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DevCom Training at UNIMA

PROPOSAL OF A MULTIDISCIPLINARY UNDERGRADUATE MEDIA FOR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, TO OFFER A BACHELOR’S DEGREE IN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION, BASED WITHIN THE FACULTY OF HUMANITIES, CHANCELLOR COLLEGE: Proposal development by Linje Manyozo and submitted to The Senate of the University of Malawi by the Faculty of Humanities, March 2004

Note:

In January 2005, the Uiversity of Malawi engaged its first intake of students for the multidisciplinary BA programme in Communication for development. The process of developing this program proposal involved a needs-based research on training requirements among development communicators as well as consultations with various researchers and practitioners, in and outside Malawi. When, finally, I presented the proposal to the faculty of humanities in 2003, I did face many challenges, one of which was/is the widely held perception among scholars that communication is equal to development communication. Some staff felt that the programme should belong to their departments, to an extent, the equipment I had ordered for the media production courses should be handed to those departments! I am very much thankful to the faculty of humanities for supporting the initiative, listening to my arguments and accepting the need for such a course in Malawi. I taught the very first development communication class, when I was in Malawi doing field work for my PhD in 2005, and standing in front of those students, felt like a spiritual perdition. I am also very much thankful to Dr. Edrinnie Kayambazinthu, with whom I was able to work on the programme idea from inception- and she made substantial contributions on top of ensuring that the idea passed through faculty. It is important to record these experiences for fear of Orwellian-like revisionism that would make sure that my name is removed from the Unima records, for having introduced the first method-driven and theory-based devcom training in both Malawi and Africa.

The First Class of Development Communication at the University of Malawi at the Great Hall Complex (with me in the middle, back row) just after the very first class in March 2005.Full proposal of the program below.

Brief

This proposal was developed and presented to the Faculty of Humanities by Mr. Linje Manyozo, a Lecturer in the Department of Fine and Performing. In writing the proposal, Mr. Manyozo sought the expertise of academic members of staff from within and outside the faculty, as detailed on pages 6-9. The Faculty of Humanities approved the proposal on the 5^th February, 2004.

1.0 Program Concept

Program Name: Media for Development

Nature of Program: Interfaculty and multidisciplinary

Participating Departments: Fine and Performing Arts, English, Language and Communication, Philosophy, Publications Unit, (Faculty of

Humanities); Psychology, Sociology, History, Political and Administrative Studies (Faculty of Social Science) and Law (Faculty of Law).

Degree to be Offered: Bachelor of Arts, Development Communication

Length of Study: Four Years

Entry Qualifications: MSCE with credit passes in the Arts for both normal and parallel programs, for entry into the first year. OR a Journalism Diploma from MIJ with credit pass or completed first year at University level for entry into the second year.

2.0 Program Context and Rationale

Modern-day Malawi, just like many Third World countries is at the crossroad. The country is adversely affected by gross economic mismanagement, mediocre political and social leadership, global imperialism, increasing poverty, poor natural resource management, human rights abuses with women and children being the most affected, and worst of all, the obscene rising rates of HIV/AIDS, and other preventable diseases. Like other Third World countries, Malawi falls into the category of the Highly Indebted poor Countries (HIPC) and has been forced to implement Structural Adjustment Programs (SAP) resulting to massive unemployment rates and expensive social services, which the majority can hardly afford. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) dictates government policies on expenditures, wages and tax rates as a capital control strategy, resulting in poor countries’ servicing of First World’s debts. Tribalism also threatens to unglue the once-united societies.

Within this ideological, social and economic cataclysm, the Brazilian educator, Paulo Freire’s conceptualization of liberatory education known as critical pedagogy becomes a culturally relevant tool for dealing with the notion empowerment within the paradigm of participatory sustainable development. The empowering of local communities to make their own road [1] as elaborated within the praxis of participatory development is centered around the generalization and utilization of local knowledge (Mulenga, 1999). Yet despite increased donor-funded social development research and advocacy interventions, the establishment of many Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) interested in participatory development, increasing development communication experts, socio-economic and political aspects of life in Malawi have continued to deteriorate. What would be a probable explanation for these developments? How come Freire’s liberatory education has not improved the socio-economic status of citizens? Or how should the media be modeled to suit the Third World’s socio-economic and political endeavors?

3.0 Objectives

The proposed four-year Media for Development Program engages students in critical development and participatory communication discourses in an attempt to answer these questions. The program is therefore premised in the strong belief that development communication has to combine both development and participatory communication discourses, communication in this case being a vehicle and tool through which subject societies examine the development discourse as well as their understanding of that discourse. Grounding its approach in practical media production, development support communication, development studies, the Media for Development Program thus seeks to achieve the following objectives:

To provide training in theory-based and method-driven development media advocacy and research. Theory-based and method-driven media advocacy and research programs enable funding agencies, subject and beneficiary communities and scholars to understand how and why a particular communication had or did not have an impact. Method-driven and theory-based interventions are imperative to Malawi considering the mushrooming of donor-funded social development advocacy intervention initiatives in which every organization claims success.

