Travel Journalism, communication and social media

Specific Foundation / Core

The course is also offered to exchange programme students.

On completion of this course, participants will be able to: - assimilate a conceptual framework for journalism and public communication in the digital age and mobile environments with regards to Travel, - have an increased understanding and skills of travel communication and journalism, - be familiar with the genres of travel journalism, and gain knowledge about travel communication modes in a networked and multicultural digital environment, - be able to report, write, create, produce and present multimedia travel pieces and visual and audio articulations with journalistic and communicative content, - recognize, understand, analyse, evaluate and apply practices that correspond to journalism, incorporate social software and media communication tools, and facilitate effective communication strategies in the field of Travel - identify their role and their participation in setting and forming the culture of Travel and its communicative and journalistic profile. They will adopt behaviors, stances and attitudes that enhance the ‘open’, public communication and journalism in the free-flow (digital) and mobile age, and finally, participants will encourage the development of a learning ecosystem culture that leads to travel literacy, public awareness and social development.

The course ‘Travel Journalism and Communication’ is taught in both, winter and spring semester at the School of Journalism and Mass Communications at Aristotle University in Thessaloniki. It is an experiential and project-based English speaking course enganging its participants to learn the art of travel journalism and communication by immersing themselves in GREECE. The course is offered to Greek students as well as international and Erasmus students. The course integrates theory and practice (creative collaborative tasks that require the use of specific technological tools and mobility, collaborative work in the School’s lab), as well as outdoor activities and real-life scenarios – all followed by online and face-to-face reflections. The course is an introduction to the basic principles of Travel Journalism and Communication. It offers knowledge and techniques, inspiration and training to those who would like to become travel journalists or travel communicators. It is also ideal for students who would like to explore Greece as a travel destination, and enjoy sharing their travel experiences. Going beyond the standard travel and journalistic writing class, the course combines a robust curriculum with hands on training, field visits –group work – experiences. During the course participants will be given the opportunity to explore and research Greece’s and Thessaloniki’s society and culture, history, natural environment and everyday life. By being on a constant journey in time and discovering their beautiful contradictions from past to present and back again, students are asked to become ‘time travelers’ and communicate their pragmatic knowledge, empirical involvement and engagement by writing short travel accounts, producing audiovisual articulations, recording real experiences, crafting messages and creating effective communication strategies in Travel and present their own true stories and testimonials from the city/country. The course ‘Travel Journalism and Communication’ approaches the scientific Fields of Public Communication, Travel and Mobile Journalism, Studies in Tourism, Communication and Media studies and Social Sciences. Its main characteristics are: - Real-scenario projects with classroom reflection - Hands- on Training and Collaborative Learning - Use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) as well as of social software for teaching and learning

Travel, Culture, Journalism, Communication

05-02-2016