Digitalization in Public Relations Education: A Comparison of Public Relations Programs At Universities in Turkey and USA

Year 2019, Uluslararası Dijital Çağda İletişim Sempozyumu Özel Sayısı, 125 - 142, 11.02.2019

Emine Şardagı , Mesude Canan Öztürk

https://doi.org/10.17680/erciyesiletisim.484903

Cited By: 4

Abstract

The widespread use of digital applications in communication has increased the need for
qualified human resources who know and use the applications. The growing tendency
towards digitization has made it necessary to adapt the content of education in universities.
The emergence of digitalization has brought new needs to the public relations field. For
this reason, the students who are educated in public relations should also respond to these
needs. This is only possible with lessons that will provide awareness of digitalization in
universities.
In this study, it is aimed to examine the existence of education for digitalization in the course
contents of the universities that given public relations education in Turkey and USA. In this
way, similarities and differences between the two countries were determined and compared
in public relations education. In the study, two lists selected to determine the universities
and data on course contents were collected on the web pages of universities. Descriptive
research design method was used in the study. The educational content of the universities
to be examined evaluated under the headings determined by the content analysis method.
According to the results, there is a difference between the numbers of digitally oriented
courses in both countries. The courses are left to the choice of students as elective courses.
Courses with digital content are mostly given to students in the third year. In both countries,
social media courses are offered to students more prioritized. In both countries, the
proportion of courses with digital content is higher in state universities. In order to be
able to take digital courses at universities in USA, students must be completed prerequisite
courses. But there is no such prerequisite in Turkey. 

Keywords

Digitalization, Education, Public Relations

Halkla İlişkiler Eğitiminde Dijitalleşme: Türkiye ve ABD’de Bulunan Üniversitelerdeki Halkla İlişkiler Programlarının Karşılaştırılması

Abstract

İletişimde dijital uygulamaların yaygınlaşması, uygulamaları bilen ve kullanan nitelikli insan
kaynağına ihtiyacı artırmıştır. Dijitalleşmeye yönelik artan eğilim üniversitelerdeki eğitim içeriğini
de buna uygun hale getirmeyi gerekli kılmıştır. Dijitalleşmenin ortaya çıkması halkla ilişkilerde yeni
ihtiyaçları beraberinde getirmiştir. Bu nedenle halkla ilişkiler eğitimi alan öğrencilerin de ortaya çıkan
bu ihtiyaçlara cevap vermesi gerekmektedir. Bunun yolu ise ancak üniversitelerde dijitalleşmeye
yönelik farkındalığı sağlayacak alınan derslerle mümkündür.
Bu çalışmada Türkiye ve ABD’de halkla ilişkiler eğitimi veren üniversitelerin derslerinde
dijitalleşmeye yönelik eğitimlerin incelenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Bu sayede halkla ilişkiler eğitiminde
iki ülke arasındaki benzerlik ve farklılıklar ortaya çıkarılmaya çalışılmış ve karşılaştırma yapılmıştır.
Araştırmada üniversiteleri belirlemek için iki liste seçilmiş ve üniversitelerin web sayfalarında
ders içeriklerine yönelik veriler toplanmıştır. Çalışmada betimleyici araştırma tasarımı yöntemi
kullanılmıştır. İncelenen üniversitelerin eğitim içerikleri, içerik analizi yöntemi ile belirlenen başlıklar
altında değerlendirilmiştir.
Elde edilen sonuçlara göre her iki ülkede dijital odaklı verilen derslerin sayıları arasında farklılık
bulunmaktadır. Dersler seçmeli ders olarak öğrencinin tercihine bırakılmıştır. Dijital içerikli dersler
çoğunlukla üçüncü sınıfta öğrencilere verilmektedir. Sosyal medya dersleri daha ön planda öğrencilere
sunulmaktadır. Her iki ülkede devlet üniversitelerinde dijital içerikli derslerin oranı daha fazladır.
ABD’deki üniversitelerde dijital dersleri alabilmek için öğrencilerin önkoşul gerektiren dersleri
tamamlamaları gerekmektedir. Türkiye’de ise böyle bir ön koşul bulunmamaktadır.  

Keywords

Dijitalleşme, Eğitim, Halkla İlişkiler

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