To ground students in the theoretical discourses on development and participatory communication
To train students in media production skills like digital filmmaking and radio production, skills they should use in development media advocacy and research
To provide project management skills to students so they could form their own companies rather than look for jobs, considering the small media industry in Malawi
To fill up the extant lacuna in development communication training in the country. Apart form the Journalism and Media Studies program at Polytechnic, which offers Journalism training, and the participatory development courses at Bunda College which offer minimal training in extension work and participatory communication, there is no undergraduate program in the country offering a multidisciplinary Media for Development program like the proposed program.
Provide a pool of prospective students to the SADC Centre for Communication in Development graduate program to be introduced early next year here at Chancellor College.

At the end of the four-year training, it is expected that students must:

Design a theory-based and method-driven development media advocacy project in entertainment-education for both radio and television. Fine and Performing Arts students for instance have already actively participated in the establishment and sustainability of organizations like The Story Workshop and CrecCom (alias Gable SMC), but their participation has been about participating in implementation, not planning. If Malawi’s have to make their own road, they have to be involved in the planning and execution of projects that affect both their lives and societies.

Design a development media research project, employing both qualitative and quantitative techniques, under which they can examine issues like the role of indigenous knowledge systems in natural resource management, communicating science technology to oral societies and other issues in participatory development.
Contribute to the ongoing debate on the relevance and place of development communication and indigenous knowledge systems within the paradigms of poverty eradication.
Initiate the establishment of their own social development advocacy and research organizations, thus empowering Malawians to critically and vigorously contribute to the participatory development dialogue that affects their lives.
Get employment within the development communication sector without having to worry about experience. The four-year program will be run by both academics and industry people, an exposure of which will empower students to acquire industry experience during their studies.

4.0 Program Curriculum

The structure of the MfD program was designed after a rigorous research in the development communication industry. Internet and newspaper browsing focusing on job requirements in development communication and continuing dialogues with colleagues working in NGOs resulted in the proposed course structure. Further dialogues over the relevance and the performance of the program and the nature of Malawi’s development media research and advocacy will be carried out in Kucheza: A Newsletter on Development Communication in Malawi, a Free-Sheet published monthly from September. The newsletter will constitute dialogues and contributions from industry people, like from Population Services International (PSI), DFID, Malawi Broadcasting Corporation, The Story Workshop, the University, SADC Center for Communication in Development and other social development advocacy and research organizations.

Studies will be full time and running on semester basis. In the first and third years, students will take five courses whilst in the second and fourth years, they will take four courses. Each course consists of two units. Syllabi for all optional courses have not been provided, as students seeking to take them will be required to consult the departments in question. In the first and third years, students will take three courses in the first semester and two courses in the second semester. The second semesters will constitute mainly of practical courses, as during most of the time, students will be in the laboratories or the field doing their practical. In the second and fourth years, each semester shall be allocated two courses.

5.0 Developing the Syllabi

Late January 2003, I approached the Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, Dr. Edrinne Kayambazinthu (Associate Professor) with an idea about a media studies program with a developmental focus. The suggestion was made in light of the inadequacies of Journalism, Communication and Drama Programs within the University of Malawi in providing critical media training with focus on development communications. Dr. Kayambazinthu asked me to put these ideas on paper. Further conversations and meetings resulted to the development of syllabi structures, which we modified together. Considering the multidisciplinary nature of the Media for Development Program, the Dean consulted with the Social Science Dean, Departmental Heads, after which she officially sent them requests to develop syllabi. Some departments did not develop and I consulted individual members with expertise in respective fields to develop the syllabi in question. The following is the list of staff that contributed with syllabi:

Staff Member	Department	Course Syllabi Developed
Linje Manyozo, MA	FPA	· Mass Communication Theory · Southern African Film · Malawian Dance and Theatre · Fundamentals of Digital Videography · Participatory Rural Communication Appraisal · Media Studies · Southern African Media Debates · Digital Videography and ethnographic Filmmaking · Paulo Freire and Liberatory Education · Scriptwriting for Social Development Advocacy · Advanced Media Studies · Development Broadcasting · Health Communication · Entertainment-Education in Malawi · The Political Economy of Malawian Media · Media Research Projects (Pkishindo)
Edge Kanyongolo, PhD	Law	· Media Advocacy, Democracy and Human Rights · Media Law and Policy
Charles Chilimampunga, PhD	Sociology	· Social Theory
Wapulumuka Mulwafu, PhD	History	· Malawi’s Economic History
Mustafa Hussein, MA	PAS	· Project Planning and Management
Boniface Dulani, M.Phil and Blessings Chinsinga, MA.	PAS	· Issues and Policies in Development Studies · Poverty and Inequality · Southern African Economies · Development in a Changing World
Olufemi Obodunrin, PhD	English	· Popular Culture · Culture, Ideology and Identity
Mavuto Bowa, MA	Psychology	· Social Research in Media Studies
Pascal Mwale, MA	Philosophy	· Critical Thinking and Philosophical Reasoning · Theory of Knowledge and Information
Greyson Bongwe, BED (deceased)	Language and Communication	· Journalism and Press Theory · English for the Media
Dave Nyadani, BED	Publications	· Introduction to Desktop Publishing · Advanced Desktop Publishing
Language and Communication		· Writing and Oral Skills for the Media
Darlington Akambadi, BED and African Languages		· Theory and Practice in Translation and Interpreting

