Journalism teachers and publication advisers were surveyed by Ball State University in late 2008 to determine what they really wanted to learn about teaching journalism in secondary schools. The most common response indicated that they needed more training in how to take their student publications online.
Chief drawbacks in obtaining such training were cost and time. With a grant from the NAA Foundation, Ball State was able to provide the workshop that teachers wanted free of charge.
Workshop instructors hailed from the newspaper industry, secondary education and higher education. They offered a wealth of knowledge and understanding of online media functionality, teaching in ways easily understood and implemented by participants. In the end, all attendees went from print to primetime in just three days – not too bad for their first attempts at going online.
A Competitive Process
In June 2009, Ball State University hosted the Emerging Media Workshop for high school journalism advisers. Twenty-one advisers attended the workshop, which trained teachers to take their publications online.
The group was chosen from an applicant pool of more than 60. Many in the group teach at socioeconomically diverse schools. The group was geographically diverse as well, with representation from Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, North Carolina, North Dakota and Ohio.
Advisers learned about content management systems, organizing an online staff, overcoming school technical and online legal issues, multimedia storytelling, video and social networking. Most important, all left with a fully functioning Web site, ready to start the school year with a digital home for their newspapers.
The Tech Hurdle
Many advisers worry about taking their publications online because of perceived technological obstacles. Therefore, a first step in the workshop was to introduce advisers to the simplicity of content management systems – specifically WordPress, an open-source (free) content management system.
Multimedia Storytelling
Many high school newspaper Web sites simply involve uploading PDFs or copying and pasting print content. But these practices do not take advantage of the Internet as a medium. As most workshop participants were primarily trained in writing, photography and design within the traditional print product, they were taught how to incorporate audio, video and other multimedia storytelling techniques into online publications.
Social Networking
Young people live their lives online, and the Internet plays a big part in how they get information and socialize with friends. Scholastic media must use social networking tools if they are to remain relevant to their readers. Advisers were shown to use social networking tools such as Facebook and Twitter not only to introduce readers to content, but also to solicit valuable feedback.
Comments
“It was a really intense, hands-on experience that would have taken me at least an entire school year of trial and error to maybe figure out.”
“The Emerging Media Workshop was an invaluable gift of instruction that will equip me to bring our journalism program to the next level. It took away a lot of my fears of new technology. I left feeling confident, informed and passionate about Web journalism. My students will greatly benefit.”
“I learned so much about Web design and content management, as well as about the future of media and the transition to online media. … My students will be ahead of those from other high schools when entering college journalism programs because of workshops like this.”
“Because so many advisers are over 30, we do not have the technological savvy and fearlessness of our students. We know that we must embrace the Web, but we need the instruction and the confidence to do it. This workshop gave me that, and I feel excited about the upcoming year. I had considered phasing out of advising; now I am looking forward to staying in the game.”
“The training that I gained at this workshop will enable me to put my school newspaper online and – more important – to prepare my students for the journalism of the future.”
Follow Their Progress
The Emerging Media Workshop site offers a look at how the advisers’ sites are evolving, plus a slideshow, video testimonials and more. In addition, this handout features tips for taking school newspapers beyond print.