Training communicators in inter- and trans-disciplinarity to operate in a
digitalised world
La formación de comunicadores en clave de la inter y transdisciplinariedad para
actuar en un mundo digitalizado
doxa.comunicación |
nº 39, pp. 19-36
| 19
July-December of 2024
ISSN: 1696-019X / e-ISSN: 2386-3978
How to cite this article
Barrios-Rubio, A. (2024). Training communicators in inter- and trans-disciplinarity to operate in a digitalised world.
Doxa Comunicación
, 39,
pp. 19-36.
https://doi.org/10.31921/doxacom.n39a2009
Andrés Barrios-Rubio.
PhD in Communication Content in the Digital Age and is currently a Research Associate at the
Faculty of Communication and Arts of the Antonio de Nebrija University in Spain. He is also a lecturer at the Ponticia
Universidad Javeriana in Colombia. His research focuses on youth and information, podcasts, news in the digital
ecosystem, digital sonosphere
and digital media and platforms. He has published three books, as well as several book
chapters and papers on communication, professional training, media, information, podcasts, and ICT in national and
international journals and magazines. He is a national and international academic peer for accreditation purposes on
university programmes and research projects in higher education institutions. He also has experience as a director and
member of tribunals for master's and doctoral theses in the eld of Communication and ICT.
Universidad Nebrija, Spain / Ponticia Universidad Javeriana, Colombia
[email protected]
ORCID:
0000-0001-9838-779X
is content is published under Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License. International License CC BY-NC 4.0
Received: 02/06/2023 - Accepted: 14/03/2024 - Early access: 09/04/2024 - Published: 01/07/2024
Recibido: 02/06/2023 - Aceptado: 14/03/2024 - En edición: 09/04/2024 - Publicado: 01/07/2024
Abstract:
Reection is called for on the institutional use, practices, and formative
relations resulting from the implementation of ICT in educational
communication processes. Redening communicative work in terms
of inter- and trans-disciplinarity requires revising training objectives
and developing competencies and skills mediated by the appropriation
of ICT. Transformations in social scenarios and practices can impact
mediations, spaces, and forms of cultural goods and resource use. is
paper presents an exploratory relational descriptive case study. e
study used quantitative elements to calculate repetitive frequencies
in the curriculum. ese frequencies were then used as input for the
qualitative analysis of the structure, contents, and approaches of the
curricula of 15 universities. e universities were selected based on
their importance in each of the ve Colombian regions, the three
Resumen:
Es necesaria una reexión sobre el uso institucional, las prácticas y las
relaciones formativas resultantes de la implementación de las TIC en los
procesos educativos de la comunicación. Redenir el trabajo comunica
-
tivo en términos de inter y transdisciplinariedad requiere revisar los ob
-
jetivos de formación y desarrollar competencias y habilidades mediadas
por la apropiación de las TIC. Las transformaciones en los escenarios y
prácticas sociales pueden impactar en las mediaciones, espacios y for
-
mas de uso de los bienes y recursos culturales. Este trabajo presenta un
estudio de caso descriptivo de tipo exploratorio relacional. Se utilizaron
elementos cuantitativos para calcular frecuencias repetitivas en el currí
-
culo, que luego se utilizaron como insumo para el análisis cualitativo
de la estructura, contenidos y enfoques de los currículos de 15 univer
-
sidades. El estudio seleccionó las universidades con base en su relevan
-
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Training communicators in inter- and trans-disciplinarity to operate in a digitalised world
ISSN: 1696-019X / e-ISSN: 2386-3978
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1. Introduction
Communication is a scientic eld closely linked to other disciplines, providing systematic research into relevant social,
disciplinary, interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary, and post-disciplinary problems. Its object of study is traditionally linked to
human behaviour and action, providing explanations and interpretations of cultural and social phenomena. In recent years,
the discipline has become more interdisciplinary (Pozo Vinueza et al., 2017) and transdisciplinary (Vásquez Sánchez et al.,
2022), addressing issues in conjunction with other sciences. is has increased the importance of the work carried out by
universities in three areas: teaching-research, teaching-elds, and research-elds.
In the digital age of globalisation, communication is the process of constructing citizen meanings, creating collective
dreamscapes, and producing and circulating content. It serves as a means of articulating social processes that build bridges
between diverse actors and facilitate cultural transformation. e communication dimension contributes to the cultural,
social, and economic development of society and the organisations it serves. Communication is a discipline, a science, or an
interdisciplinary eld. Some argue that there are no common purposes that unite these elds, nor controversial issues that
divide them. e transformation of communication processes requires the development of new competencies that facilitate
operations within companies and the wider environment, resulting in greater value and impact in the creation of solutions.