6.0 Media for Development Syllabi

MfD 100 Philosophical Foundations of Media Studies

MfD 110 Media and Democracy I

MfD 120 Malawian Dance and Theatre (Full module)

MfD 130 Introduction to Journalism

MfD 140 Media Production I

MfD 200 Development Communication I

MfD 210 Development Studies I

MfD 220 Media and Democracy I

MfD 230 Media Production II

MfD 300 Development Communication II

MfD 310 Development Studies II

MfD 320 Society and Culture

MfD 330 Social Research in Media Studies (Full module)

MfD 340 Media and Democracy III

MfD 400 Development Communication III

MfD 410 Development Studies III

MfD 420 Media and Democracy IV

MfD 430 Critical Media Studies

5.1 Course Breakdown

Year One: Media for Development I: Media, Development and Malawi

MfD 100 comprises two half modules, MfD 101 and MfD 102

MfD 110 comprises two half modules, MfD 111 and MfD 112

MfD 120 is one full module – Introduction to Media Studies

MfD 130 comprises two half modules, MfD 131 and MfD132

MfD 140 comprises two half modules, MfD 141 and MfD 142

MfD 101: Critical Thinking and Philosophical Reasoning

MfD 102: Theory of Knowledge and Information

MfD 111: Mass Communication Theory

MfD 112: Southern African Film

MfD 120: Malawian Dance and Theatre*

MfD 131: Journalism and Press Theory

MfD 132: English for Media

MfD 141: Digital Videography: Fundamentals

MfD 142: Desktop Publishing: Basics

Year Two: Media for Development II: Critical Perspectives

MfD 200 comprises two half modules, MfD 201 and MfD 202

MfD 210 comprises two half modules, MfD 211 and MfD 212

MfD 220 comprises two half modules, MfD 221 and MfD 222

MfD 230 comprises two half modules, MfD 231 and MfD 232

MfD 201: Participatory Rural Communication Appraisal (PRCA)

MfD 202: Media Studies

MfD 211: Development Studies: Issues and Policies

MfD 212: Poverty and Inequality

MfD 221: Southern African Media Debates

MfD 222: Media Advocacy, Human Rights and Democracy

MfD 231: Digital Videography: Ethnographic Filmmaking*

MfD 232: Desktop Publishing*

Year Three: Media for Development III: Research and Advocacy

MfD 300 comprises two half modules, MfD 301 and MfD 302

MfD 310 comprises two half modules, MfD 311 and MfD 312

MfD 320 comprises two half modules, MfD 321 and MfD 322

MfD 330 comprises of two half modules, MfD 331 and MfD 332

MfD 340 comprises two half modules, MfD 341 and MfD 342

Course Breakdown

MfD 301: Liberatory Education

MfD 302: Scriptwriting and Producing for Social Development Advocacy

MfD 311: Malawi’s Economic History

MfD 312: Development Studies: Southern African Economies

MfD 321: Social theory

MfD 322: Popular Culture

MfD 331: Development Communication Research

MfD 332: Writing and Oral Skills for the Media

MfD 341: Translation and Interpreting

MfD 342: Development Broadcasting

Year Four: Media for Development IV: DSC Project Planning and Implementation

MfD 400 comprises two half modules, MfD 401 and MfD 402

MfD 410 comprises two half modules, MfD 411 and MfD 412

MfD 420 comprises two half modules, MfD 421 and MfD 422

MfD 430 comprises two half modules, MfD 431 and MfD 432

Course Breakdown

MfD 401: Health Communication

MfD 402: Entertainment-Education in Malawi

MfD 411: Project Planning and Management

MfD 412: Development in a Changing World

MfD 421: The Political Economy of Malawian Media

MfD 422: Media Policy and Law

MfD 431: Culture, Ideology and Identity

MfD 432: Media Research Projects

Note: Courses marked with an asterisk (*) are optional and can be substituted with any course of similar weight from the Faculty of Humanities.

