The Education Writers Association, the national professional organization for journalists who cover education, is thrilled to announce that its annual conference will take place from Sunday, May 1, through Tuesday, May 3, 2016, in the historic city of Boston.
Co-hosted by Boston University’s College of Communication and School of Education, EWA’s 69th National Seminar will examine a wide array of timely topics in education — from early childhood through career — while expanding and sharpening participants’ skills in reporting and storytelling.
Join the Education Writers Association for a lively conversation with leading education journalists on the stories to watch in 2016. Amid major changes in the national policy landscape, key questions are on the table for educators, policymakers, and students: In this presidential election year, how are the fault lines over K-12 school reform shifting? What higher education trends have the most momentum? What’s in store for our littlest learners? And how will battles over politics and policy affect what happens in the classroom — from preschool through graduate school?
Sheraton Los Angeles Downtown Hotel
711 S Hope St, Los Angeles, CA 90017
“College and career readiness” has become the rallying cry for what high schools should aim to achieve for their graduates. But large numbers of students still arrive on college campuses needing remedial courses, and many of those who are academically ready still struggle to adapt to college and earn their degrees.
Sheraton Los Angeles Downtown Hotel
711 S Hope St, Los Angeles, CA 90017
Despite persistent political debates, the Common Core State Standards are now a classroom reality in public schools across the country. Yet much is in flux as educators wrestle with how best to teach the Common Core — or their own state’s version of it — and some states rethink the tests tied to the new K-12 standards.
Sheraton Los Angeles Downtown Hotel
711 S Hope St, Los Angeles, CA 90017
In the campaign for the White House, education has gained considerable attention, from proposals to make college debt-free to sharp criticism of the Common Core standards. The fault lines are not simply between Democrats and Republicans, but also among candidates in each of the two parties, and competing factions in their political ranks.
Many economists warn that the path to jobs is getting harder, as old industries get eclipsed by disruptive technologies and new fields arise that call for new skills. The task for schools is hardly simple: overhaul a system designed for the industrial age so that it prepares young people to thrive in the information age. While education alone is unlikely to address the country’s changing needs, scholars and educators are increasingly looking to concepts like grit, motivation and learning from mistakes to propel a new generation of students to become tomorrow’s talented workers.
There’s no question that living in a neighborhood with concentrated poverty and racial isolation can take a big toll on children’s learning. But how can journalists go deeper to better understand — and convey to readers — the educational challenges posed when families don’t have enough money for food, heat and other essentials, and often encounter the trauma of neighborhood violence? How can stories get beyond the stereotypes and statistics to put a human face on the circumstances of children in highly impoverished neighborhoods, and how those are translating into the classroom?
In 2016, a wealth of new international testing data and analysis will be issued from two major assessments at the precollegiate level. The results for students in dozens of countries are sure to once again spark debate over U.S. standing on the global stage and the implications for schools.
With a critical shortage of teachers looming on the horizon, a perennial issue becomes more urgent. How well are America’s teachers prepared? Are future teachers ready for the first day of school? What is the evidence and should colleges of education and other training programs be held accountable?
Hay casi 12 millones de latinos matriculados en las escuelas públicas en los de Estados Unidos y la cifra sigue creciendo: Se proyecta que aumentará a 15.6 millones durante la próxima década. Sin embargo, estas cifras no nos presentan la historia completa sobre la educación de los estudiantes latinos. Cada día es más importante entender las estadísticas y reportar lo que realmente está pasando en los salones de clase, y esta labor es especialmente importante para los periodistas que trabajan en los medios de comunicación en español.
If you want to learn the skills to push your reporting on numbers to the next level, apply now to EWA’s Diving Into Data Workshop, a four-day seminar on collecting and analyzing data at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. The data workshop is meant to encourage reporters to be more active with data-based reporting, whether for quick-hit stories or longer projects.
More knowledge. More skill. More potential. No matter what reason a student enrolls in college, the ultimate goal is usually the same: a degree that will expand opportunities. But for many students, earning a degree and finding work in their chosen field may pose stark and unanticipated challenges. And for many of their communities, turning colleges and universities into reliable places to find qualified candidates for the jobs that are available may prove easier said than done.
The Education Writers Association and American Educational Research Association are joining forces to offer a fellowship program for journalists interested in broadening their understanding of education data. Reporters and editors chosen for the fellowships will attend an intensive joint data workshop, as well as data-oriented sessions at EWA’s 68th National Seminar hosted by The University of Chicago and AERA’s 2015 Annual Meeting in the Windy City.
EWA’s National Seminar will gather some 500 journalists, experts, and supporting community members for dozens of sessions, including standalone speakers, panel discussions, how-to workshops, and visits to sites of interest. With its focus on financial issues, the National Seminar will arm attendees with new ideas for compelling stories on everything from salary schedules and bond issues to the burdens on families struggling to pay for preschool or college. At the same time, it will sharpen participants’ skills at making the most of their resources for producing high-quality coverage.