In today’s complex and globalised world, it is crucial to adopt a holistic and transdisciplinary approach, studying issues and
problems alongside other disciplines, cultures, technologies, arts, and life experiences.
e Internet has become ubiquitous, with 5.16 billion people worldwide (64.4% of the population) and 39.34 million
Colombians (75.7% of the population) using it. e importance of smartphones has also grown, with a global penetration
rate of 105.6% and 141.8% in Colombia (Hootsuite, 2023). erefore, it is essential to integrate this knowledge into the
training programs of various academic disciplines. ICTs mediate dierent aspects of everyday life, such as providing access to
information, facilitating communication, enabling entertainment, supporting education, streamlining production processes,
and transforming business models. erefore, it is crucial to consider how technology is integrated into training processes
and how curricula can equip future professionals with the theoretical and practical tools necessary to navigate the evolving
landscape of their eld.
most prestigious universities in each region being chosen. e study's
main nding is that the curriculum lacks coherence and logical
organisation, hindering the development of a model for the use and
appropriation of technologies. e convergence of pedagogical and
didactic methodologies in the learning environment is only timidly
explored. e problem-solving approach is prioritised by social
constructivism.
Keywords:
Education; communication; university; digital training;
competences.
cia en cada una de las cinco regiones colombianas, escogiendo las tres
universidades más prestigiosas de cada región. El principal hallazgo del
estudio es que el currículo carece de coherencia y organización lógica,
lo que diculta el desarrollo de un modelo de uso y apropiación de las
tecnologías. La convergencia de metodologías pedagógicas y didácticas
en el ambiente de aprendizaje es tímidamente explorada. El constructi
-
vismo social prioriza un esquema de resolución de problemas.
Palabras clave:
Educación; comunicación; universidad; formación digital;
competencias.
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Educational practice demonstrates that a theoretical foundation underlying the logic of relationships, practices, and the design
of communicative processes is necessary. is interrelation between subjects extends beyond the instrumental. Access to, and
the use and appropriation of, technological tools can be factors of exclusion and generate signicant dierences between
dierent strata of the population. Devices with screens play a central role in consumption and in citizens’ interactions with their
environment (Barrios-Rubio & Gutiérrez-García, 2022). at is a topic of constant discussion and reection, as it recongures
interactions, social relations, and points of entry into collective citizenship. Such devices serve as a discursive agora that brings
together interactive contributions to improve knowledge of the surrounding reality (Torres Velandia et al., 2010).
e convergence of traditional media with new media, web-media, app-media, and social media has created an environment
that promotes knowledge and skills for critically evaluating those media and non-media products that shape our perception
of the world (Barrios-Rubio & Gutiérrez-García, 2022; Silva-Capa & Martínez Delgado, 2017; López-Gil, 2016). e use of
technology in education is becoming more common (Barrios-Rubio & Fajardo, 2017; Aguilar, 2012). erefore, it is important
to include it in pedagogical strategies as a fundamental support for the teaching-learning process (Cruz Pérez et al., 2019).
is involves exploring technology as a mediator of knowledge and promoting educational reection that goes beyond mere
instrumental knowledge (Barrios-Rubio & Fajardo, 2019).
University classrooms bring together students from the digital generation, known as centennials, and alphas, who actively
incorporate technological competence in the teaching-learning relationship. Cognitive projection responds to students’
basic maturation processes and encourages interaction, discussion, and questioning of knowledge bases. Learning to learn
in academic spaces based on the principles of modern education involves the participation of multiple actors, new practices
in professional work, and the implementation of design-thinking strategies. e use of technology and individual and
collective changes can deepen the understanding of the discipline’s problems (Lévy, 2007). e teaching-learning process has
undergone changes that adopt new paradigms for the acquisition and solid construction of knowledge (Tünnermann, 2011).
ese changes lead to an education that modies the logical processes of maturation.
e classroom is a crucial setting for interpreting reality, as it relates to other socio-cultural contexts beyond its walls (Fuentes-
Amaya, 2002). In today’s hyper-connected society, the classroom is no longer a closed physical structure, but a space that
opens up to the cultural and real world. Technology is integrated with the aim of enhancing the quality of the educational
process. Activities are proposed for learners based on relationships and practices to access knowledge (Zambrano et al., 2010).
It is crucial to reect on technology in the educational ecosystem to understand how digital tools are critically appropriated,
leading to signicant improvements in knowledge, quality, and eciency in vocational training.