Course Breakdown Per Semester

YEAR

SEMESTER ONE COURSES

SEMESTER TWO COURSES

ONE

MfD 100: Philosophical Foundations of Media Studies

MfD 110: Media and Democracy I

MfD 140: Media Production I

MfD 130: Introduction to Journalism

MfD 120: Malawian Dance and Theatre

TWO

MfD 200: Development Communication I

MfD 210: Development Studies I

MfD 220: Media and DemocracyII

MfD 230: Media Production II

THREE

MfD 300 Development Communication II

MfD 310: Development Studies II

MfD 320: Society and Culture

MfD 330:Development Communication Research

MfD 340: Media and Democracy III

FOUR

MfD 400: Development Communication III

MfD 410:Development Studies III

MfD 420: Media and Development IV

MfD 430: Critical Media Studies

Staffing in the Program

Apart form the participating lecturers who have developed the syllabi, the Media for Development Program will need three full-time staff, myself, a Staff Associate with experience in the radio and/or television industry and an MA graduate with experience in development communication.

Curriculum Syllabi and courses

Subject: Philosophical Foundations of Media Studies

Course Title: Critical Thinking and Philosophical Reasoning

Course Code: MfD 101

Aim of Course:

To develop undergraduates’ ability to express ideas and viewpoints clearly and concisely and to enhance basic logic skills and facility in defining their terms of written and verbal communication

Objectives:

At the end of the course, students should be able to:

formulate arguments rigorously and to analyse them critically
cultivate critical and independent thinking
make decisions on issues on the on basis of rational deliberation and the weighing of evidence and logical testing of testimony
appreciate philosophical reason as a crucial tool in every aspect of human life.

Topics:

Logic and Language

Fallacies and Definitions

Deduction

Induction, Abduction and Social Reality

Logic as Right Reasoning in Social Reality

Subject: Philosophical Foundations of Media Studies

Course Name: Theory of Knowledge and Information

Course Code: MfD 102

Aim of Course

To enable students to explore and appreciate the nature, scope, and limits of knowledge systems and knowledge-claims in the humanities, the human sciences, the natural sciences, and other predominant and/or emerging intellectual domains.

Objectives:

At the end of the course, students should be able to:

explain the concepts, theories of knowledge, or information, and to appreciate the problems encountered in the understanding of various knowledge and claims and their justifications

understand critical study of relevant media literatures that have clear and important epistemological slants.
To apply these concepts and theories to specific media texts.

Topics:

Sources of Knowledge, Justification and Truth

Structure and Growth of Knowledge and Justification

Nature and Scope of Knowledge/Information and of Justification

Limits of Knowledge

Critique of The Unity of Knowledge and Human Interests

Subject: Media and Democracy I

Course Title: Mass Communication Theory

Course Code: MfD 111

Aim of Course

To ground students in the basic concepts and theories in mass communication from theories, structures, organizations, content, and audience up to effects, thereby enabling them to contribute to ongoing debates and dialogues in media classes in the second and senior classes.

Objectives

At the end of the course, students should:

know basic theories of media and society
understand the functions and structures of media organizations
grapple with issues of media content and how they relate to audiences and media effects.

Topics

Communication theories

Mass communication and culture

Media structure and performance

New media

Production of media culture

Media content, genres and texts

Audience theory and research traditions

Subject: Media and Democracy I

Course Title: Southern African Film

Course Code: MfD 112

Aim of Course

To introduce students to contemporary practice trends, themes, structure and content of film in Southern Africa through examination of the development and popularity of “development” film industry and trends of political and popular cinema.

Objectives

At the end of the course, students should:

understand the historical and political development of film as a social communication medium in Southern Africa
engage in contemporary representational debates regarding Southern African film.
critically examine the role of NGOs in Southern African film

Topics

Theoretical perspectives Southern African film

Production and marketing

Independent filmmaking in Africa

Social development advocacy through film

Political film

Television dramas and representation

Subject: Malawian Dance and Theatre

Course Title: Malawian Dance and Theatre

Course Code: MfD 120

Aim of Course

To introduce students to the theoretical foundations of Malawian performance studies by examining the country’s indigenous dance and theatre practices by exposing them to the role and importance of oral knowledges in social education.

Objectives

At the end of the course, students should:

appreciate the importance of folkstories and oral literature in social development.
acquire a historical depth in their understanding of Malawian theatre and dance.
Acquire skills in theatre and dance for developmental communication

Topics

Background to Malawian theatre and dance

Indigenous theatre

The performance of Gulewamkulu and Vimbuza

Communicating indigenous knowledge through theatre

Cultural policy and performing arts

Social development advocacy and Malawian theatre and dance

Theatre criticism

Production and practice

Subject: Introduction to Journalism

Course Title: Journalism and Press Theory

Course Code: MfD 131

Aim of Course

To enable students to understand theories of journalism and the press.

Objectives

At the end of the course, students should:

develop critical understanding of how the press operates

enable learners contribute to the on going debate about functions and roles of media in society

iii. critically assess how the law enhances press freedom

evaluate relevance of training of journalists in third world

Topics

The role and functions of the media

Journalism and press theory

The effect and power of the press: Theories

News values of the Three Worlds

Freedom of information/Press Laws in Malawi

Educations and Training of Journalists in Malawi

Subject: Introduction to Journalism

Course Title: English for Media

Course Code: MfD 132

Aim of Course

To develop students’ English language competence within the media contexts

Objectives

At the end of the course, students should:

develop critical listening and speaking skills
develop critical reading skills and the ability to analyze media texts of various patterns
develop writing skills according to the syntactic and rhetorical conventions of

academic and professional writing appropriate for media and journalism.

