The Journalism Education Association continues to support teachers as they work to provide continuity of learning during the COVID-19 crisis. In addition to its members-only curriculum, the organization has released a repository of materials available to anyone working to develop journalism-related activities students can access from home.

The National Student Media Contests (formerly Write-off Contests) include a large library of prompts from past conventions that Contest Director Nancy Smith, MJE, pulled into a folder for teachers to use in distance learning lessons.

Each folder contains the contest sheets as originally presented at past conventions. The materials are easily adaptable for a number of uses. For example, material from the Newspaper Page Design folders could be used for students to write short news stories and captions for the photos provided. Teachers could have students look at the photos in a Yearbook Theme Page folder and select the three best and explain why those photos are the best technically. If students do not have access to Adobe software, they can use an online infographic creator like Canva to design infographics using the data provided in the Infographic or Photo Illustration prompts. Teachers could invite students to examine the material in a Yearbook Inside Page Design folder and determine what story forms they would add to the coverage.

Teachers can mix and match in order to meet their students’ needs and are encouraged to share ideas on JEAHELP, the member Listserv.

“I am sure many of our members will find this material helpful as we all work to provide opportunities for our students to continue learning at home. For many teachers who had to grab and go quickly, they may not have access to many of their usual ‘back-up’ lessons. Hopefully some of these items will make their work a bit easier during this unbelievably challenging time,” Smith said.

CLICK HERE FOLDER OF PROMPTS

Here is what the folders contain. The writing/video editing prompts also include the critique sheet used by the NSMC judging teams.

Folder 1: Yearbook C/C Sports, Yearbook C/C Academics, yearbook C/C Student Life, Yearbook C/C Clubs (plus the critique sheet)
Folder 2: Commentary, Editorial Writing (plus the critique sheets)
Folder 3: Yearbook Design Cover/Endsheets
Folder 4: Yearbook Design Theme Pages
Folder 5: Yearbook Design Inside Pages
Folder 6: Newspaper Page Design
Folder 7: Newsmagazine Design
Folder 8: Graphic Design including infographics, logo, advertising and photo illustration prompts
Folder 9: Video Package Editing plus the critique sheet

“Teachers are working overtime to provide meaningful, relevant materials for distance learning. I’m grateful JEA can provide these resources to help. This set of prompts and images will be a springboard for countless ways students can practice skills from home with or without their usual tools,” said JEA President Sarah Nichols, MJE.