1.1. Communication emergence in the digital ecosystem
Communication is a eld of study that spans across disciplines and involves the analysis and interpretation of collective
citizenship in a digitalised social ecosystem where technology serves as an articulating axis for interactions between individuals
and between them and political, economic, and social strata (Vidales Gonzáles, 2017). is sentence delimits the focus of the
discipline in relation to other sciences (Márquez-López et al., 2016). e communicator’s role is inuenced by the changes that
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Training communicators in inter- and trans-disciplinarity to operate in a digitalised world
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technology is introducing to the profession and society. ey are responsible for designing communication strategies for both
traditional and digital platforms, placing them at the forefront of the digital sphere.
From an interdisciplinary perspective, communication comprises three aspects: producing, broadcasting, and consuming
communicative products. ese products must be understood in the context of culture, society, the market, and other forms of
symbolic exchange, as well as in the dynamics between the global and the local. Communication is a process that involves three
key stages. ese moments require actors to perform actions aimed at constructing and spreading representations of reality.
ese actions are mediated by various cultural devices, such as technologies, social, political, and economic organisations,
and ideologies (Pérez-Tornero & Pedrero-Esteban, 2020). All social aspects intersect in the eld of communication, where
interaction serves as a stage for mediations and as a mediating axis in the formation of social relations (Riveros Solórzano,
2020).
In scholarly communication, it is crucial to acknowledge the constantly evolving environment in which we operate. is involves
adapting to changing ways of thinking concerning interaction and professional channels. As noted by Casero-Ripollés & García-
Gordillo (2020), structural and functional changes often require us to reinvent our communication strategies. Furthermore,
new social practices emerge that are tailored to individual devices and enable new forms of intercommunication. Today’s
labour market requires professionals trained in transmedia (Robledo-Dioses & Atarama-Rojas, 2018). ese professionals are
capable of reaching an audience consisting of the new generations, who have unique spatio-temporal coordinates that dene
virtual space and have access to the world through technology.
e communication professional in training must have a comprehensive understanding of the research process,
conceptualisation, interpretation, correlation, production, realisation, narration, post-production, promotion, distribution,
exhibition, and marketing required in the digital environment. ey must be competent in working with each medium and
respond to the needs of content production, distribution, and consumption as a strategist. e project manager responsible for
communication leads the subject towards a planned action (Barrios-Rubio & Pedrero-Esteban, 2021). Mediation mechanisms
are used to enhance, resize, block or permeabilise the constitutive relationships of groups, both internally and externally.
is relational conjuncture enables sociological and cultural elds of study at the societal level (Jenkins, 2006). e role of
mediations in the relationship between subjects, environment, media, and context is a topic of debate.
In light of a revolution that reinforces McLuhan’s (1967) axiom, it is important to recognise that the medium, whether it is
technology, a device, or an interface, shapes the message. University programmes face the challenge of producing original,
rigorous, and reliable content that is adapted to the contemporary environment. is biosphere is characterised by a transition
from print to digital media, from radio to digital audio, from television to on-demand video, and from traditional advertising
to below-the-line (BTL) marketing. For professionals in training, it is crucial to be able to deliver speeches and interpret
the socio-cultural context to help the audience comprehend the complexity of their world. is is a productive process in
which everyone seeks their own place in the digital environment. It is important to be remembered as a viable option for use,
production, and consumption across multiple platforms, not just to be known.
e panorama laid out suggests a need for communicators to reconsider their professional work to meet market demands.
Today’s work environment requires professionals with transmedia competencies and logical, transversal dissemination
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skills who can conceive of technologies beyond instrumental knowledge. is presents an interesting challenge that opens
up multiple elds of action and revitalises a discipline that may have lost credibility and popularity among young people.
According to ZipRecruiter (2023), 87% of individuals regret studying journalism, and 64% regret studying communication.
is academic disconnect suggests that professional training programmes have not fully acknowledged the transformation
and adaptation of communication to new elds of action resulting from the dynamics of a changing world due to the advent
of technology. However, students often reduce it to instrumental knowledge and the recognition it can provide. is paper
aims to identify the components of the curricula and how universities intend to engage students in elds of action beyond the
media component.
e future communication professional, currently being trained in university classrooms, must utilise strategies based on
theoretical foundations and research concepts to enable social or organisational intervention. Technological components
should be employed to transform professional work. To guide the proposed study, four questions have been formulated to
facilitate the verication or refutation of the hypothesis. What are the common and divergent components of communication
curricula? How is it evident that theory is the foundation of instrumental knowledge within communication careers? Is the
interdisciplinarity of communication with other sciences and disciplines clear in the training process? Does the professional
eld of communication oer stable employment opportunities or encourage the creation of communication companies?