Topics

Study Skills

Referencing in a academic writing

Intensive Reading

Effective writing skills

Writing for the media

Seminar Presentation Skills

Subject: Media Production I

Course Title Fundamentals of Videography

Course Code MfD 14I

Aims Of Study:

To train undergraduate media students in basic video production using affordable digital filmmaking equipment like Sony VX2000 cameras, Final Cut Pro 4.0, Adobe Premiere 6.5 editing softwares and then burning their master-copies on DVD Studio Pro 2.0.

Objectives:

At the end of the course, students should:

understand the language and concepts of video production
develop a five-minute video script
shoot, edit and produce a five-minute silent video.

Topics:

Elementary production concepts and processes

The language of video and film

Production: Three Basic shots

Production: Camera Techniques

Scriptwriting

Production: Interviewing

Production and Post-production

Subject: Media Production I

Course Title: Basics of Desktop Publishing

Course Code: MfD 142

Aim of Course

To introduce Students to the basic elements of copy editing and desktop publishing

Objectives

At the end of the course, students should:

i) understand the process involved in text design and production

ii) follow basic rules of design, lay out and presentation

iii) organise and complete text production projects

iv) understand the facilities offered by a modern desktop publishing system

v) gain basic practical experience in the selection of manuscripts and processing the material to finished copy

Topics Of Study:

a) Introduction to Copy-editing

b) Type scripts: Hard, Electronic and Camera-ready

c) Marking up the typescript

d) Elements of Graphic Design

e) Editing on Screen

Subject: Development Communication I

Course Title: Participatory Rural Communication Appraisal

Course Code: MfD 201

Aim of Study

To expose students to challenges, methods and processes of participatory research within illiterate and indigenous communities as articulated in the paradigm of participatory development communication.

Objectives

At the end of the course, students should:

understand the concept of participatory rural communication appraisal (PRCA)
design PRCA programs
implement PRCS programs
evaluate PRCA programs
position the different Participatory Action Research (PAR) methodologies within the PRCA framework
employ PRCA methodologies in evaluating other development media advocacy programs

Topics

Participatory Rural Communication Appraisal

Traditional development media research tools

PRCA tools and techniques

Baseline survey in PRCA

Planning and conducting a PRCA and baseline study

PRCA in Malawi

Subject: Development Communication I

Course Title: Media Studies

Course Code: MfD 202

Aim of Study

To train students in media analysis by grounding them in political economy as a method of examining media structures and institutions with focus on ownership and control.

Objectives

At the end of the course, students should:

describe and debate the concept of political economy of the media.
understand contemporary South African debates in media ownership and control.

Topics

Southern African media map

Conceptual framework for media analysis

Political economy of Southern African media

Media ownership and control

Policy and practice: Construction of news in the Southern African media.

Media training in Southern Africa

Subject: Development Studies I

Course Title: Issues and Policies in Development Studies

Course Code: MfD 211

Aim of Study:

To introduce students to general development related issues and policies within the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

Objectives

At the end of the course, students should:

critically analyse the concepts of development and sustainable development
contribute to debates on the relationship between development and other aspects of human welfare

Topics Of Study:

Defining Development

Development and Human Welfare

Sustainable Development

Population and Development.

The Social Sector in Development

Gender and development

Agriculture and rural development

Trade and Industrialisation

Subject: Development Studies I

Course Title: Poverty and Inequality

Course Code: MfD 212

Aim of Study:

To introduce students to contemporary issues on poverty and inequality by reviewing some of the key issues in the area of poverty and inequality with focus on policy options that address these issues.

Objectives

At the end of the course, students should:

contribute to extant debates on issues of poverty and inequality
understand the various forms of poverty, how to identify and classify it
acquire skills in assessing and evaluating poverty reduction policies and projects

Topics of Study:

Concepts of Poverty

Characteristics of Poverty Groups

Assessing Poverty

Poverty Trends

Policy Options

Subject: Media and Democracy II

Course Title: Southern African Media Debates

Course Code: MfD 221

Aim of Study

To introduce students current representational debates with close reference to issues of democracy, development and women in Southern African broadcast and press media.

Objectives

At the end of the course, students should:

identify ongoing representational debates in Southern African Media
critically examine the origin and nature of conflicts between media and state in Southern Africa.

Topics

News and Public Service Broadcasting (PSB)

Women broadcasters and affirmative action

Policy considerations for religious broadcasting

Political reporting

Educational broadcasting and PSB

Media independence and objectivity

Subject: Media and Democracy II

Course Title: Media Advocacy, Democracy and Human Rights

Course Code: MfD 222

Aim of Study

To introduce students to the concept of media advocacy and its nexus with democracy and human rights and to enhance their ability to analyze the concepts and their nexus in relation to the role of media in development.

