Creating, publishing Storify news
about native ads, sponsored content
by John Bowen
Title
Activity: Creating and publishing a Storify on news about native ads and sponsored content
Description
This lesson should follow other lessons on sponsored content. To help maintain student awareness of native ads and sponsored content, students will create Storify news stories and publish them to keep themselves and their communities aware of each.
Objectives
- Students will become better able to identify the ethical controversy of sponsored content and native ads
- Students will be able to compare and contrast sponsored content with native advertising
- Students will be able to recognize credible sources and verify their information.
Common Core State Standards
| CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.2 | Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) in order to make informed decisions and solve problems, evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source and noting any discrepancies among the data. |
| CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.5 | Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add interest. |
| CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.4 | Present information, findings, and supporting evidence, conveying a clear and distinct perspective, such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning, alternative or opposing perspectives are addressed, and the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and a range of formal and informal tasks |
| CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.1.D | Respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives; synthesize comments, claims, and evidence made on all sides of an issue; resolve contradictions when possible; and determine what additional information or research is required to deepen the investigation or complete the task. |
Length
50 minutes
Materials / resources
Blackboard or whiteboard
Teacher laptop and digital projector
Internet access
Student computers if available
Lesson step-by-step
Step 1 — Warm-up (5 minutes)
The teacher will ask students if they have seen news about native advertising or sponsored content. Using Storify, they can explore its value and credibility.
(The teacher should do the Pinterest/Padlet lesson first for information about native ads and sponsored content.)
Step 2 — Large-group work (35 minutes)
The teacher will then show students how to use Storify to search for news and sources from social and digital media. Students will need to create a free Storify account.
Then the teacher will review with students how to create Storify links that show the latest news or issues about sponsored content and native ads.
The teacher will also remind students of how to check source credibility.
Students will create individual Storify documents that put the news or issue into a social and digital media context. Along with the links and images, students would prepare their own headline, leads and transition content for each Storify they post. They will also be responsible for verification and credibility of sources used in their story.
The teacher will make an ongoing, extra credit assignment for students as they find and post examples.
Step 3 — Assessment (10 minutes)
The teacher will evaluate the students’ posts and summaries and comments and grant an appropriate amount of extra credit for that school’s program.
Differentiation
The teacher could vary the assignment by making it a regularly graded assignment, possibly once a week. The teacher could also vary the topic. For example, the teacher instead of native ads or sponsored content could have students seek examples of solutions journalism, journalistic leadership, fake news and more
Read MoreHow well can your students
recognize sponsored content?
by John Bowen
Title
How well can your students recognize sponsored content?
Description — third in the sequence
Because of the rapid spread of sponsored content, students may have to decide whether to accept sponsored content in their student media. How well can they recognize it and what would they do once they recognize it?
Objectives
- Students will critique a piece of sponsored content and specify issues in the article that help identify it as sponsored.
- Students will demonstrate their knowledge of journalistic standards by suggesting changes in the article that could make it more acceptable.
- Students will defend their suggestions showing how they apply their ethical guidelines for sponsored content.
- Students will reexamine their student media advertising guideline.
Common Core State Standards
| CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.11-12.7 | Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words in order to address a question or solve a problem. |
| CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.SL.4 | Present information, findings, and supporting evidence such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. |
| CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.5 | Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach. |
| CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.8 | Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, assess the credibility and accuracy of each source, and integrate the information while avoiding plagiarism. |
Length
50 minutes
Materials / resources
Blackboard or whiteboard
Teacher laptop and digital projector
Internet access
Evaluating information: The cornerstone of civic online reasoning
Slideshow on Skeptical Knowing
Lesson step-by-step
Step 1 — Warm-up (5 minutes)
Teacher should ask students to define sponsored content and to explain concerns about it.
Step 2 — Large group discussion (45 minutes)
The teacher will introduce the lesson by telling the students they are going to get a chance to identify, and then call for correction of, problematic issues. The teacher could also note the Stanford study that indicates students have a difficult time identifying fake news, sharing findings with students.
