To ensure his students are ready when they are on an agency job and under immense pressure to write, record, and produce a podcast for a client on a tight deadline, SC&I Assistant Professor of Professional Practice in Journalism and Media Studies (JMS) Neal Bennett creates experiential learning opportunities for his students at studios across New Jersey.
Recently, he applied for and received a grant to rent a bus and take both his graduate and undergraduate students to Black Swallowtail Studios in Eatontown, NJ. There, they took over the studio for an afternoon. Bennett split the 12 undergraduate and graduate students into two groups, and each group made two podcasts in an hour.
“It's good for them to go out and practice recording and putting stories together,” Bennett said. “At Black Swallowtail, we put the students into an environment where they were part of a creative team. All eyes were on everybody, and they were responsible for creating professional-level content,” Bennett said.
Lately, he’s been approaching more of his classes by providing experiential learning opportunities, Bennett said. “I know most students generally hate the group work, but I have to explain to them that they are not going to do everything on their own on the job. When they’re out in the real world, they will need to work with other people and learn to listen to and accept criticism. I tell them, ‘What you might like, somebody else might not, and they're the boss. So, you will need to change what you did. It might go up another level and change back to your original way, but it might not.’
“I want them to experience this, because when they sit down for a job interview, they are going to need to be able to talk about these things, and not just say they know how to use a camera and write a script. That’s fine, but they will also need to show they know how to work with a team and clients, lead a team, make changes, and make things work and flow effectively. So that's what this experience was about. It was giving them the experience of being in a new place and having to work on deadline in the hot seat.”
JMS major and senior Andy Tonato said, “The class trip to the podcast studio was an excellent experience for my peers and me to be able get a grasp of what we can expect post-graduation. This preview of the professional media production world allowed us to interact and collaborate with like-minded individuals to be able to understand all the intricate and technical aspects of production. The experience in environments like at Black Swallowtail Studios is essential for students in the Journalism and Media Studies program to be able to jump right into the working environments media calls for post-graduation. I personally found it to be incredibly rewarding to participate in the interactive aspect of this trip and further connect with my fellow peers.”
Eric Massimino, who built and runs Black Swallowtail Studios in his spare time, works full-time at NBC on the “Today Show” and has been nominated for two Emmys. A Monmouth University graduate, Massimino was a former student of Bennett’s through an independent arts and education program. Over the years, in addition to hosting SC&I students at the studios, Massimino has also brought them into NBC during national elections to work on graphics.
These experiences expand the students’ understanding of media literacy, Bennett said. “I know most students think media literacy is understanding media messages and telling the difference between the truth and fiction. But there is a whole other component of media literacy which involves understanding how to create content and get the message across, and understanding different aspects of how theory taught in the classroom applies to actual practice. In practice, it's very different. This is why no one wants a doctor -- who's just read medical books -- to operate on them.”
Nikaytaa Malhotra, a Teaching Assistant for Bennett’s classes, said, "The trip to Black SwallowTail Studios allowed undergraduate students and me, a graduate student, to gain insight into what professional media production entails. The studio showed us the possibilities that exist not just behind the camera but also in front of it. It inspired me and gave me new perspectives to continue with public-facing scholarship in the form of videos, podcasts, and live shows. In today's world, which is increasingly relying on digital production and tools, whether it be for Zoom calls or asynchronous learning, I believe trips like this allow students to imagine possibilities both for their careers and hobbies. I am grateful to Neal for going above and beyond to organize this trip for us and procuring the necessary funding from a non-profit.”
Bennet said he is also motivated to organize these trips so his students avoid some of the pitfalls he experienced years ago when he was starting out in his career. “I remember working on a film set, and I didn't realize I couldn’t touch certain things. I didn’t know I wasn’t allowed to, even if somebody asked me to. It’s because of the way the unions work. If you touch something you are not supposed to you can get kicked off the set. So, we prepare them for these types of situations as well. Students encounter a lot of unfamiliar things when they leave college, so my goal is to try to familiarize them with as much about the industry as I can so when they are on the job they're not confused and scared.”
“I am very grateful that Professor Bennett created this media production team and took us to the podcast studio,” said Yazan Mohammad, a senior who is double majoring in Journalism and Media Studies and Cinema Studies. “The experience gave me better insight on the production of podcast and broadcast shows and helped demystify the media production process more. Generally, I really appreciate Professor Bennett’s dedication to offering students opportunities and real work experience.”
Learn more about the Journalism and Media Studies major at the Rutgers School of Communication and Information on the website.
