Thanks to the DESTIN project, the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv has managed to launch the Content and Technology Laboratory
The Content and Technology Laboratory began its work at the Faculty of Journalism on September 1, 2021. The C&T Laboratory at the Department of New Media (Faculty of Journalism) is a structural unit of the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv that expands the educational opportunities for journalism students with regard to creating and promoting up-to-date digital content. The laboratory was established as a result of the participation of the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv in the Erasmus+KA2 project “Journalism Education for Democracy in Ukraine” (lasting from 2018 to 2022). The Lab’s technical equipment supplied by our project partners includes: Core i5 computers, Phillips and Apple iMac displays, Canon multifunction printer, Epson EB-982W projector and display, Philips camcorders for professional videography, and a software package.
Upon purchasing the equipment within the DESTIN project, the administration of the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv provided premises for the Laboratory.
The laboratory was created in order to bring the conditions of journalism training as close as possible to real-life conditions of work with contemporary digital media in order to develop students’ skills of handling multiplatform content. Key objectives and functions:
- To improve the quality of the educational process at the Faculty of Journalism by providing students of all departments with access to up-to-date digital content creation devices in order to develop their skills of creating and promoting innovative content for online media (VR technology, game journalism) in line with the requirements of the media market.
- To create an innovative educational and professional journalistic environment for students and staff of the Department of New Media, Faculty of Journalism.
- To grant access and opportunity to use the laboratory equipment free of charge to other employees of the Faculty or the University who implement joint projects under the aegis of the Faculty of Journalism.
- To forge connections with employees of other faculties of the University, contributing to the creation of up-to-date educational and professional programs for work on media platforms.
- To facilitate the implementation of state educational and research projects and programs in the identified priority thematic areas of research for the Faculty in general and the Department of New Media in particular.
- To involve undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students as well as young researchers in educational and educational-professional projects.
Within its powers, the Laboratory cooperates with other structural units of the University to expand the educational opportunities for journalism students.
The C&T Lab serves as a platform for meetings with online journalists, bloggers, and new media researchers. Recently, the School of Practical Journalism ‘The Ukrainians’ has extended its cooperation with the colleagues from the Faculty of Journalism and the Content and Technology Laboratory and invites students to learn the principles of the journalistic profession in their editorial office. Within this training program, students will have an opportunity to experience the real-life work of an online editorial office first hand, learn to write news reports according to journalistic standards, as well as join the media ecosystem of The Ukrainians by writing interviews, reports, podcasts, photo and video posts, SMM.
The Lab holds meetings with interesting speakers almost every week, providing a great opportunity for students to engage in diverse learning experiences based on practical cases.
The Content and Technology Laboratory is a sustainable development result of the DESTIN project, which will help integrate practical cases into the educational process.