EWA's blog about education issues and topics from a journalist's perspective. The Educated Reporter is anchored by Emily Richmond with contributions from EWA staff and guests.
EWA’s blog about education issues and topics from a journalist’s
perspective. The Educated Reporter is anchored by Emily Richmond with contributions
from EWA staff and guests.
The coronavirus pandemic has created unprecedented demand for
high-quality news and information – and destroyed the finances of
many of the news outlets that served that demand. Luckily, a
growing number of organizations are attempting to provide cash to
journalists who wish to continue informing their communities
during this crisis.
Here’s a list of organizations offering help to journalists
during the crisis:
With most colleges and universities forced to close campuses in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, postsecondary learning has moved online for millions of students. Doug Lederman, the co-founder and editor of Inside Higher Ed, discusses the fallout of the shift and its potential long-term implications, especially for postsecondary institutions that were already in precarious financial straits.
In popular culture, the teen years are a worrisome period when
kids can spiral downward, developing anxieties and addictions.
But Ron Dahl, who directs the Institute for Human Development at
the University of California, Berkeley, argues that adolescence
is a second opportunity to invest in children because of the
enormous brain development taking place.
“It’s a perfect storm of change,” said Dahl, speaking before
education reporters at an Education Writers Association seminar
on adolescent learning and well-being in Berkeley, Calif., in
late February.
Education reporters, like everyone else, are struggling to cope with the stress and many day-to-day challenges of life during a pandemic. At the same time, they’re working hard under difficult conditions to chronicle the impact on students, schools and families. and pitching in on broader coverage for their newsrooms.
As communities nationwide grapple with the coronavirus
pandemic, educators are struggling to provide young people with
meaningful opportunities to continue learning even with most
public schools now closed. In this installment of Word on the
Beat, we look at how digital tools are being put into quick
action for K-12 education — and how that’s creating both
opportunities and challenges for teachers, students, and
families.
Amidst the tsunami of headline-making impacts from the
coronavirus, this spring’s closure of nearly all the nation’s
4,200 college campuses could have some of the longest-term
effects.
As higher education scrambles to provide instruction and prepare
for whatever is next, “the big issue that’s out there is what
will enrollment look like in fall 2020,” says Terry Hartle,
a senior vice president at the American Council on Education, the
largest membership organization of colleges.
With more than 1.1 million K-12 students, New York City’s public schools are dealing with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on a massive scale. While district officials scramble to close the technology gap and get computers to students who need them, teachers are getting a crash course in the “do’s and don’ts” of remote instruction.
The new coronavirus outbreak is sending shock waves through the
nation’s K-12 and higher education systems. But how is the spread
of COVID-19 affecting the littlest learners, ages 0 to 5, and the
adults who teach and care for them?
The situation is fast evolving, and each state is responding to
the child care conundrum differently. Here are five story ideas
reporters can pursue to dig into the pandemic’s effects on their
local early education workforce and the children and families
they serve.
They say history is a tale told by winners — so who’s writing the textbooks for the two most populous states? And how are the differing political climates in California and Texas reflected in those materials? what do the differences in those books reveal about the political climate do they tell Dana Goldstein, a national education correspondent for The New York Times, read over 4,800 pages of U.S. history textbooks to determine how the political leanings of policymakers and the appointed textbook review committees influence what students — and future voters — are being taught about the nation’s history.
The coronavirus pandemic isn’t just a public health story. It’s
also an education story; many of them, actually. With most of the
nation’s public and private schools now closed, education
reporters are on the front lines of crisis coverage. News outlets
around the country are a crucial source of information for
communities.
Here are a handful of story ideas to tap in covering what
continues to be a fast-changing situation on the preschool
through secondary education front, with lots of strong examples
of enterprising news coverage.
While reporting on a school in a neighborhood with a high homicide rate, Los Angeles Times reporter Sonali Kohli stressed to students she interviewed that they were empowered to control the conversation.
Many teenagers view a professional journalist as an authority figure and might feel pressure to give “correct” answers, Kohli said. That’s why she starts each interview with the premise that a student can end the conversation at any time or ask their own questions.
As the coronavirus pandemic expands in the U.S., education reporters are on the front lines of the news coverage, with nearly three-quarters of public schools either closed or planning to close in coming days, and many colleges and universities moving to online learning or ending the semester outright.
New Grants Help Journalists Through the Coronavirus Crisis
These organizations will provide money for freelance projects, help out furloughed reporters
The coronavirus pandemic has created unprecedented demand for high-quality news and information – and destroyed the finances of many of the news outlets that served that demand. Luckily, a growing number of organizations are attempting to provide cash to journalists who wish to continue informing their communities during this crisis.