Objectives of study

At the end of the course, students should:

analyze the relationship between media advocacy in a democracy and development
define media advocacy, democracy and human rights
explain the role of human rights in relation to media advocacy in a democracy
relate media advocacy to principles of democracy

Topics of study

Media Advocacy

Democracy and human rights

Media advocacy in a democracy

Human rights and media advocacy

Media advocacy and development

Subject: Media Production II

Course Title: Ethnographic Filmmaking

Course Code: MfD 231

Aim of Study

To train students in employing anthropological and sociological research methods in filmmaking.

Objectives

At the end of the course, students should:

understand the language and basics of subject-generated and ethnographic films
produce a ten-minute ethnographic film
design and execute an ethnographic film production project

Topics

Ethnographic film

Television documentaries

Television subject-generated drama series

Participatory documentary

Non-Linear editing

Subject: Media Production II

Course Title: Advanced Desktop Publishing

Course Code: MfD 232

Aims of Study:

To enable students to design and edit on desktop as a method of empowering them to acquire an understanding of the editorial process in general and the role of the editor in particular in the preparation of type scripts for publishing.

Objectives

At the end of the course, students should:

understand the process involved in text design and production
follow basic rules of design, lay out and presentation
organise and complete text production projects
understand the facilities offered by a modern desktop publishing system

v. gain basic practical experience in the selection of manuscripts and processing the material to finished copy

Topics Of Study:

Macro and Micro Editing

Editorial Management

A PageMaker and Quark Express

Hands-on Projects

Process Design Components

Typography and Design

Indexing

Subject: Development Communication II

Course Title: Liberatory Education

Course Code: MfD 301

Aim of Study

To engage students in critical dialogues on how non-formal education can be made more meaningful and liberating.

Objectives

At the end of the course, students should:

apply critical thoughts on liberatory education in debating how critical pedagogy is relevant to Third World nations in the face of global imperialism

employ Freirean thoughts on concepts of non-formal education to Malawi’s social development communications.

Topics

Overview of Freire’s liberatory education

Initiating liberatory education

Philosophical foundations of liberatory education

Educational practice and the dialogical method

Education and social Change

Liberatory education and social transformation.

Programme: Media for Development

Subject: Development Communication II

Course Title: Scriptwriting for Social Development Advocacy

Aim of Study

To train students become professional scriptwriters for radio and television dramas dealing with social development.

Objectives

At the end of the course, students should:

conduct background participatory research, collecting material for an 8-episode radio/television drama series.
develop and incorporate social development messages in episodes
pitch and write up drama scripts
conduct listener-ship discussions with audiences as a means of pre-testing material
direct actors during studio recording
edit their recorded stories both for radio and television.

Topics

Serial drama for social development: Theories

Serial drama and entertainment education

The design-approach: Design document, design team and design workshop

The writing process

Production considerations: Actors and producers

Testing the pilot programs

Producing Zimachitika

Background research, scriptwriting, recording and listener group discussions

Subject: Development Studies II

Course Title: Economic History of Malawi

Course Code: MfD 311

Aims of Study

To enable students present a comprehensive overview of economic change in Malawi, from pre-colonial to post-colonial era. This will be achieved, for each period, by

Objectives

At the end of the course, students should:

examine the development in Malawi of production and exchange relationships, and of relations with the world economy.
engage in various theoretical debates, drawing on different models for explaining economic change in Africa

Topics Of Study

Introduction: Understanding Malawi’s Economy and Society

Production and Exchange in Pre-colonial Malawi

Colonial Capitalism and the Integration of Pre-colonial economies into the World Economy

Colonial Development between the two wars

The “New Colonialism” and Post-War Colonial Development

Underdevelopment and Dependence Since Independence

Democratization, Poverty, Hunger and Famine

Subject: Development Studies II

Course Title: Southern Africa Economies

Course Code: MfD 312

Aim Of Study:

To introduce students to the dynamics of development within the Southern African regional context against the background of the current globalized state of the world economy.

Objectives

At the end of the course, students should:

understand the current state of Southern African economies
appreciate the impact of globalization on developing economies
engage in debates over the prospect of viable regional integration within the Southern African family

Topics

The State of Southern Africa Economies

Regional Integration in Southern Africa

Structural Adjustment in Southern Africa

Case Studies of Southern African Economies

Subject: Society and Culture

Course Title: Social Theory

Course Code: MfD 321

Aim of Study

To introduce students to some of the major classical and contemporary sociological concepts, paradigms and theories, thus enabling students to examine the merits and demerits as well as the utility of the sociological theories.

Objectives:

At the end of the course, students should:

i. differentiate among the major theoretical approaches;

ii. carry out a critical analysis of social theories by showing their strengths and weaknesses;

iii. draw propositions and hypotheses from the theories; and

iv. use relevant theories to explain various aspects of social life.

