor on the School of Journalism faculty and a newsroom/center direct generated a unique need for a teaching philosophy that could bridge the theoretical and the practical to give students the most from the opportunities available under the Missouri method. Taking the third line of that method literally, my philosophy is to allow students to do and understand, while challenging them to empower themselves to accomplish more than they believe they can.
I begin with a steadfast refusal to do anything for them, insisting instead I will do it with them. Journalism education must be experiential and must stress the ability of each student to do and learn at the same time. Under my supervision, students work to develop stories, newscasts or films, write and edit them individually, and—most importantly—stand behind their work as they face public scrutiny. Never do I take less than full effort from any student, excusing something inferior as just “practice” work. Each documentary assignment, each newsroom shift, and each classroom exercise is as important to each student as any work he or she will do after leaving school and becoming an employee.
Four decades after I joined the Missouri faculty, my teaching philosophy has evolved more than I could have seen in 1986. Students are different, newsrooms are different, and even the journalism landscape itself has changed more than any of us could have imagined. My approach to teaching has grown to meet those changes. It is still developing. And as we move into an era where traditional journalism may cease to exist, the philosophy I have developed for myself will continue to adapt to serve students best.
Courses taught
Journalism 4180: Newsroom Content Creation
3 credit hours
Taught first semester of offering in Spring 2021
12 students per semester
-Course operates as a “newsroom” for sophomore students
-Responsible to be the editor for stories from class to be published
-Helped teach the inaugural semester of the course
Journalism 4442: Drone Journalism
3 credit hours
First taught Spring semester 2020 (initially a section in Journalism 4462 Emerging Technology in Journalism)
Responsible for teaching every semester Spring 2020 through Spring 2022
38 students per semester
-Redesigned drone theory and practice course to be a stand-alone offering
-Course includes two lectures and two flying laboratories per week
-Students taught come from all disciplines in the School of Journalism
Journalism 1200: Fundamentals of Visual Journalism and Strategic Communication
2 credit hours
Taught first semester of offering in Fall 2019
20 students per semester
-Volunteered to teach course in its inaugural semester
-Course introduces freshmen students to hands-on visual and audio skills for the very first time
-Course meets twice a week for a 75-minute lecture
-Heavy assignment load and responsibility to work with students one-on-one
General Honors 2010H: Honors Tutorial
1 credit hour
First taught Spring semester 2018
Responsible for teaching every spring semester beginning 2018 through 2021
8 students per semester
-Course designed to take honors student through the critical reviewing process
-Focuses on films from the True/False Film Fest
-Seminar-style class for undergraduates
-Co-taught with Robert Greene
Journalism 4372/7372: Documentary Reporting
3 credit hours
First taught Fall semester 2017
Responsible for teaching every fall semester beginning 2017 through 2021
20 students per semester
-First hands-on course for documentary journalism students.
-Combines classroom lecture with field production work to learn skills
-Begins students on a path to documentary production proficiency
-Instructor-intensive course, working closely with each student on projects
Journalism 2150: Fundamentals of Multimedia Journalism
3 credit hours
Taught Fall semesters in 2017 and 2018
60 students per semester
-Course trains incoming journalism students the tools of multimedia journalism
-Responsible for video portion of the course for three sections
-Developed a video curriculum and rubrics shared with other instructors
Journalism 4379W: Documentary Senior Capstone
3 credit hours
First taught Spring Semester 2017
Responsible for teaching every spring semester beginning 2017 through 2021
20 students per semester
-Capstone course in Documentary Journalism interest area
-Close supervision of students finishing year-long documentary project
-Coordinate student senior film festival
-Writing-intensive course
Journalism 4377: Documentary Senior Project
2 credit hours
First taught Fall Semester 2016
Responsible for teaching every fall semester beginning 2016 through 2021
20 students per semester
-Sets students on course to complete year-long documentary project
-Involves many out of classroom meetings to coach students toward success
Journalism 4375/7375: Documentary Business and the Public Sphere
2 credit hours
First taught Spring Semester 2016
Responsible for teaching every spring semester beginning 2016 through 2021
20 students per semester
-Course gives documentary journalists instruction in budgeting, sales and exhibition
-Combines classroom lecture with field projects to further develop skills
-Students take the lead in investigating important business skills and concepts
-Instructor-intensive course, working closely with each student on projects
Journalism 4564/7564: Micro-Documentary Photojournalism and Photography
3 credit hours
Taught Spring 2015 to Fall 2016
20 students per semester
-First hands-on course for documentary journalism students.
