Journalism is changing because of modern technology so it is fitting that journalism education is changing too. Journalism classes from grade school and high school-level to college and university courses are cleverly using the web and online tools to make their classes more interactive. Here are three ways they are doing it.

Blogs

Before the internet the way educators shared course materials was with a syllabus, handouts, or homework assignments. Blogs allow both students and the instructors to share information related to class and post updates about class assignments. Many journalism classes like in the examples below use blogs to post additional reading from online sites.

426 Multimedia Journalism (OSU School of Communication)
Steve Fox's Multimedia Journalism Class
UMass Journalism Launchpad
Online Journalism I (Rowan University)
Studio 20 (NYU)



WordPress seems to be a popular choice for creating multi-author blogs though many classes also use Blogger and Tumblr. Some classes even require students to create their own individual blogs and regularly post new content or writing.

Twitter hashtags

Journalism classes where the instructor or students want to share information immediately often turn to Twitter to post updates. Participants can use hashtags, a short phrase or word preceded by the # sign, to include and identify tweets relevant to the class. Signing students up for Twitter also allows them to become familiar with the tool, which is now an essential skill for every journalist.

#umassjour (University of Massachusetts Amherst)
#comm2322 (Southeastern University)
#jenclass (KOMU)
#mapjd (London College of Communication)
#jlmc342 (Iowa State University)
#413t (Arizona State University)

Skype

It is a standing tradition for classes to have guest speakers who share their knowledge and experience with the students. However, this is sometimes more difficult for schools in areas that industry professionals don't often visit. Skype and other video conferencing tools allow classrooms to connect with professionals around the world and participate in live discussions.


For more on how to use Technology in the classroom, check out this post by Jen Lee Reeves.

Flickr, the photo sharing site and social network, is probably right behind Wikipedia on the list of social media tools journalists and newsrooms avoid. Journalists have every reason to be wary of uplaoading content to Flickr — without the right controls photos uploaded to the site can be downloaded and used without permission elsewhere on the web.

But there are so many other ways to use Flickr besides uploading photos from the newsroom. Flickr is, after all, a social tool and news media can harness the power of the site to improve the news-gathering process. For starters, newsrooms can take a cue from Slate and The Consumerist and create a photo pool or group where readers can submit photos that fall into a specific category. For Slate's "Shoot the Recession" photo pool, readers and photogs were invited to submit photos that captured the economic recession. The Consumerist, a consumer affairs blog, asks readers to submit photos that capture commerce in America that are selected by editors and featured on the site.



NPR recently used Flickr to crowdsource information and asked readers to identify individuals in a series of photos from a US Senate meeting. Members of the site used Flickr's photo tagging feature to add notes to the photo about individuals in the image. Getty Images even tapped into the great talent on Flickr and partnered with Flickr photographers to sell their work under the Getty name.



If you are thinking about uploading your photos to Flickr and are also handy with geotagging, you can use iMapFlickr to create custom embeddable maps that feature geocoded photos. Like most third-party mapping tools, iMapFlickr is very easy to use and requires just a few steps to identify photos from Flickr and plot them on a map.



There are, of course, much more creative ways to use Flickr such as using the API to recreate an entire city, identify the dominant colors of a physical location, or to view the day's headlines in photos.



As the previous examples show, Flickr is more than just a tool for sharing photos. The site's many features means there are many different ways you can use the site for your own unique projects.


Also on 10,000 Words:

• 30 Amazing photoblogs (and a few tips for creating one)
• Composite photography: A new twist to an old medium
• 5 Creative uses of Flash and interactive storytelling
• Creative and innovative uses of online video
• Photojournalism: Where to find the best in news photography

Labels: maps, photos

News media are using multimedia and interactivity to track same-sex marriage and the stories of gay men and women across the U.S. One of the most common ways online news sites are the debate is using maps that visualize where same-sex marriage or civil unions are legal. CNN and NPR have created two such maps (pictured below) that readers can click or hover over to read more about the each state's position on the issue.

 

The L.A. Times also has a similar map and, in addition, has an adjacent timeline that plots landmark moments in the same-sex marriage and corresponds with the map.



The New Republic, like many other news sites, produced a slideshow that illustrates various points in the chronology of same-sex marriage.



CNN has invited couples of all sexualities to tell their own stories and submit video using iReport. The result is sort of a like niche YouTube that contains video dedicated to a specific topic.



