School districts and universities nationwide are reconsidering
the use of law enforcement officers on campus after yet another
unarmed black man died at the hands of police.
Are left-leaning extremists inciting riots in Idaho? Is a
Minnesota McDonald’s burning after protests? Did a protestor
steal a Chicago police horse?
No, no and no. All of these claims — which were all shared widely
on social media — are false. But in highly emotional situations
like demonstrators protesting the death of George Floyd,
misinformation and disinformation can take on a life of its own
on social media.
Here are several resources for combating misinformation in your
reporting — and some examples of debunked stories.
With more celebrity defendants pleading guilty to using a high-priced fixer to help their kids cheat their way into top colleges, what’s been the impact on college admissions? The Wall Street Journal’s Melissa Korn, whose book on the “Varsity Blues” scandal has been optioned for a television project, discusses the latest developments, as well as the fallout more broadly for higher education.
It’s now an economic reality for journalists: Many outlets pay
for at least some of their reporting through grants and
fellowships. That means many reporters need to supplement
their news writing with grant writing.
But how can you make your application stand out from the crowd?
These tips, from a journalist who has written successful
fellowship applications and from a foundation official who has
approved grants, will help you write your applications with
confidence and a plan.
Few years are as laden with
symbolic touchstones as the senior year of high school. With this
year’s graduates denied those rites of passage due to the
coronavirus pandemic — or at least the traditional rituals
associated with them — emotions are running understandably
high.
For Frances Suavillo, an immigrant
from the Philippines who is the valedictorian at Carson High
School near Los Angeles, the change in plans wasn’t easy.
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.
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.
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.
In Chicago, thousands of students are earning high school diplomas but showing up at the city’s two-year colleges unprepared for the next step in their academic journeys. In a new project, Kate McGee of WBEZ looked at efforts to buck that trend, including an innovative program developed not by outside experts but the system’s own faculty. Along the way, she explored a number of questions: Do students benefit more from remedial classes that re-teach them material they were supposed to master in high school, or from being placed directly into college classes with additional support like tutoring
As the number of reported cases of the COVID-19, also known as the coronavirus, continues to mount in the U.S., here are five things education reporters should keep in mind when covering the health crisis and its impact on schools and colleges. (This post will be periodically updated as circumstances warrant.)
A flurry of education-related conversation surfaced at the most
recent Democratic presidential debate on Feb. 25, as candidates
exchanged jabs and defended their positions on charter schools,
student loan debt, and setting up young people for meaningful
careers.
The 10th debate came at a pivotal moment, just days before voters
in 14 states will cast their ballots on Super Tuesday (March 3).
With education taking a back seat in prior debates, the
rapid-fire discussion caught the attention of education
journalists and pundits.
Schools, Universities Reconsider Police on Campus
George Floyd's killing prompts schools to shift resources to counselors, other forms of security
School districts and universities nationwide are reconsidering the use of law enforcement officers on campus after yet another unarmed black man died at the hands of police.
How Journalists Can Fact-Check Highly Emotional Stories
Misinformation on social media runs rampant during protests over George Floyd's death
Are left-leaning extremists inciting riots in Idaho? Is a Minnesota McDonald’s burning after protests? Did a protestor steal a Chicago police horse?
No, no and no. All of these claims — which were all shared widely on social media — are false. But in highly emotional situations like demonstrators protesting the death of George Floyd, misinformation and disinformation can take on a life of its own on social media.
Here are several resources for combating misinformation in your reporting — and some examples of debunked stories.
What’s New With ‘Varsity Blues’
The latest on the college-admissions scandal, and how COVID-19 is reshaping what campuses will look like this fall
(EWA Radio: Episode 239)
With more celebrity defendants pleading guilty to using a high-priced fixer to help their kids cheat their way into top colleges, what’s been the impact on college admissions? The Wall Street Journal’s Melissa Korn, whose book on the “Varsity Blues” scandal has been optioned for a television project, discusses the latest developments, as well as the fallout more broadly for higher education.
Grant Writing: The Next Skill for Successful Journalists
A reporter and a foundation official share their best tips for winning fellowships or grants.
It’s now an economic reality for journalists: Many outlets pay for at least some of their reporting through grants and fellowships. That means many reporters need to supplement their news writing with grant writing.
But how can you make your application stand out from the crowd? These tips, from a journalist who has written successful fellowship applications and from a foundation official who has approved grants, will help you write your applications with confidence and a plan.
Under the Circumstances, No Pomp for the Class of 2020
Telling the story of a senior year changed by coronavirus
Few years are as laden with symbolic touchstones as the senior year of high school. With this year’s graduates denied those rites of passage due to the coronavirus pandemic — or at least the traditional rituals associated with them — emotions are running understandably high.
For Frances Suavillo, an immigrant from the Philippines who is the valedictorian at Carson High School near Los Angeles, the change in plans wasn’t easy.
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.
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.
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.
When College Students Aren’t College-Ready
Thousands of students struggle at Chicago’s two-year colleges. Is an overhaul of developmental ed. programs enough to help?
(EWA Radio: Episode 231)
In Chicago, thousands of students are earning high school diplomas but showing up at the city’s two-year colleges unprepared for the next step in their academic journeys. In a new project, Kate McGee of WBEZ looked at efforts to buck that trend, including an innovative program developed not by outside experts but the system’s own faculty. Along the way, she explored a number of questions: Do students benefit more from remedial classes that re-teach them material they were supposed to master in high school, or from being placed directly into college classes with additional support like tutoring
Five Tips for Education Reporters Covering the Coronavirus
How COVID-19 health crisis could impact students and schools, and what education leaders are doing to prepare
As the number of reported cases of the COVID-19, also known as the coronavirus, continues to mount in the U.S., here are five things education reporters should keep in mind when covering the health crisis and its impact on schools and colleges. (This post will be periodically updated as circumstances warrant.)
Super Tuesday: The Education Angles
What's at stake for public education in the 2020 election?
A flurry of education-related conversation surfaced at the most recent Democratic presidential debate on Feb. 25, as candidates exchanged jabs and defended their positions on charter schools, student loan debt, and setting up young people for meaningful careers.
The 10th debate came at a pivotal moment, just days before voters in 14 states will cast their ballots on Super Tuesday (March 3). With education taking a back seat in prior debates, the rapid-fire discussion caught the attention of education journalists and pundits.