Paksoy A. F. (Executive), Kahveci H., Karahan E., Süllü Durul S.
TUBITAK Project, 2023 - 2025
This project aims to determine the conceptual framework of education journalism in Türkiye as a news type in terms of journalistic practices and to create the academic knowledge needed by those who want to specialise in this news type.
In this framework, it is important to develop academic knowledge on education journalism. This will pave the way for the implementation of education journalism as a type of news, and encourage the production of training materials for those who want to specialise in education journalism. The innovative aspect of the project can be explained in 4 steps:
1. Through in-depth interviews with education journalists, the current situation of this field will be evaluated and a course content will be developed in order to shape the future of education journalism on a scientific basis and to make it an area of expertise.
2. The subject of education will be analysed and evaluated in all aspects in news sources. In this sense, the sample of the project differs from previous studies focusing on a specific aspect of education and offers a more holistic scope.
3. Considering the changes brought about by the rapidly developing digital journalism in the last 10 years, the most followed mainstream and alternative news portals in Türkiye will be used for the news analysis sample in this study.
4. The research will be carried out with an interdisciplinary approach by utilising the accumulated knowledge of educational sciences and communication sciences, and it will be possible to produce scientific publications and prepare a textbook within this framework.
The methodological scope of the research will be based on 2 methods. Firstly, news articles and columns published on education will be analysed using content analysis technique. Then, using a phenomenological approach, in-depth interviews will be conducted with journalists who have directly experienced or are currently experiencing education journalism.
Considering the framework of the Tübitak 3005 programme, the aims and objectives of this project proposal in terms of national gains, social and public benefit potential are in line with the objectives of ‘progress in humanities’ and ‘providing a scientific basis for policy development processes’. When the research in the field of journalism is examined, the specialisation in different types of news in the field of education journalism has not been built on sufficient academic knowledge. This project aims to create the course content and course resources needed by prospective journalists who are interested in educational journalism and who want to improve themselves in this field, and by undergraduate students studying in the discipline of educational science. The first publication of a textbook on this subject in the Turkish language and the preparation of a course content including learning materials are the prominent concrete outputs of this project.
In terms of social and public benefit potential, this project has objectives that are in line with the objectives and policies of the 11th Development Plan of Türkiye. In order to achieve the targets set out in the section titled ‘2.3.1. Education’ in the Plan, it is important that issues related to education are brought to the agenda by the media. The media's approach to the issue of education with professional journalism principles and having well-equipped employees who can realise this approach will contribute to the solution of problems related to education and the achievement of the targets in the long run. In this framework, in order to realise the target of ‘556. A School Development Model will be established in which all stakeholders actively participate in education processes’ in the Development Plan, education journalism needs to be strengthened in qualitative and quantitative terms.
In this sense, the project will contribute to the development of education journalism as a journalistic practice and raise awareness of this type of news in Türkiye.