Call for Chapters:

Experiential Learning in Journalism Education
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pUfHLT_51DGeUy-YwtKKj2Cfv3AJuERc83wryuOiOtA/edit?tab=t.0

Editors:
Tracy Everbach, Ph.D. and Hoda Emam, M.A., Mayborn School of Journalism, University of North Texas

Deadline for submission of extended abstracts: December 18, 2026

We are seeking chapter contributors for an edited collection on experiential learning in journalism education. By experiential learning we mean learning by doing and practicing in real-world situations, as articulated, for example, by David A. Kolb (1984), who theorized four steps in a learning cycle: experiencing, reflecting, thinking and acting. Other theoretical approaches to teaching/learning and education (such as Bloom’s Taxonomy or similar) are welcome.

The idea for this book was born as most educational institutions are facing a rapid change in the way students desire to absorb information. The traditional form of teaching no longer only consists of sitting in a classroom; students want innovative hands-on experience where they can learn new material and put that information to work in the same setting.

The chapters should consist of case studies of journalism classes taught and/or case studies of journalism programs incorporating experiential learning through their curriculum. These may include field reporting, partnerships/collaborations with local news organizations, community partnerships, providing community news service, and even use of virtual reality to provide experiential learning. We would like an international reach if possible; courses need not be based in the USA. (We are not seeking PR or advertising case studies for this volume.)

NOTE: We are not looking for specific class exercises, but a holistic approach to experiential learning. This project stemmed from a class we taught in which we took students on a weeklong trip to an indigenous nation and the entire semester was devoted to research, reporting and publishing. Our position is that experiential learning is not a one-off event and that classwork and experience build on each activity.

We are seeking chapters that analyze classes/curriculum and provide a “how to” from a practical and critical view. The case studies may address planning, research, organization, budgeting, labor, class management, practical considerations, techniques, technology, hurdles, long-term effects and consequences. Authors could include faculty, staff, students, administrators, journalists, news managers, directors or employees of journalism support organizations, and/or community stakeholders.

Authors will take an interdisciplinary, intersectional, and/or international approach to their analysis of these portrayals and their meanings for society and gender norms. International perspectives are welcome and encouraged. We are open to many different cultural approaches.

The audience for this book is expected to be journalism and mass communication instructors, undergraduate and graduate college and university students, scholars, and journalists.

Chapters should be no more than 5,000 words long and written in APA style. Relevant literature should be included, but a lengthy literature review is not needed. Analysis, relevance, and relatability should be the emphasis.

Editors are Tracy Everbach, Ph.D. and Hoda Emam, M.A., of the Mayborn School of Journalism at the University of North Texas. We have a major academic publisher interested in this book. The publisher wants to see chapter outlines before starting the process, so the call is coming first. Please send an extended abstract of approximately 500 words, including references, by December 18, 2026 to [email protected], and [email protected]. Please include a short bio of all authors and contact information for the corresponding author.