2. Methodology
Universities with communication degrees are exploring innovative curricula to address connectivity and technological
convergence in the discipline. is is accomplished through the design of disruptive communication content using a trial-
and-error approach. e research aims to reect on the impact of technology on the training of communicators for their
professional work. e study focuses on how academic professionals adopt, conceptualise, and utilise technology in curricula.
A qualitative method was used to conduct the research, primarily through case studies. Additionally, a quantitative analysis of
repetitive frequencies in the curricula was employed to a lesser extent. e exploratory technique applied involved analysing
the curriculum structure, subject content, and training objectives.
e study corpus comprised 15 syllabuses, and we downloaded the contents of each subject’s syllabus directly from the
programme’s website in March 2023. We used a comparative method to review aspects of the teaching and learning process.
e names of the subjects in each foundation, the number of teaching hours, their weight in academic credits, the semester in
which they are included, the theoretical cores to be developed, and the competences and skills they aim to provide the student
with were registered in an Excel matrix. e research identied common patterns and categories, resulting in a summary of
trends that reveal signals and indicators guiding communication and journalism curricula in Colombian universities.
e selection criteria were based on the regional distribution and geographical composition of the country. e three
institutions with the most recognised communication curricula by number of students enrolled were chosen utilising
data from the Ministry of Education (2022). e sample consisted of the following universities located in the Central Zone:
Ponticia Universidad Javeriana, Universidad de la Sabana, and Universidad Externado de Colombia. e universities in
the Northern Zone are Universidad del Norte, Universidad Sergio Arboleda, and Universidad Tecnológica de Bolívar. In the
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Southern Zone, Universidad Autónoma de Occidente, Universidad del Valle, and Universidad Santiago de Cali. e Eastern
Zone has Universidad Autónoma de Bucaramanga, Universidad Francisco de Paula Santander, and Universidad de Pamplona.
e Western Zone is home to three universities: Universidad Ponticia Bolivariana, Universidad de Medellín, and Universidad
de Manizales.
e collected sample provided information on the levels of meaning used by institutions in constructing their curricula. e
study analysed pedagogical relationships, practices, and designs to interpret how technology is approached, interpreted,
and conceived in professional education within a disciplinary eld. e use of ICT has pedagogical value. e interpretivist
perspective (Table 1) enables the analysis of interactional and communicative logics that contribute to the construction of
intersubjective meanings implicit in the curriculum (Bonilla & Rodríguez, 2005). Sandin (2003) denes a social phenomenon
that involves the interaction of concepts, practices, design, and relationships in the pedagogical process, mediated by
instrumental knowledge within a specic habitat.
Table 1. Analysis categories
Category
What are you searching for?
Conception
e curriculum is structured by currents of thought, and it encompasses
common elds of knowledge. A eld or value proposition is constituted by
divergent elements in relation to competence.
Practice
e development of curricular components involves the use and exploitation
of technology. is includes practices related to technology consumption
and implementation.
Design
e curriculum should comprise both disciplinary and interdisciplinary
elements to facilitate the integration of knowledge and enhance the training
and professional scope of the communicator.
Relations
Academic institutions provide training for employment and promote
entrepreneurship and business development in the workplace.
Source: prepared by the author
e analysis of the categories presented in Table 1 will determine whether the trainee communicator is being prepared to
meet market demands and operate in today’s digital environment. e curriculum must include technology that generates
new aesthetics and forms of interaction, which dene and shape the reconstructions and redenitions of technological
processes. e objective of this education is to train professionals who can create communication proposals for both digital
and conventional environments. ese proposals must combine theoretical and practical components to eectively develop
their work.
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3. Result, analysis, and discussion
3.1. Formative notion of the communicator
e research process utilised a work matrix to categorise the subjects into six distinct work blocks:
–
Basic foundation: e subjects in this block contribute to the integral formation of the student, increase their academic com
-
petence, and help to consolidate their vocation. e block leads to the appropriation of theoretical and conceptual elements,
methods, and basic problems of the sciences that underpin the profession.
–
Specic rationale: is foundation aims to provide students with the necessary knowledge, tools, and communication skills
to excel in their professional work. It comprises several components:
▪
Social: is section discusses communicative processes in dierent cultures and their impact on social development. It
aims to inform the development of communicative intervention policies that can contribute to improving social cohesion.