Topics:

Introduction to Perspectives on Social Theory

Organicism, Positivism, and Positivistic Organicism

Theories of Social Change

Structural Functionalism

Social Conflict Theories

Social Action Theory

Symbolic Interactionism

Social Exchange Theory

Labeling Theory

Subject: Society and Culture

Course Title: Popular Culture in Africa

Course code: MfD 322

Aim of study:

To expose students to various approaches of effective popular cultural productivity.

Objectives

Students should:

i. understand the concept of popular culture and its links to freedom of expression and indigenous knowledge systems

ii. contribute to critical dialogues on representation as elaborated within popular culture

iii. understand how popular culture lays foundations for the creation and recreation of identities

Topics of study

a) The world in Creolization

b) Popular Festive Forms & Images

c) Popular Culture in Africa: Findings & Conjectures

d) Popular Writing in Africa

e) Women and Modern African Popular fiction

f) Painting in Africa: From the Invention of the West to the Representation of the Social Self.

g) Oral Popular Culture

i) Popular Culture & the Construction of Pan-Yoruba Identity

ii) Plantation Protest: The History of Mozambican Song

iii) The Chimurenga Songs of the Zimbabwean War of Liberation

Subject: Development Communication Research

Course Title: Social Research Methods in Development Communication

Course Code: MfD 331

Aims of Study

To introduce students to theoretical, paradigmatic and practical quantitative principles and underpinnings in conducting social science research.

Objectives

At the end of the course, students should:

gain and demonstrate an understanding of the nature of quantitative and qualitative research.
be equipped with skills and tools to be able to conduct valid and credible empirical research.
show an understanding of the stages and processes in conducting social science research.

Topics

Introduction to research methods

An overview of the research process (with emphasis on survey methodology)

Research design

Data collection techniques

Data analysis techniques

Trends

Research design

Challenges

Ethical issues in social science research.

Subject: Development Communication Research

Course Title: Writing and Oral Skills for the Media

Course Code: MfD 332

Aim of Study

To train students in effective oral and writing skills necessary for the media industry

Objectives

At the end of the course, students should:

explain the process of writing and its various forms and functions
draft, edit, proofread their writing to acceptable academic standard
write clearly and concisely according to the conventional standards of the Media
develop oral skills appropriate for careers in the media industry
plan and conduct various form of interviews appropriate for careers in media industry

Topics:

Functions and processes of writing for the Media

Communicating specialized knowledge

Writing for the print media

Writing for the Radio

Writing for Television

Oral Skills

Types and processes of conducting interviews

Reading for Radio and Television

Subject: Media and Democracy III

Course Title: Theory and Practice of Translation and Interpreting

Course Code: MFD 341

Aim of study

This course aims at training students in both the theory and practice of translation

Objectives

At the end of the course, students should:

use the introductory concepts of translation theory
incorporate cross cultural pragmatics and the Linguistic Relativity Theory in the translation of various written materials.
use lexicographic and computing principles in translation practice.
practice translation of various registers.
use interpreting techniques when interpreting in different contexts.
practice interpreting in real life situations.
conduct research in the fields of translation and interpreting different African languages

13. Topics of study

Media and translation

Cross-cultural pragmatic and the Linguistics Relativity Theory

Lexicography, computing and Translation.

Translation of scientific, literary, biblical and other registers for the community.

Translation practice

Interpreting techniques

Interpreting for the courts, and other community functions at both national and international levels

Interpreting practice in real life situations

Research methods in translation and interpreting

Subject: Media and Democracy III

Course Title: Development Broadcasting

Course Code: MfD 342

Aim of Study

To train students in broadcasting skills using participatory communication methodologies to work with rural communities to producing radio and television programmes together.

Objectives

At the end of the course, students should:

acquire skills in recording, videoing, directing audio-visual equipment
acquire skills in radio and television broadcasting production
employ participatory method of PRCA in working with rural people to plan and execute a production
conduct listener-group discussions on social development topics using the studio edited and broadcast programs

Topics

The concept of development broadcasting

Development broadcasting and visual anthropology

PRCA and development broadcasting

Training rural people in using audio-visual equipment

Creating and producing the program together

Audience reception in development broadcasting

Subject: Development Communication III

Course Title: Health Communication.

Course Code: MfD 401

Aim of Study

To expose students to contemporary communication strategies in health education and promotion, with focus on tropic diseases, reproductive health, family planning and HIV/AIDS.

Objectives

At the end of the course, students should:

develop strategic design of small-scale health communication projects.
understand the functions of social marketing communication theories and models particularly their relevance to health education and promotion.
execute a small-scale strategic health communication project.

Topics

Public health communication and social change

Conceptual frameworks for strategic communication

Preliminary analysis for program planning

Strategic design

Development, pretesting and revision, production

Management, implementation and monitoring

Impact evaluation and planning for continuity

Behavioral change Interventions (BCI): Where have the theories taken us?

