Playing serious games in journalism classes

One of the defining features of journalism education in a university setting is the requirement that students demonstrate their understanding of core skills by producing professional work. Writing skills are assessed by news reporting tasks, research skills are tested by research exercises, interviewing ability is demonstrated by conducting an interview, and so on. Sometimes this skills assessment is managed in the form of regular student publications or broadcasts. At other times it is structured as class writing exercises. In some cases mock news conferences or simulated news events are used. Regardless of the form it takes, teaching effective journalism practice in a university context necessarily involves simulating the workplace to some degree (Ester, 2000).