Here’s a list of organizations offering help to journalists during the crisis:
Higher Ed Goes Remote
How colleges and universities are adapting to the new realities of the coronavirus crisis
(EWA Radio: Episode 235)
With most colleges and universities forced to close campuses in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, postsecondary learning has moved online for millions of students. Doug Lederman, the co-founder and editor of Inside Higher Ed, discusses the fallout of the shift and its potential long-term implications, especially for postsecondary institutions that were already in precarious financial straits.
Adolescence: A Prime Chance to Invest in Learning
Youths are wiring their brains for the rest of their lives during this time
In popular culture, the teen years are a worrisome period when kids can spiral downward, developing anxieties and addictions. But Ron Dahl, who directs the Institute for Human Development at the University of California, Berkeley, argues that adolescence is a second opportunity to invest in children because of the enormous brain development taking place.
“It’s a perfect storm of change,” said Dahl, speaking before education reporters at an Education Writers Association seminar on adolescent learning and well-being in Berkeley, Calif., in late February.
Self-Care for Journalists 101
How to protect your mental health and physical well-being while covering crises like the COVID-19 pandemic
(EWA Radio: Episode 234)
Education reporters, like everyone else, are struggling to cope with the stress and many day-to-day challenges of life during a pandemic. At the same time, they’re working hard under difficult conditions to chronicle the impact on students, schools and families. and pitching in on broader coverage for their newsrooms.
Word on the Beat: Remote Learning
As communities nationwide grapple with the coronavirus pandemic, educators are struggling to provide young people with meaningful opportunities to continue learning even with most public schools now closed. In this installment of Word on the Beat, we look at how digital tools are being put into quick action for K-12 education — and how that’s creating both opportunities and challenges for teachers, students, and families.
Five Story Angles on College Admissions During the Coronavirus Pandemic
How higher ed reporters can plan for their next enrollment-related story
Amidst the tsunami of headline-making impacts from the coronavirus, this spring’s closure of nearly all the nation’s 4,200 college campuses could have some of the longest-term effects.
As higher education scrambles to provide instruction and prepare for whatever is next, “the big issue that’s out there is what will enrollment look like in fall 2020,” says Terry Hartle, a senior vice president at the American Council on Education, the largest membership organization of colleges.
COVID-19 and New York City Schools
Covering the coronavirus pandemic, remote learning from the nation’s largest district
(EWA Radio: Episode 233)
With more than 1.1 million K-12 students, New York City’s public schools are dealing with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on a massive scale. While district officials scramble to close the technology gap and get computers to students who need them, teachers are getting a crash course in the “do’s and don’ts” of remote instruction.
Child Care and Early Learning During the Coronavirus Pandemic: Five Stories to Tell
How is COVID-19 impacting early childhood education?
The new coronavirus outbreak is sending shock waves through the nation’s K-12 and higher education systems. But how is the spread of COVID-19 affecting the littlest learners, ages 0 to 5, and the adults who teach and care for them?
The situation is fast evolving, and each state is responding to the child care conundrum differently. Here are five story ideas reporters can pursue to dig into the pandemic’s effects on their local early education workforce and the children and families they serve.
Two States, Two Takes on Teaching U.S. History
New York Times compares history textbooks for California and Texas, and finds partisan politics help shape the content
(EWA Radio: Episode 227)
They say history is a tale told by winners — so who’s writing the textbooks for the two most populous states? And how are the differing political climates in California and Texas reflected in those materials? what do the differences in those books reveal about the political climate do they tell Dana Goldstein, a national education correspondent for The New York Times, read over 4,800 pages of U.S. history textbooks to determine how the political leanings of policymakers and the appointed textbook review committees influence what students — and future voters — are being taught about the nation’s history.
The Coronavirus Effect: Story Ideas on Students, Schools
How COVID-19 is poised to reshape the learning experience
The coronavirus pandemic isn’t just a public health story. It’s also an education story; many of them, actually. With most of the nation’s public and private schools now closed, education reporters are on the front lines of crisis coverage. News outlets around the country are a crucial source of information for communities.
Here are a handful of story ideas to tap in covering what continues to be a fast-changing situation on the preschool through secondary education front, with lots of strong examples of enterprising news coverage.
Talking With Teens: Tips for Interviewing Adolescents
How finding, and elevating, teen voices enriches reporting
While reporting on a school in a neighborhood with a high homicide rate, Los Angeles Times reporter Sonali Kohli stressed to students she interviewed that they were empowered to control the conversation.
Many teenagers view a professional journalist as an authority figure and might feel pressure to give “correct” answers, Kohli said. That’s why she starts each interview with the premise that a student can end the conversation at any time or ask their own questions.
EWA Radio: The Impact of the Coronavirus on Education
How the health crisis is impacting students, schools
(EWA Radio: Episode 232)
As the coronavirus pandemic expands in the U.S., education reporters are on the front lines of the news coverage, with nearly three-quarters of public schools either closed or planning to close in coming days, and many colleges and universities moving to online learning or ending the semester outright.