This academic year marks a critical juncture for the Common Core, as most states gear up to assess students on the shared standards for the first time. Are states, districts, and schools ready? What about states that are reviewing or have rescinded the standards? How can reporters make sense of it all? There’s no shortage of compelling angles to pursue in this complex and fast-evolving story—rendered all the more so by the political tussles erupting over the new standards and tests.
Charter schools. Vouchers. Education tax credits. The “portfolio” model of schooling in cities. It’s nearly impossible to find consensus on these hot-button issues, but one thing is clear: American families are seeing more school options at the K-12 level than ever before, especially in urban areas. And the Republican gains in the 2014 elections at the federal and state levels are widely expected to provide further impetus for expanding school choice.
Since the advent of No Child Left Behind 12 years ago, standardized, fill-in-the-bubble tests have become a major part of the school experience. Some say too much of a part.
But beyond the debate over how much schools test, major changes are under way in how they test. Underlying those changes are questions about just what they’re testing for.
This intensive, journalists-only seminar will focus on a range of hard-fought changes under way that together are rewriting the rules of the U.S. teaching profession. What are the roots of today’s controversies over teacher training, tenure, evaluation and pay? In a pivotal year in the push for new standards and tests, are teachers still on board? What does the nation’s new majority-minority student population mean for classroom teachers? How are teacher colleges responding to new accountability pressures?
This fall, the share of K-12 students in the United States who are Latino is projected to climb to nearly one quarter, a figure expected to rise to nearly 30 percent by 2022. And proportionately more Hispanic students are enrolling in postsecondary education than white, non-Hispanic students.
University of Washington BothellDeadline: 3 AM of your timezone on Wednesday, July 2, 2014
Data journalism is more than just reporting on numbers. It’s taking the records of a half-million students and uncovering alarming absentee rates. It’s tracking the attrition of students from neighborhood schools.
69th EWA National Seminar
The Education Writers Association, the national professional organization for journalists who cover education, is thrilled to announce that its annual conference will take place from Sunday, May 1, through Tuesday, May 3, 2016, in the historic city of Boston.
Co-hosted by Boston University’s College of Communication and School of Education, EWA’s 69th National Seminar will examine a wide array of timely topics in education — from early childhood through career — while expanding and sharpening participants’ skills in reporting and storytelling.
What’s Next Out West?: Education Stories to Watch in 2016
Special Afternoon Event for Communications Professionals in California
Join the Education Writers Association for a lively conversation with leading education journalists on the stories to watch in 2016. Amid major changes in the national policy landscape, key questions are on the table for educators, policymakers, and students: In this presidential election year, how are the fault lines over K-12 school reform shifting? What higher education trends have the most momentum? What’s in store for our littlest learners? And how will battles over politics and policy affect what happens in the classroom — from preschool through graduate school?
711 S Hope St, Los Angeles, CA 90017
College Readiness: What Does It Mean for Higher Ed?
“College and career readiness” has become the rallying cry for what high schools should aim to achieve for their graduates. But large numbers of students still arrive on college campuses needing remedial courses, and many of those who are academically ready still struggle to adapt to college and earn their degrees.
711 S Hope St, Los Angeles, CA 90017
Teaching & Testing in the Common Core Era
Despite persistent political debates, the Common Core State Standards are now a classroom reality in public schools across the country. Yet much is in flux as educators wrestle with how best to teach the Common Core — or their own state’s version of it — and some states rethink the tests tied to the new K-12 standards.
711 S Hope St, Los Angeles, CA 90017
Education & the 2016 White House Race
Insight Into Covering Education This Election Season
In the campaign for the White House, education has gained considerable attention, from proposals to make college debt-free to sharp criticism of the Common Core standards. The fault lines are not simply between Democrats and Republicans, but also among candidates in each of the two parties, and competing factions in their political ranks.
New Lens on Learning: The Hidden Value of Motivation, Grit and Engagement
Many economists warn that the path to jobs is getting harder, as old industries get eclipsed by disruptive technologies and new fields arise that call for new skills. The task for schools is hardly simple: overhaul a system designed for the industrial age so that it prepares young people to thrive in the information age. While education alone is unlikely to address the country’s changing needs, scholars and educators are increasingly looking to concepts like grit, motivation and learning from mistakes to propel a new generation of students to become tomorrow’s talented workers.
In the Neighborhood: Covering Poverty’s Influence on Education
Seminar on Poverty & Education
There’s no question that living in a neighborhood with concentrated poverty and racial isolation can take a big toll on children’s learning. But how can journalists go deeper to better understand — and convey to readers — the educational challenges posed when families don’t have enough money for food, heat and other essentials, and often encounter the trauma of neighborhood violence? How can stories get beyond the stereotypes and statistics to put a human face on the circumstances of children in highly impoverished neighborhoods, and how those are translating into the classroom?
