- The newsroom, the Carles Capdevila radio studio and the TV set are three spaces that allow UVic communication degree students to learn by simulating that they are in a real context
- Taking it a step further, UVic Ràdio and Insights are educational and professional projects simultaneously
In learning to carry out a profession, it is important to gain theoretical knowledge and all the practical training that accompanies it. As the University of Vic - Central University of Catalonia is aware of this fact, it incorporates external placements into its study programmes and uses simulation as a teaching methodology to develop competencies. This powerful training tool puts students in a situation that is very similar to what they may find in their professional practice. Consequently, they can face the pressure that they will experience in a real context, but without the risks of doing so in the real world. In this way, mistakes become lessons learnt for the future.
Like other areas of the university, in the communication field there is a clear commitment to introducing aspects of simulation in the subjects of its bachelor’s degrees in Journalism, Audiovisual Communication, Advertising and Public Relations, and Marketing and Business Communication at the Faculty of Business and Communication Studies (FEC). In this way, students can experience what it is like to be in a newsroom, in a radio studio or on a TV set, and prepare for the real challenges of journalism and communication.
The introduction of aspects of simulation in the communication field allows students to experience that they are in a newsroom, in a radio studio or on a TV set
Experiencing journalistic activity in the newsroom
The newsroom is designed to simulate the journalistic activity of writing for the media in the more applied subjects. It is a hands-on experience that prepares students for real situations.
So, for example, “in radio subjects, in which students work in groups, while some are in the Carles Capdevila studio doing a live broadcast, with classmates working in the audio editing booths, other groups are in the newsroom preparing the radio products that will be broadcast a while later,” explained Toni Sellas, Journalism coordinator. He added, "in each subject, the way of functioning is adapted to the content, the competencies and the learning outcomes that need to be worked on.”
“In each subject, the way of functioning is adapted to the content, the competencies and the learning outcomes that need to be worked on”
The UVic newsroom has all the equipment required to produce texts, and other formats and narratives. It is equipped with Mac computers, a four-input mixing desk, two wireless microphones, a chroma with lighting to work on television and audiovisual formats, two 52-inch monitors, a printer and editing programs, among other tools. The space enables students to experience what happens in a real newsroom. It is also used by the writing teams of the university’s real media, such as the Insights magazine.
The Carles Capdevila radio studio: a space for training and for UVic Ràdio
Whether they are in front of the microphone, presenting news or a talk show, or carrying out the technical management on the other side, the Carles Capdevila radio studio offers future communication professionals the opportunity to practice, develop and improve their radio skills.
In this way, “regardless of the tools and the programs that are used by different broadcasters, to create good products you need to master radio language and its characteristics, and this can only be achieved with practice,” noted Sergi Solà, head of FEC studies and a Radio teacher.
“Regardless of the tools and the programs that are used by different broadcasters, to create good products you need to master radio language and its characteristics, and this can only be achieved with practice”
In this space, students can learn with appropriate technological devices all the professional procedures that are related to putting a radio product on air. This year, two recording booths have been opened in which students can experiment and record their work or podcasts in a completely independent way, which is another characteristic of the professional world.
UVic Ràdio, UVic’s digital radio station, is also broadcast from this space. It offers programming that is mainly focused on self-produced programmes, made and produced by FEC students and related people. “Students can broadcast their work and podcasts,” explained Sergi Solà, who added “this is an initial path to enter the professional and real world of radio, which allows students to create a CV that goes beyond their studies.”
Like professional TV sets
Standing in front of the spotlight is not an easy task. It is largely learned through practice, which allows people to master staging, speaking and the feeling of being observed. Considering this reality, the TV set is a key piece of equipment so that communication students can experience what it is like to be in front of and behind the camera. In this way, they can gain the knowledge required to become professionals in the audiovisual sector in the future.
According to Jan Frigola, coordinator of the degree in Audiovisual Communication, “having a suitable space for simulating the reality of being on a TV set provides a practical, realistic learning experience, which facilitates students’ knowledge retention. It also encourages decision-making and the solving of problems that may be encountered in a future professional environment.”
“Having a suitable space for simulating the reality of being on a TV set provides a practical, realistic learning experience, which facilitates students’ knowledge retention”
In this learning environment, students have access to the latest generation of audiovisual and digital technological equipment to develop projects using all the resources of audiovisual language, which are similar to those on professional sets. The equipment includes Full HD cameras with professional optics, a robotic camera controlled by film direction, the control room that incorporates a Hi-Fi sound table, flat screens that can be divided by camera inputs, a mixing desk, a system of telecommunications between the set and control equipment and a digital recording system. Attached to the set is a UCoworking space that allows students to work in small groups.
Insights: a step beyond teaching practice
Born as both a training and professional project, Insights is a digital magazine made and designed by students of bachelor’s degrees at FEC, which is open to students from other faculties and to alumni and teachers. “It avoids current affairs, collects timeless stories and offers calmer journalism, so that topics can be dealt with in depth,” noted Ariadna Reche, content director and editor-in-chief of the magazine.
Insights emerged to offer students a window through which to express themselves. In this respect, “it is a communication portal where students can begin to outline a professional path,” said Reche, who added: “The sooner they experiment with journalistic genres, doing interviews, covering issues in situ... the better prepared they will be when they graduate and the more doors will open for them.”
“The sooner they experiment with journalistic genres, doing interviews, covering issues in situ... the better prepared they will be when they graduate and the more doors will open for them”
However, Insights goes beyond teaching practice, because it is a medium that is published, created using professional criteria and procedures that, therefore, allows them to be put into practice. At the same time, students work in teams, forming part of a newsroom. Consequently, as the media outlet that it is, the activity of the young men and women who take part is not a practical part of a subject, but a real journalistic activity. “It is clear that they are students in training, and that is why they need to be tutored and guided in this process, but also precisely because of everything, it is an opportunity to learn by doing, through real journalistic practice,” pointed out Toni Sellas.
Press conferences with the Professionals in the Classroom programme
As part of the Professionals in the Classroom programme, FEC students of Political Journalism have sessions with politicians to learn and get to know first-hand how press conferences work, by asking the politicians questions about current events.
Students have had the opportunity to simulate, in a very professional environment, press conferences with politicians of different ideologies, such as Albert Botran, David Cid, Juan Milián, Jordi Turull, José Zaragoza and Raül Romeva, among others.
Students had the opportunity to simulate, in a very professional environment, press conferences with politicians of different ideologies
Josep Burgaya notes that the intention of the programme is “to go beyond theoretical strength to provide knowledge and practical skills,” which is why “the figure of professionals in the classroom becomes key in all the degrees of the faculty.”