▪
Media: is section oers theoretical and conceptual support to complement the practical work of professionals and
equip them for employment in traditional media.
▪
Organisational: is section covers the basic concepts and principles of integral strategic communication as a manage
-
ment tool in organisations.
–
Technological foundation: It allows reection on technology and its impact on social, cultural, economic, and political chang
-
es, as well as the ethical challenges posed by these technologies in the work of the communicator.
–
Research Foundation: Academic space that involves tackling and dealing with the specic problems of both communication
and society in general.
–
Inter- and transdisciplinary foundation: e purpose of an inter- and transdisciplinary foundation is to contribute to the
comprehensive education of students and to stimulate their interest and capacity for reection and analysis on issues that go
beyond the specicities of their discipline or profession.
–
Language Prociency: Demonstrated ability in speaking and writing a second or third language.
Analysis of the study corpus shows that the curriculum is understood overall, with small conceptual dierences adapted to the
specicities of the region where the programme is located. e design and expression of the curriculum (see Figure 1) suggest
a commitment to holistic education that includes ethical, aesthetic, philosophical, political, and social dimensions, as well as
the development of professional competencies. However, research skills and second language prociency are not prioritised.
e training process focuses on developing expressive, citizenship, and communication competences, which become more
complex as the semesters progress. Communicators are required to possess a greater depth of knowledge, methods, and skills.
In general, academic proposals are supported by the themes developed and the provision of open activities of an academic,
cultural, sporting, and recreational nature.
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Figure 1. Curricular composition matrix
Source: prepared by the author
e curriculum denes comprehensiveness through six common components: the conceptual line of communication, media
expression, communication management, basic technological tools, interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary socio-humanistic
paths, and research. ese areas organise the essential knowledge in the training of communicators and are present in each
academic semester. e curriculum outlines the development of knowledge in the eld, including national and international
references. e foundation of the subjects presents conceptual paths that reveal educational structures centred on active
pedagogy, which involves practical work to a high degree (84%). is academic exercise enables the student to be an active
participant and protagonist of their own learning process, guided by the teacher.
e labour market indicates that the media industry is saturated with professionals and salaries are low (ZipRecruiter, 2023).
Despite this, educational institutions allocate 22% of their courses to training students in collecting, analysing, and producing
journalistic content with the aim of contributing to the strengthening of the democratic system. e promotion of multimedia
creation should be the norm for designing and producing audio-visual content. According to Barrios-Rubio & Pedrero-
Esteban (2021), only 9% of courses focus on critical thinking, technology’s purpose and application in professional work,
and the appropriation of technology and instrumental processes. Zambrano, Medina & García (2010) support this nding.
Instrumental knowledge refers to the production of communicative pieces for traditional media and the establishment of
productive routines that correspond to the convergence of Media Lab spaces. According to Barrios-Rubio & Gutiérrez-García
(2022), this scenario presents technology as the central driving force of the profession.
e curriculum does not adequately achieve the competences required for a globalised and digitalised world. Only 5%
of academic spaces are dedicated to designing and managing programmes and projects related to the intervention or
understanding of social and cultural phenomena (Riveros Solórzano, 2020; García-Rangel et al., 2014). In the Latin American
context, eective communication requires the communicator to act as a policy manager and strategist, capable of intervening
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in the community through projects aimed at promoting development or social change. Communication as a profession can
play a crucial role in addressing environmental issues and driving improvements or transformations, creating opportunities
for professionals to work in governmental organisations, multilateral bodies, or NGOs.
Only 10% of the lectures in industry curricula are devoted to the managerial dimension of communication. However, it is crucial
to master the tools used in organisational communication to meet the challenges of both internal and external communication
in the labour market. Managerial positions in public and private aairs require communication competencies related to
digital marketing and industry-client communication. e curricula provide some exibility and incorporate interdisciplinary
factors. However, they do not oer sucient in-depth reading guidelines to foster critical and reective thinking among future
professionals. e validate contexts that lead to an understanding of communication and how new technologies enable the
creation of symbolic goods that give meaning to the socio-cultural reality in which one is immersed.
e programmes analysed demonstrate a lack of emphasis on promoting scientic research, with only 7% of subjects covering
this area. Additionally, there is a lack of utilisation of research advances from university research groups to provide students
with essential elements to understand social problems both locally and globally. It is important to incorporate the mastery of
a second language as a transversal axis to situate students in contemporary visions and problems. However, the study’s corpus
shows that only 4% of the classes available are dedicated to language skills. Many universities view language prociency as a
degree requirement rather than an essential skill.
