Don Tasks Communication Students On Practical Exposure

A senior lecturer of the
Federal University, Otueke, Bayelsa State, Dr Desmond Osueke, has declared that training for journalists in the present world would be incomplete without good knowledge and appreciation of modern technology.
Osueke stated this recently when he led 300-level students of English and Communications Studies on excursion to the Rivers State Newspaper Corporation (RSNC), publisher of The Tide newspaper in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital.
The lecturer said since technology had shown the way to follow, it is imperative for students of communication to be acquainted with modern technology.
Noting that a wide gap exists with what is learnt in the classroom and the actual field experience, Osueke who was former Director, Research and Training in the corporation, said it was critical to fill the gap through practical exposure to students in order to give them the balanced knowledge the students need.
When such practical exposure is combined with classroom studies, he said, students would be in a better position to understand and appreciate the profession.
The don disclosed that in choosing the media house to visit, RSNC became the main attraction because of the presence of modern equipment for newspaper publishing and experienced practitioners in the place.
About 21 students and two lecturers who were in the team were conducted round various sections of the corporation to enable them understand the stages and processes of copy flow.
Mr. Julius Bokoru, one of the participants said the visit had enabled him understand better how newspaper is being produced, noting that certain things that appeared abstract to him while in the classroom had been simplified.

Chris Oluoh