Teaching media ethics in Arab universities: Old Curricula For a New Media Environment

Abstract

The current study dealt with the  syllabus  of media ethics courses in media and mass communication Curricula  in Arab universities. The study sample included (21) syllabus from various Arab public and private universities. syllabus content has been analyzed to develop a better understanding of the course content and how it is taught. The study concluded that ethics are taught with the law in one course called Media Law and Ethics, and usually the course is presented for study in the third year of the student’s study plan with three credit hours and three teaching hours per week. Most of the syllabus relied on lectures in teaching the course, and there was no reliance on case studies and critical moral thinking, the average course description contained three learning objectives, rarely described in a noticeable and measurable way. Objectives were almost entirely rooted in foundational cognitive competencies. predominant assessment methods included participation, examinations, and assignments. Most of the course vocabulary focused on law, and only a few of them dealt with topics related to ethical issues in media practice.