The Latest – Page 61

Teaching Tool available fromJohn S.and James L. Foundation blog

by Mark Goodman Journalism education, at both the high school and college level, is facing some real challenges. The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation’s Eric Newton weighs in on many of them, including the importance of defending press freedom for students, in his new ebook, Searchlights and Sunglasses (www.searchlightsandsunglasses.org). This free book, available…

FOIA can put a lot of power in the hands of students

by Stan Zoller One of the challenges associated with presenting at a conference – journalism or otherwise – is trying to figure out how many people will attend your session. There have been times when I’ve had standing room only, and other times when I could have invited the attendees to Starbucks to discuss the…

FAPFA award application deadline is Dec. 1

by John Bowen Applications are now available for this year’s First Amendment Press Freedom Award (FAPFA). In its 14th year, the recognition is designed to identify and recognize high schools that actively support and protect First Amendment rights of their students and teachers. The honor focuses on press freedoms. The application can be completed by using…

Student journalists make a difference

Part one of an eight part series. by Jane Blystone In today’s world of global interconnection the staffers of the Arrow at Renton High School, in Renton, Wa, have found a way for the student voices within their school to speak, even if it is in Chinese, to the world. They challenge our definition of…

Why we keep harping about prior review

by Kathy Schrier At the conclusion of our summer student journalism workshop here in Washington state, we asked for student feedback and one student wrote: “We spent too much time hearing about prior review…” I have to concede that this year’s summer workshop was, in fact, heavy on talk of the dangers posed by administrative…

Decision-making continues long after a story posts

by Sarah Nichols, MJE Does a story posted online lose value over time? Is it as important to our readers — and to our media organization — as it was when the story broke? This important question was the editors’ first true test of the year in the student media program I advise. What first…

Building a climate of trust can ease prior review

The newspaper staff of a small school sought me out at a national journalism conference a few years ago. Despite an informal of publishing with just the consultation of the adviser, the school’s principal now wanted to review the paper before it went to bed. Although I didn’t agree with the principal’s decision, I knew…

Tinker Tour theme opens at OSMA

As Gabby, the Tinker Tour bus, wheeled into town for a stop at Kent State University Oct. 1, we became aware of another way to celebrate Mary Beth Tinker, Mike Hiestand and the myriad of student journalists, their advisers and families who endorse and support the idea that the Constitution and the right of free…

Doing the right thing: Focus on,
support administrators who get it

by Tom Gayda I’ve been lucky. Maybe even spoiled. Both of the principals I have worked for in my 14 years as an adviser have been named JEA Administrator of the Year. Does this mean we agree on everything? No. What it means is they have trusted my students (and as an extension, me) to…

Sifting through the sources: how to really know which source has the ‘truth’

by John Bowen In their book, “Blur: How to know what’s true in the age of information overload,” Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel speak of a news process they call “skeptical knowing.” Applying this process, they say, will help journalists and audiences better evaluate information they receive – and pass on. The process involves not…

Ground rules are best set first

by Candace Bowen “But of course that is off the record,” he said after my students had been interviewing him for at least 45 minutes. In unison, 10 heads swiveled in my direction at the end of the row. “What?” I stammered. “But … but …” And my mind screamed, “That’s not fair!” At the…

Ethics codes are invaluable in student journalism, but not as a guide for punishment

by Gina Catanzarite There appears to be no disagreement – in our school communities or nationwide – that a journalist’s role is to report accurate, fair and objective news. Journalism courses at the college level, in high school, and even middle schools teach a variety of research and reporting techniques to address accuracy —but in…