Subject: Development communication III

Course Title: Entertainment Education in Malawi

Course Code: MfD 402

Aim of Study

To train students in participatory communication strategy design, implementation and evaluation of entertainment-education programmes for radio and television

Objectives

At the end of the course, students should:

understand the praxis of entertainment education
evaluate Malawi’s radio and television entertainment-education dramas
design entertainment-educational dramas for radio and television.

Topics

Entertainment-education

Communication strategies for behavioral change

Drama, entertainment education and public service broadcasting

Representation in entertainment education

Effective national radio and television drama campaigns

Community education programmes

Evaluating entertainment-education programmes

Subject: Development Studies III

Course Title: Project Planning and Management

Course Code: MfD 411

Aim of Study

To introduce students to the nature, score, methods and organization of project planning and management relevant to the developing countries.

Objectives

At the end of the course, students should:

i. understand the concepts, methods and techniques in order to ensure efficient and effective project planning and management.

ii. employ the project management skills in development communication projects

Topics

Introduction to planning

Overview of project management cycle

Identifying needs for development project

Defining the development project

Planning project activities

Budgeting the development project

Implementing the project

Monitoring and controlling the project

Evaluating development projects

Role of project manager

Subject: Development Studies III

Course Title: Development in a Changing World

Course Code: MfD 412

Aim of Study:

To introduce students to contemporary and emerging issues in development.

Objectives

At the end of the course, students should:

i. acquire an adequate grasp of the thinking and philosophy that underlie the themes at the cutting edge of development discourse.

ii. critically engage in debates over how issues of community participation, women and human rights form the cornerstones of sustainable development

iii. understand the measurable indicators of development

Topics of Study

The State of World Development in The 21^st Century

Globalisation

Gender In Development

Good Governance

Community Participation in Development

Structural Adjustment Programmes

The Emerging Poverty Agenda

HIV/AIDS

Subject: Media and Democracy IV

Course Title: The Political Economy of Malawian Media

Course Code: MfD 421

Aim of Study

To develop students’ analytical skills in contemporary developments in broadcasting and press media in post-independent Malawi through critical examination of historical developments in terms of media policy and practice, ideology and hegemony, ownership and control, as well as the role the same media plays in fostering development and democratic values.

Objectives

At the end of the course, students should:

describe the historical developments in broadcast and press media in Malawi.
describe and debate how Malawian media has become a site of contention for political and economic ideologies.
distinguish and categorise characteristics of media business in Malawi.
employ critical political economy as a method of analysing how ideological and repressive state apparatuses have shaped the structural functionalism of Malawi’s media

Topics

Historical perspectives of Malawian media

Public Service Broadcasting (PSB)

Private Broadcasting

Malawian Press

Policy and practice in Malawian media

Ownership and control of media

News values in Malawi

Subject: Media and Democracy IV

Course Title: Media Law and Policy in Malawi

Course Code: MfD 422

Aim of Study

To introduce students to the concepts of law and policy; the relationship of law and policy to the media; and to linkages between development and media law and policy.

Objectives

At the end of the course, students should:

define policy and describe the methods by which public policies are made and implemented
define law and describe its relationship to public policy
identify the main laws and policies that regulate the establishment and operation of the media in Malawi.
describe the role of the media in the making and implementation of laws and policies
describe the linkages between social, economic and political development and media laws and policies

Topics

Introduction: Definitions of policy and public policy

Relationship between policy and law

Media and Policy

Media and the Law

Development and media law and policy

Subject: Critical Media studies

Course Title: Culture, Ideology and Identity

Course Code: MfD 402

Aim of Study

To expose students to discursive issues in culture, ideology and identity

Objectives

At the end of the course, students should:

i. recognize and discuss pertinent issues in Culture, Ideology and Identity

ii. engage in critical and intellectual debates on modes of identity

Topics of Study

a. An Overview of Culture, Ideology and Discourse

b. Identity and Culture

c. Decolonising the Mind: Language and Identity

d. Women and Identity

e. Orality Re-Presentation/Writing

i) Popular Culture and the Construction of Identity

ii) Power, the Praise Poet and Socio-Political Identity

iii) Masks and Identity: The Discourse of Gule Wamkulu

Subject: Critical Media Studies

Course title: Media Research Projects

Course Code: MfD 432

Aim of Study

To enable students build on a research module MfD 330 by working closely with students as a method of shaping their skills in conceptualizing, developing and presenting research proposals as well as polish up their research skills through designing and executing an empirical research study.

Objectives

At the end of the exercise, students should:

develop research proposals in an area of development communication
execute their studies through qualitative and quantitative methodologies
present their findings in a dissertation of not less than 8,000-12,000 words

[1] “We make the road by walking” is a phrase adapted from a proverb from a Spanish poet, Antonio Machado, in which one line reads, “se hace camino al andar” or “you make the way as you go.” (Machado, A. 1982. Selected Poems. Translated by Alan Trueblood. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 143).