Beyond the Border: Covering U.S. Education in a Global Context
Seminar on International Comparisons and Lessons
In 2016, a wealth of new international testing data and analysis will be issued from two major assessments at the precollegiate level. The results for students in dozens of countries are sure to once again spark debate over U.S. standing on the global stage and the implications for schools.
Ready for Day 1? Covering the Education of Teachers
Seminar on Teacher Education
With a critical shortage of teachers looming on the horizon, a perennial issue becomes more urgent. How well are America’s teachers prepared? Are future teachers ready for the first day of school? What is the evidence and should colleges of education and other training programs be held accountable?
Mas allá de las Estadísticas: Reportando Sobre la Educación de los Latinos
Latino Ed 2015
Hay casi 12 millones de latinos matriculados en las escuelas públicas en los de Estados Unidos y la cifra sigue creciendo: Se proyecta que aumentará a 15.6 millones durante la próxima década. Sin embargo, estas cifras no nos presentan la historia completa sobre la educación de los estudiantes latinos. Cada día es más importante entender las estadísticas y reportar lo que realmente está pasando en los salones de clase, y esta labor es especialmente importante para los periodistas que trabajan en los medios de comunicación en español.
2015 Diving Into Data Workshop
If you want to learn the skills to push your reporting on numbers to the next level, apply now to EWA’s Diving Into Data Workshop, a four-day seminar on collecting and analyzing data at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. The data workshop is meant to encourage reporters to be more active with data-based reporting, whether for quick-hit stories or longer projects.
2015 Higher Ed Seminar
The Way to Work: Covering the Path from College to Careers
More knowledge. More skill. More potential. No matter what reason a student enrolls in college, the ultimate goal is usually the same: a degree that will expand opportunities. But for many students, earning a degree and finding work in their chosen field may pose stark and unanticipated challenges. And for many of their communities, turning colleges and universities into reliable places to find qualified candidates for the jobs that are available may prove easier said than done.
Data at your Desk Seminar in Chicago
An AERA-EWA Data Fellowship Program for Journalists
The Education Writers Association and American Educational Research Association are joining forces to offer a fellowship program for journalists interested in broadening their understanding of education data. Reporters and editors chosen for the fellowships will attend an intensive joint data workshop, as well as data-oriented sessions at EWA’s 68th National Seminar hosted by The University of Chicago and AERA’s 2015 Annual Meeting in the Windy City.
68th National Seminar
Costs and Benefits: Covering the Economics of Education
EWA’s National Seminar will gather some 500 journalists, experts, and supporting community members for dozens of sessions, including standalone speakers, panel discussions, how-to workshops, and visits to sites of interest. With its focus on financial issues, the National Seminar will arm attendees with new ideas for compelling stories on everything from salary schedules and bond issues to the burdens on families struggling to pay for preschool or college. At the same time, it will sharpen participants’ skills at making the most of their resources for producing high-quality coverage.
Covering Standards and Testing in the Common Core Era
Seminar for Journalist Members Only
This academic year marks a critical juncture for the Common Core, as most states gear up to assess students on the shared standards for the first time. Are states, districts, and schools ready? What about states that are reviewing or have rescinded the standards? How can reporters make sense of it all? There’s no shortage of compelling angles to pursue in this complex and fast-evolving story—rendered all the more so by the political tussles erupting over the new standards and tests.
Charters & Choice: Making Sense of the Fast-Evolving Landscape in K-12 Education
Journalist-Only Seminar
Charter schools. Vouchers. Education tax credits. The “portfolio” model of schooling in cities. It’s nearly impossible to find consensus on these hot-button issues, but one thing is clear: American families are seeing more school options at the K-12 level than ever before, especially in urban areas. And the Republican gains in the 2014 elections at the federal and state levels are widely expected to provide further impetus for expanding school choice.
Bursting the Bubbles: Reassessing Assessment
Since the advent of No Child Left Behind 12 years ago, standardized, fill-in-the-bubble tests have become a major part of the school experience. Some say too much of a part.
But beyond the debate over how much schools test, major changes are under way in how they test. Underlying those changes are questions about just what they’re testing for.
The Push to Upgrade the Teaching Profession
This intensive, journalists-only seminar will focus on a range of hard-fought changes under way that together are rewriting the rules of the U.S. teaching profession. What are the roots of today’s controversies over teacher training, tenure, evaluation and pay? In a pivotal year in the push for new standards and tests, are teachers still on board? What does the nation’s new majority-minority student population mean for classroom teachers? How are teacher colleges responding to new accountability pressures?
From Preescolar to Postsecundaria
Covering Latino Education
This fall, the share of K-12 students in the United States who are Latino is projected to climb to nearly one quarter, a figure expected to rise to nearly 30 percent by 2022. And proportionately more Hispanic students are enrolling in postsecondary education than white, non-Hispanic students.
Diving Into Data Workshop
Data journalism is more than just reporting on numbers. It’s taking the records of a half-million students and uncovering alarming absentee rates. It’s tracking the attrition of students from neighborhood schools.