JOURNALISM EDUCATION BASED ON SERIOUS GAMES

Abstract

The article substantiates the use of serious games for training in the specialty 061 Journalism. Serious games are viewed as information and communication technologies for training journalists. Well-known serious games of journalistic direction are analyzed. The role of serious games in the courses «Internet Journalism», «Blogging», «International Journalism», «Fact-Checking», «Art Journalism», etc. is determined. The project of a serious game «J-chess» for journalists using the universal modeling language (UML) is described. It identified the benefits of serious games for learning journalists: work the principles of active- and problem-based learning, a pleasant and deep immersion in professional issues and educational topics. Serious games are also a basis for strengthening the interdisciplinary links between mandatory and selective disciplines of journalists’ professional training. The content and principles of serious games contribute to reaching learning outcomes defined in the Higher Education Standard in journalism. It confirmed this by the four-year results of students' surveys. Problematic issues for the practice of serious games in the educational process are shown: digital inequality, availability of video games, lack of integration of serious games with electronic learning systems, students’ readiness to play, the didactic impact of the game, and ethical dilemmas. Emphasis is placed on the need to create methodological aids for serious games, determine their role and place in the discipline’s structure, formulate the principles and algorithms for pedagogical support of serious games. Solving these problems will promote the academic and practical training of future journalists through serious games, intensify the development of serious games, bring together the gaming industry and education. Integrating serious games with online learning will be the basis for trans-media learning. And this will increase the quality of education and the level of satisfaction of graduates and stakeholders.