GOOD Magazine took a unique approach to the debate by creating a flat graphic/flow chart that visualizes key arguments made for and against same-sex marriage.



Finally, KQED and The California Report have created a blog dedicated to the ongoing Prop 8 debate happening in California. The blog contains regular updates about what's happening inside the court and includes quotes from witnesses and outside observers.



Also on 10,000 Words:

• 8 Interactive online projects that educate and captivate
• Post-Inauguration Wrap Up: High-tech coverage of the tech president
• 10 Inspirational New York Times multimedia and interactive features

Labels: blogging, design, flash

1. Eliminate distractions

Whether you are in a crowded newsroom, a noisy café, or just easily distracted there are online tools that will help you concentrate on your writing. Ommwriter, free downloadable software available for Macs, allows you to write in a meditative space. All you see when you use the program is your words and a serene background. You can also try DarkCopy, an online tool that allows for distraction-free writing.

2. Write down ideas when you have them

Everyone has that moment when they have a brilliant idea but, because they didn't write it down, cannot recall it later. Don't let this happen to you again by keeping a notepad with you at all times. If carrying a spiral notebook or reporter's notepad isn't really your style, check out the variety of cool notepads available including the Moleskine notebook, the Notepod, and AquaNotes, which are designed for use in the shower.

3. Use a better spell checker

No spell check is completely foolproof, but you can rest a little easier if you use After the Deadline, an advanced spell checker that is miles above Microsoft Word or any other tool. AtD not only checks for normal spelling and grammar, but also checks the style of your writing, whether you use active or passive voice, how your sentences flow, and — most importantly — whether you used the right word (e.g. "right" instead of "write").

4. Tame the web

"Being a good writer is 3% talent and 97% not being distracted by the internet." If that's true, then eliminate online distractions by temporarily blocking the sites that distract you from your work. You can use web browser extensions like LeechBlock for Firefox or StayFocusd for Chrome that let you list time-wasting sites and how long they should be blocked. This way, even if you are tempted to play an online game or check Facebook, you won't actually be able to.

5. Use natural remedies

Even before the internet, writers used natural remedies to help improve their concentration and memory. Foods like oatmeal, blueberries, yogurt, and coffee can help keep your mind clear and your focus on your work.




Also on 10,000 Words:
• 8 Online tools to help improve your writing
• How to stay interested in blogging
• 10 Essential iPhone apps for bloggers and reporters

Labels: writing

When I started my first journalism job at a medium-sized newspaper, I was surprised by how many reporters rarely left their desks to do their work. It wasn't that they were lazy or not producing stories — they just did their reporting over the phone. Now that e-mail, Google, and other internet technologies are a permanent fixture in newsrooms, many more journalists are doing their work from the comfort of their chairs.

This is why I was excited when California Watch, the investigative reporting team for which I serve as a multimedia producer, announced the "Open Newsroom." For one day, the California Watch team is hitting the streets in neighborhoods around the state and inviting readers to come chat with us, share ideas, or just share a cup of coffee.

The idea was born out of necessity — the team is transitioning to a new work space — but I personally love the idea of going into the community and inviting readers to meet us face-to-face. Journalists are already doing this somewhat using social networks like Twitter to interact with readers, but nothing beats in-person interaction.

Shortly after I discovered my colleagues at my first newsroom were conducting most of their reporting over the phone, I was introduced to the concept of "parachute journalism," or visiting a community only to cover a story and then leaving shortly after. Journalists should avoid parachuting into communities and should whenever possible get out of the newsrooms and meet the people in the communities they cover.

As for me, you can catch me at the Starbucks at 2224 Shattuck Avenue in Berkeley from 1 to 4 p.m. on Thursday, January 19. Drop by and say hello and let's see if we can't make journalism a little more awesome.

Labels: news on the news

After a natural disaster like the recent earthquake in Haiti, news organizations often have just hours to put together produce multimedia and interactive elements in addition to text stories. Web Journalist Blog, in collaboration with 10,000 Words, has put together a list of maps, graphics, slideshows, interactive content and social networking efforts coordinated by mainstream news media to report the damage in Haiti. You can find even more examples, as well as ways you can donate to relief efforts, in this Digiphile post.




Also on 10,000 Words:

• Do you have a multimedia emergency plan?
• How to quickly track natural disasters online

Labels: news on the news