3.2. Practice on the action agenda
e curriculum’s practices are based on the methodologies outlined in the subject syllabuses. e ‘workshop’ activities
are intended for students to complete exercises proposed by the teacher under controlled conditions (see gure 2). ese
productive experiences should mirror the socio-cultural realities and processes of the environment. e task is to create
journalistic and audio-visual products that use sound, lm, photography, and technology to challenge dominant narratives
in both content and form. e aim is to propose social agency and accompaniment. e context highlights the importance of
academic and professional practice that reects the comprehensiveness of the curriculum and the training given to students.
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Figure 2. Competencies activated by practice in the curriculum
Source: prepared by the author
Internships are considered a valuable opportunity to gain practical experience and learn beyond the academic classroom
(see Figure 2). Adequate supervision and evaluation by the students’ tutors (Barrios-Rubio & Fajardo, 2019) are necessary
in this scenario of engagement with reality. Communication programmes often establish Media Labs, which are academic-
practical-research ecosystems. Such ecosystems aim to integrate various media and communication strategies that align with
the student’s work in the digital sphere (Aguilar, 2012). at is, the ideation of journalistic (74%), social (12%) and business
(14%) products that aim to raise student awareness and develop multiplatform strategies for 360º audience consumption.
Communication products must respond to the logics of cross-media dissemination and transmedia narratives, using
convergent phenomena.
e presentation of each programme is argumentative and indicates a dependence on institutional contexts. e classroom
serves as a hub for the productive coordination of interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary competences. Design-thinking
work laboratories are used to organise teams, monitor and analyse results, and disseminate professional and academic
content. Additionally, there is evidence of communicative proposals materialising that tell stories drawn from the data
and the interpretation of a multiplicity of information with a multidisciplinary prole. e study corpus lacks consistent
commitment to displaying on-screen scenarios, virtual spaces, and the work and projects of students, teachers, graduates,
and external entities. e task involves constructing projects that are related to academic objectives and respond to structural
and functional changes. To achieve this, it is necessary to rethink the actions of the communicator and reinvent the uses
and schemes that accompany the social transition from print culture to screen culture. According to Barrios-Rubio & Fajardo
(2017), this transition has led to the emergence of new practices among the citizen collective.
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Media Labs play a vital role in providing spaces for research, creation, and experimentation. ey facilitate interaction,
integration, management, and socialisation of projects and ideas in line with the educational objectives of the institution.
As part of students’ training, the academy provides practical spaces that promote the application of theoretical concepts.
e platform aims to provide a space for students to develop their own professional training content and have an impact on
society. e production units observe academic training processes that strengthen students’ professional competences and
social commitment to share and apply knowledge at both a technical and human level. Additionally, it aims to propose and
articulate communicative conceptions on various fronts.
3.3. Completeness of the communicator
Communication programmes in Colombia in recent years have implemented actions to recognise and promote inter- and
trans-disciplinarity in their curricula. ey have also introduced mechanisms to encourage student interaction with dierent
programmes and areas of knowledge. Figure 3 (Vidales Gonzáles, 2017) illustrates this. Analysis of the study corpus shows
that knowledge integration is reduced by 89% when connecting communication with anthropology, sociology, psychology,
philosophy, literature, education, linguistics, and humanities. However, the convergence of communication with management,
marketing, advertising, and design, among other areas, is not recognised due to the conuence of disciplinary interests. ese
areas share common focuses of action in industry, the social scene, and the digital ecosystem.
Figure 3. Disciplinary convergence of the communication programme
Source: prepared by the author
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e training of communicators should strategically apply communication concepts and theories to analyse the organisation
of social groups and their communicative processes in their political and cultural contexts, in line with inter- and trans-
disciplinarity (Márquez-López et al., 2016). In a globalised and digitalised world, the integration of knowledge necessitates
a convergence of interests between the epistemology of disciplines and their problem-solving methods related to the
profession’s object of study (see Figure 3). e analysis of the curricula of the programmes examined in this research reveals
that interdisciplinarity and trans-disciplinarity are not the curricula’s objectives to tackle diverse problems based on the
interaction of multiple disciplines.
Analysis of the programme contents, class methodologies, and teaching bibliography indicates that inter- and trans-
disciplinarity is present in the teaching process through the texts studied in academic spaces, the option of taking optional
subjects from other university programmes and sharing spaces with other professional degrees in the master classes.
