MSJ Curriculum Integration
Message from HoD
Today, I would like to speak about Desirable Difficulty, which is our theme for the Spring Term’s Curriculum Integration Program. Desirable difficulty is a term that was introduced by Robert Bjork in his 1994 study “Memory and metamemory considerations in the training of human beings.” It refers to a theory of learning in which challenge is seen as the key to long-term learning. The foundational principle of this theory is that adding an aspect of challenge to learning activities will result in better long-term retention of information.
In his writings, Bjork draws a distinction between performance learning, such as cramming for a test and performing well in the short term, and true learning where the knowledge can be recalled and used in different contexts. Desirable difficulty incorporates strategies in which students are exposed to material repeatedly over the course of the class to improve recall, and thereby, retention. This may mean sacrificing short-term performance to achieve long-term results.
By adopting this theme, ULAB aims to increase awareness among its students about the learning process. In so doing, the university hopes that students embrace the importance of active learning, which is one of the guiding principles of the university. Students need to appreciate putting in the effort and investing in the learning process. Of course, this is a challenge nowadays, especially with Artificial Intelligence, as students may take the easy path of performance learning – just to score high grades.
As you know, the Curriculum Integration Program is a key distinctive feature of ULAB's Media Studies and Journalism Department. It is the embodiment of its liberal arts philosophy and active learning approach that places students in real life situations. Every term, participating courses in the department dissect a theme - viewing it from multiple angles and manifesting it through various creative works such as photographs, posters, speeches, blogs/vlogs, paintings, video art, performance art, music videos, animation, TV news packages, documentary productions, fictional narrative productions and infotainment productions.
Thank you.
Today, I would like to speak about Desirable Difficulty, which is our theme for the Spring Term’s Curriculum Integration Program. Desirable difficulty is a term that was introduced by Robert Bjork in his 1994 study “Memory and metamemory considerations in the training of human beings.” It refers to a theory of learning in which challenge is seen as the key to long-term learning. The foundational principle of this theory i...
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Background
The Curriculum Integration Programme is an approach where students at the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) are asked to work on real-life situations to imbibe the university’s core values: (1) Love of Lifelong Learning, (2) Practicing Integrity and Leadership, (3) Encouraging Innovation, (4) Promoting Tolerance and (5) the Pursuit of Excellence. Every term, students, from different year levels, study concentrations and departments need to analyse inside out a prevailing social problem. The student then produces outputs – projects, campaigns and performances - illustrating their understanding of and proposed solutions to these problems.
At the Media Studies and Journalism Department, faculty were unanimous in believing that students need to work on real-life situations in order to imbibe the university’s core values. Every term, students, from different year levels and study concentrations who are taking different courses, need to analyse inside and out a prevailing social problem.
The approach is otherwise known as authentic learning as it prepares students for the real world more effectively than traditional classroom-based learning. Herein, students are allowed to explore, discuss and meaningfully construct concepts and relationships in contexts that involve real-world problems and projects that are relevant to them. To guide or frame these discussions, the School of Social Science presents a theory from the Social Sciences or from related disciplines. The theory helps explain the phenomenon and acts as a discussion starter in tackling the social problem at hand.
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The Approach: Participating Courses
There are around 14 to 20 courses joining the Curriculum Integration Program every term. The outputs from the participating courses may be divided into: project-based, campaign-based and performance-based. Project-based outputs include visual exhibits and film exhibits. The former incorporates photographs (Introduction to Photography), digital arts (Convergence Communication 1), video art (Convergence Communication 2) and posters (Principles of Public Relations). Film-based projects involve documentaries (Documentary Production), television news packages (Investigative Journalism), fictional narratives (Fictional Narrative Production), music videos (Digital Post-production) and animation (Introduction to Animation).
Campaign-based outputs contain advocacy campaigns (Development Communication), public health awareness building (Health Communication), advertising campaigns (Advertising) and corporate campaigns (Created Private Media and Strategic Communication). Performance-based projects include speech performances (Speech Writing and Public Speaking), stage/theatre presentation (Media Presentation and Performance) and performance art (Visual Communication).
On an average, around 800 students from a total of 14 to 20 courses (some courses with several sections) participate in the Curriculum Integration Programme every semester. These courses are taught by 15 to 20 faculties (sometimes, one faculty teaches more than one CI-listed courses if it falls under his/her area of expertise). The courses for the current CI, Spring 2024 term may include the following:
MSJ11421 (Business Beat Reporting I)/MSJ4151 Investigative reporting 1
Mahmudun Nabi
MSJ11456 (Introduction to Animation)
AFM Moniruzzaman Shipu
MSJ11441(Advertising)
Muhammad Abdul Kader
MSJ11214 (Convergence Communication 1)
AFM Moniruzzaman Shipu
MSJ11215 (Convergence Communication 2)
Mohammad Shazzad Hossain
MSJ11211 (Mass Communication)
Mahmudun Nabi
MSJ11374 (Introduction to Photography)
Muhammad Aminuzzaman
lMSJ11374 (Introduction to Photography)
Mozammel Haque
MSJ11401 Development Communication
Aminul Islam
MSJ11401 Development Communication
Muhammad Aminuzzaman
MSJ11345 Created Private Media
Andalib Rubayat
MSJ11203 Communication and Technology
Andalib Rubayat
MSJ2101 Communication and Technology
Muhammad Aminuzzaman
