Toward In-Depth Coverage: Testing the Effectiveness of a Single-Issue Multimedia Course for Undergraduate Public Affairs Reporting

Abstract

This article details a case study testing the effectiveness of a new curriculum for undergraduate public affairs reporting. Our intervention focused on restructuring an undergraduate reporting class to focus on a single issue (schools) and introduce mapping and video, whereas control groups used the old curriculum that was print-heavy and had no specific focus. Findings revealed that the new model helped students engage with communities at a deeper level and allowed them to produce more in-depth stories, but did not increase student confidence with multimedia techniques or class satisfaction.