The Radio Dramatization of Educational Contents: A Higher Education Experience

Abstract

This research discloses the results from the first pilot test of a new teaching method called journalism based learning carried out on the course «Teoría y técnicas de las relaciones públicas» of the Open University of Catalonia (UOC, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya) degree in Advertising and Public Relations. Journalism based learning consists on working on university learning contents following a journalistic methodology. Thus, journalism based learning shows up a new application of the media, focusing on its teaching and entertaining function rather than its informative one. The UOC has started the first journalism based learning projects so as to provide its students with new learning contents through its radio dramatization. The application of the method developed by journalism to life-long learning reveals the radio as a key element, since it enables to keep the requirement of flexibility (in space, time and of appliance). In other words: mobility and portability. This article explains the foundations of journalism based learning and shows the results and conclusions of the first results of its application to online university teaching, among which the positive reception by students, thanks in particular to its entertainment function, and its contribution to facilitate the study of the educational contents..