News

A group of journalists and media professionals in Hetauda participated in a workshop on shared learning in journalism and communications held on September 25. The workshop was offered by the Media Foundation and hosted by Radio Makawanpur.

The workshop led participants to reflect on the concept of shared learning in media, its prospects and challenges in the local context, and particularly in areas of media content, working conditions, professional institutions, and legal and ethical issues.

Participants discussed their understanding of shared learning, and how it could contribute to their personal and professional development. Majority of the attendees noted generational gaps, lack of resources and a spirit of dialogue among professionals as the biggest hindrances to shared learning.

Some said that although they did not have a keen awareness of shared learning until the workshop, shared learning was very much a part of their lives. The workshop, they observed, was a systematic approach to such learning.
Small group sessions focused on themes such as media content/products, working conditions, instructional environments/ownership issues, professional skills, policy and ethical topics, etc.

Some observed that learning about media should also take into account the local cross-cutting issues such as politics, economy, culture, and health, because only a quality media product or institution can impart quality understanding of political or economic issues.

Other participants noted journalists can learn very little from their supervisors, most of whom have not inherited any culture of mentorship from their own supervisors in the past, and hence they tend to shy away from helping their juniors in their learning challenges. When confronted by situations that need professional answers, participants said they mostly rely on their former college teachers, trusted colleagues (from own generation) or Web searches.

Moderating the workshop, Dr. Dharma Adhikari, the co-initiator of Media Foundation, said that rapid expansion of new technologies– almost half the population owns cell phones, and the country boasts of some 400 FM radio stations– has made shared learning at the community level all the more relevant, and possible, today. “Our lives are increasingly mediated, and the need to comprehend the grammar of media has taken on a new urgency,” he said. “Shared learning is the most effective way because it is community-based, because we share what we already know and in that process, identify good practices or problems in order for us all to improve future course of action.”

The workshop and the contributions by participants in the form of discussion and suggestion was designed to assess the scope and need for a comprehensive, evolutionary learning approach regarding the media. Unlike in the traditional trainer-trainee static model, shared learning is a dynamic process where knowledge is acquired, reviewed, amended, modified and finally crystallized by means of constant action and research by the stakeholders themselves. Shared learning also means that the knowledge accumulated is preserved for future use by others interested in the topic.

Dr. Adhikari informed participants that the workshop was part of the MF’s ProMeme (Project Mero Media) effort that focuses on learning about media in the grassroots level. Here, participants, both journalists and other professionals meet in regular “study circles”, explore ways to utilize the media in social and economic development, discuss topics from information access to media freedom, accountability and quality. The project responds to the need for a deeper public engagement in redefining the media as media freedoms are being institutionalized, new technologies advance, platforms and providers converge, and the end users expand.

The workshop eneded with participants reporting on group outputs, and notes of thank by Ms. Purnima Gole Tamang of Radio Makawanpur, the host institution.

A number of participants signed up to start “media study circles” in their local communities. As a step toward piloting the concept first before the formal launch of the program, the Media Foundation is planning to undertake in the near future more workshops on shared learning. Possible districts include Chitwan, Kavre, Dhading, Surkhet, Lalitpur and Kathmandu. The MF is looking into conceiving and developing learning tools, course materials, grading and certification for study circles.

If you represent a media organizations in one of these districts and would like to host a workshop on shared learning in journalism and communications, please contact the Media Foundation.

Back to news page