-Combines classroom lecture with field production work to learn skills
-Developed the approach to existing course aimed at documentary-only enrollment
-Instructor-intensive course, working closely with each student on projects
Journalism 4804: Convergence Reporting
3 credit hours
Acted as faculty editor Spring Semester 2015
15 to 35 students per semester
-Responsible for KOMU-TV laboratory supervision in fall, spring, and summer semesters, 2010 to 2014
-Integrate convergence students into KOMU-TV broadcast lab daily assignments
-Edit student work on KOMU-TV online sites
Journalism 4308/7308: Broadcast News 3
3 credit hours
Responsible for teaching fall, spring, and first summer semester: 1990 to 2014
Responsible for laboratory supervision year-round: 1990 to 2014
20 to 45 students per semester
-Core course for all Radio-TV students, using weekly lectures combined with multiple weekly laboratory work in KOMU-TV newsroom. Course focuses on trends in television and radio news, emphasizing ethical, quality-focused to reporting the news and improving the overall content of local broadcast media
-Developed millennial-focused approach to course teaching, focused on using techniques that encourage learning in a millennial-friendly style, while working to grow more skills that better prepare students for the workforce
-Course load of 40-50 students per semester in instructor-intensive laboratory course, taught without teaching assistants
-Course also accommodates the needs of the school’s Convergence Journalism students
Journalism 4306/7306: Broadcast News 2
3 credit hours
Responsible for laboratory supervision year-round: 1990 to 2014
Regular guest lecturer, occasional main instructor
50 to 65 students per semester
-Primary responsibility is to integrate students in this course into the newsroom structure at KOMU-TV
-Use lab to teach both broadcast and online skills
-Manage all in-depth, enterprise reporting for course
Journalism 4320/7320: Advanced Broadcast Reporting
3 credit hours
Responsible for laboratory supervision year-round: 1990 to 2014
Regular guest lecturer, occasional main instructor
10 to 20 students per semester
-Work to improve live field work components of course
-Act as story advisor and editor for investigative and in-depth stories
-Encourage long-form story production
Journalism 4300/7300: Broadcast News 1
3 credit hours
Regular guest lecturer, occasional main instructor
60 to 70 students per semester
-Lecture on photography and camera skills
Journalism 4050/7050: Communications Practice
1 to 3 credit hours
Responsible for teaching fall, spring, first summer semester, and second summer semester: 1986 to 2022
2 to 10 students per semester
-Develop students beyond advanced reporting skills
-Work on performance skills
-Work on resume video production
Journalism 4350/7350: Problems in Journalism
1 to 3 credit hours
Responsible for teaching fall, spring, first summer semester, and second summer semester: 1986 to 2022
2 to 10 students per semester
-Develop advanced research, composition skills
Journalism 4806: Convergence Editing and Producing
3 credit hours
Responsible for laboratory supervision in fall, spring, and summer semesters, 2008 to 2014
15 to 45 students per semester
-Integrate convergence students into KOMU-TV broadcast lab daily assignments
Journalism 2100: News
3 credit hours
Responsible for laboratory tour facilitation in fall, spring, and summer semesters, 2003 to 2014
100 to 300 students per semester
-Developed expanded tour curriculum to facilitate learning in the broadcast space
-Coordinate and train tour guides
Interdisciplinary Studies 1001: Proseminar in Interdisciplinary Studies
1 credit hour
Responsible for teaching fall semester: 2005 to 2021
15 to 20 students per semester
-Co-facilitator/mentor to introduce freshmen to the university system
-Involve students in the KOMU-TV newsroom
-Discuss journalism options and help with career counseling
Journalism 351: Television Photojournalism
3 credit hours
Taught in fall, winter, and summer semesters from August 1986 to May 1996 (course suspended)
5 to 15 students per semester
-Taught students interested in news photography as a career, as well as those looking to improve working relationships with photographers
-Emphasized NPPA-style photography and editing
-Developed video franchise for student work
Journalism 4650: International Issues Reporting
3 credit hours
Taught in summer semester 2003
24 students
Central course for London study abroad program
Introduced students to European media systems, both print and broadcast
-Conducted field trips to European media companies
-Supervised student internships in London
-Managed final media project for semester
Journalism 301: Topics (Political Reporting)
3 credit hours
Co-taught in fall semester 1996
15 students
-Seminar-style course for graduate and undergraduate students to discuss election year political reporting