The course offers a comprehensive overview of sustainability issues within journalistic media. It addresses various current phenomena, such as news medias’ economic crisis, it’s (digital) emissions, rise of AI, news avoidance, disinformation and trust in journalism, systemic thinking and the call for diversity and pluralism. In the course we look for tools to enhance sustainability of journalism amidst these major changes. We also explore the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals of Agenda 2030, aiming to equip the students to engage with these global challenges. The course consists of six thematic modules, each requiring 2-4 days of full-time work (at your own pace). Learning activities include video lectures by several academics, journalism practicioners and civil society actors from Finland and abroad, literature, podcasts, discussions and writing assignments. Some assignments are assessed by the teacher, but students also give peer reviews to each other.
The course is offered as MOOC studies here at DigiCampus. Tampere University degree students register for the course normally through Sisu (not at DigiCampus or Open University) whereas other students can register for the course through Tampere Open University. For instructions, go to Open University's course page. If you want, you can also register as a "visitor" when you can see all the course contents but cannot take part in any learning activities (such as exams or written assignments). If you like the course as a visitor, you can afterwards register for the course through Open University (when the registration period is running). You will need the course key 210784 when entering the course.
The course is mainly aimed at master's students in journalism, but it can also be completed at the end of your bachelor's studies or if you otherwise have a good grounding in journalism.
The course runs at falls (September-December). You can start the course flexibly during August and September, but there are three mid-term assignments (12.10., 16.11. and 7.12.) that must be completed within the given schedule. The course ends on 21st December when everything must be completed.