Additionally, integration is fostered through the participation and systematisation of extracurricular activities, such as
seminars, congresses, and conferences. ese events enable the exchange of knowledge from various approaches, perspectives,
methods, and methodologies. e exchange of narratives and interdisciplinary discourses, as well as research experiences,
from the professional programmes could facilitate discussions on dierent disciplinary perspectives around the axes and
problem areas that require actions to improve the curriculum on a semester basis.
e current conception of inter- and trans-disciplinarity in communication programmes does not allow for crossover with
other discourses and social disciplines (Tünnermann, 2011). ere is a need to create a scenario that encourages reection
and practice of communication without transferring this social knowledge to other areas. is broadens the possibility of
analysing and understanding contemporary developments inuenced by communication. e training of communicators
needs to be recongured to increase students’ awareness of social responsibility, ethical commitment, interdisciplinary and
transdisciplinary dialogue, and understanding of the socio-political context of the country and the international community.
Communication problems should be addressed through a hybridisation of sciences, technologies, and knowledge.
Conceiving communication in terms of interdisciplinarity and trans-disciplinarity provides an opportunity for research
groups to promote academic activities focused on project-based learning. Students can be encouraged to take social action
to address complex problems that require an academic approach based on the convergence of disciplinary knowledge,
beyond operational activities. e curricular structure of the programmes in the basic training area enables students to share
knowledge and experiences with those from other disciplines, enriching the training process. However, the structure is not yet
dynamic, even in the specic foundations of the degree outside the Media Lab. e reasoning and construction of solutions to
contemporary problems in convergence with other programmes begins to open the window to creativity, integration, and the
opening of new spaces for the linking and professional development of the communicator.
3.4. Correspondence of training and labour
Consistent with the prevailing trend in Latin American undergraduate programmes, professional training aims to develop work
competencies in specic areas. e analysis of the sample indicates a focus on preparing students for the professional world,
with an emphasis on the contexts, principles, and laws of freedom of expression and press freedom, in line with the strong
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trend towards journalism (86%). At the end of the curriculum, there are several internship agreements, training scenarios,
links, and contacts with companies and organisations. ese opportunities provide students with a pathway to begin their
transition to the labour market.
e curricula currently lack an analysis of the training needs and requirements of the working, productive, and competitive
environment, both nationally and internationally. Internationalisation is a commitment or a pending task within the
comprehensive training of communicators. However, there is limited evidence of comprehensive preparation of students
that enriches their training with transversal elements, providing them with a global perspective of the profession. To prepare
individuals for the challenges of the professional and academic world, it is crucial to consider and create spaces that foster
comprehensive training in all elds (Pérez-Escoda et al., 2019).
Research is a strategic focus for learners to engage productively with their environment, generating knowledge that prioritises
student-centred learning processes and methods. e curriculum is not merely a set of processes and strategies aimed at
facilitating the acquisition of the object of study of the profession, but encompasses all the competencies, skills, and visions
of its professional community. Interdisciplinarity is a relatively new eld that does not yet provide students with the tools to
address communication issues by combining scientic, technological, and disciplinary knowledge (Zambrano-Ayala et al.,
2019).
4. Conclusions
After reviewing the training objectives, competencies and skills facilitated by the adoption of ICTs, it has been determined that
communication programmes must have academic and social signicance beyond journalism and media production. In the
contemporary world, there is a need to combine the traditional canons of the discipline with strategic industry management
and policy development for social change. e modern theoretical and conceptual approach aims to train professionals with
the ability to work in diverse elds and scenarios, with a global, analytical, and critical perspective. is involves generating
knowledge and proposing creative solutions to problems within a given context. It also requires transversality to attend to the
diverse groups and interests of the population. Communication is a science and a eld of study linked to other disciplines. e
research is signicant as it focuses on systematic investigation of the most important social, disciplinary, interdisciplinary, and
trans-disciplinary issues.
Communication research should enhance students’ comprehension of social reality, including its origins, consequences,
and relationship with other cultural phenomena. Communication articulates social processes that connect diverse actors,
facilitating cultural transformation. It plays a crucial role in societies undergoing processes such as the implementation of
peace agreements, the reconstruction of the memory of conicts, and the healing of resentments. is is especially relevant
in the case of Colombia. Higher education institutions in the eld of science, as well as interdisciplinary elds, do not share
common purposes or contested issues with disciplines other than the social sciences, art, design, and the humanities. is
research was conducted to observe this phenomenon through their curricula. e variety of subjects studied in communication
is evidence of a complex process involving diverse social actors, which is itself a social phenomenon.
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Universities are adopting an open and exible curriculum to provide a comprehensive understanding of the profession. e
analysis of the sample suggests that there are opportunities for transdisciplinary integration to prepare future professionals for
an evolving labour market, requiring new skills in both the public and private sectors. One possible improvement to curricula
in general would be to create opportunities and spaces within the classroom to foster students’ entrepreneurial spirit and
their ability to propose self-managed solutions to economic, social, and cultural problems in their environment. is could be
achieved by incorporating activities that encourage critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Figure 4 illustrates an example
of such a space. e aim is to establish training programmes that develop professionals with expertise in communication
management and the production of digital and audio-visual media for alternative, cultural, and educational purposes. e
goal is to promote entrepreneurship, innovation, development, and social commitment to communities, organisations, and
the region, fostering creative economies through academic articulation with a social purpose.
Figure 4. Integration of Lab spaces
Source: prepared by the author
Communication is a crucial social, cultural, and business phenomenon. e current historical context makes it clear that there
is an urgent need to comprehend mass communication, analyse the cultural industry, and assess its impact on the economy,
politics, and culture. e signicance of communication in innovation management processes can be better understood
by examining current technological paradigms and applying appropriate methodologies for creation and dissemination.
is analysis can aid in explaining social phenomena. Structural and functional changes necessitate a reconsideration
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of communication actions, resulting in the reimagining of communicative products and their applications. e training
of communicators should strive to establish a learning environment (as depicted in gure 4) where the competencies and
interests of each member are at the forefront of the development and presentation of various products, each with its own
unique features.
Communication programmes should aim to project a professional image that demonstrates a genuine commitment to the
community. As an academic-practical-research eld, communication should serve as a platform for social projection. e
learning and exercises taught in research subjects and workshops should be applied to real communication actions that have
a positive impact on communities and organisations. is will assist in enhancing communication strategies and content
production. e curriculum should be revised to establish clear academic and practical expectations for student development.
It is crucial to oer trainees opportunities to share their content with a contemporary audience, who are immersed in screen
devices, and to receive constructive feedback. It is not acceptable to wait for learners to enter the professional work environment
to gain visibility and opportunities to disseminate their work.
Homogeneity in the fundamentals of language, journalism, and media production in academia may hinder the ability of future
professionals to combine their eorts and talents to inuence social processes through their work. Although there may be
dierences in social phenomena between regions, these dierences should not substantially aect the training of Colombian
communicators. e contemporary technological revolution requires spaces where students can learn new communication
models. ese spaces should integrate theory and practice to generate transversal content that helps construct communication
strategies for dierent sectors of society. e aim of this theoretical-practical spiral is to create an experimental scenario for
disseminating and generating digital content in various formats, including audio-visual, photographic, audio, and textual
media, for both domestic and international projects.
To improve the educational project, it is important to encourage exploration of narratives, formats, and creation, circulation,
and dissemination processes across various subjects and practices. is can be achieved through interdisciplinary and
transdisciplinary integration, which proposes ideas that go beyond the established variables in the profession’s foundations. e
role of the communicator as a content manager has become increasingly important in the labour market. ey are responsible
for creating dynamic communication proposals in a scenario that demands a capable workforce. is study conrms that
universities’ focus on the past, rather than the challenges of the present and future, is the reason for the disconnection of future
students from communication programmes. Communication related to media and journalism can be disruptive in meeting the
societal needs of today’s world. ese competencies are essential for communication professionals in contemporary society.
erefore, the academy must provide practical spaces for students to apply theoretical concepts, develop products, and engage
with the community. is paper conrms the hypothesis that vocational training programmes have not fully adapted to the
changing communication landscape brought about by technological advances.
e paper’s results are limited to a comprehensive analysis of the content of curricula and syllabi. In the second phase of
the research, these results will be compared with the approaches and arguments of actors, principals, and teachers at each
university. Focusing on the perceptions of deans and educators can lead to the exploration of a eld diary. is diary could
highlight the equipment and technologies available for developing pedagogical exercises in student training. Future research
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could explore the specic challenges faced by communication and journalism programmes in serving as an articulating
hub between an institution and the social group it serves. e study of communication in the face of political, social, and
technological changes requires further exploration. It is important to analyse the interpretation and construction of meaning
that is put into practice when messages are broadcast through various communication channels.
5. Acknowledgements
e author of this article has translated it into English, with a later proof-reading by Brian O´Halloran.
6. Conict of interest
e author declares no conict of interest.
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