The teacher should make links to four sponsored content examples available. Students should then evaluate the articles and identify ways to make the story more acceptable. Students should read the articles, identify points that could be problematic and suggest journalistic corrections that could also be linked.
The articles can be found here:
http://www.healthcarefinancenews.com/sponsored or http://reviveusa.com/category/sponsored-news/ or http://www.eonline.com/news/sponsored or
Students should also be able to refer to the Slideshow on Skeptical Knowing (based on information by Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel in Blur) to get insights to the type of information they were seeing and questions to ask about that information. We encourage teachers to purchase Blur for more complete context and a look at new approaches in journalism.
Students will be able to share their work with peers in class.
Students should then use this knowledge to revisit and possibly rewrite their advertising guideline.
Assessment
The teacher will critique each student’s evaluation based on a rubric of the sponsored content answer form.
Differentiation
Instead of completing a written evaluation, students may choose to do the assignment using a podcast or short video report.
Read More
News v. public relations
Our second Tools of Truth lesson addresses fake news by helping communities differentiate between public relations and journalistic news. The entire package will be available Wed., Aug. 30.
The Tools Truth package consists of more than 20 lessons on how to deal with fake news in four categories: censorship, satire, sloppy reporting and deceptive news.
This lesson on “News v. public relations” was developed by Kristin Taylor of The Archer School in Los Angeles and a SPRC committee member.
Taylor described the lesson as, “The community gets information about what is happening at school through different publications, but not all of these publications are journalistic. In this lesson, students will differentiate between student reporting and school public relations by comparing and contrasting student publications with school public relations content such as newsletters, school-created magazines or school websites created and maintained by adults in the community.”
Read More
News v. public relations
by Kristin Taylor
Title
News vs. Public Relations
Description
The community gets information about what is happening at school through different publications, but not all of these publications are journalistic. In this lesson, students will differentiate between student reporting and school public relations by comparing and contrasting student publications with school public relations content such as newsletters, school-created magazines or school websites created and maintained by adults in the community.
Objectives
- Students will be able to explain the difference between public relations and student reporting.
- Students will reflect on the purpose and importance of both types of content.
- Students will analyze how they can maintain a relationship while remaining independent from school public relations content-creators.
Common Core State Standards
| CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.1.C | Propel conversations by posing and responding to questions that relate the current discussion to broader themes or larger ideas; actively incorporate others into the discussion; and clarify, verify, or challenge ideas and conclusions. |
| CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.1.D
|
Respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives, summarize points of agreement and disagreement, and, when warranted, qualify or justify their own views and understanding and make new connections in light of the evidence and reasoning presented. |
| CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.11-12.8
|
Delineate and evaluate the reasoning in seminal U.S. texts, including the application of constitutional principles and use of legal reasoning (e.g., in U.S. Supreme Court majority opinions and dissents) and the premises, purposes, and arguments in works of public advocacy (e.g., The Federalist, presidential addresses). |
| CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.2
|
Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source. |
Length
60 minutes
Materials / Resources
Whiteboard and markers
Teacher laptop and digital projector
Society of Professional Journalists’ Code of Ethics
School generated website, publication or other content
Lesson step-by-step
- Warm Up (5 minutes)
Written on the board: “What is the difference between public relations and journalism?” After taking some initial responses to the prompt, teacher asks, “If our school newspaper and yearbook are student-run journalism, who runs its public relations, and what forms does this PR take?” (The school may have formal or informal public relations publications content, such as newsletters, a school website, etc.)
- Teacher-led discussion (5 minutes)
Teacher reads a definition of public relations: “the professional maintenance of a favorable public image by a company or other organization or a famous person.”
Have students look at the “Be independent” section of the Society of Professional Journalists’ Code of Ethics (or their own, if they own it) and read through it. Ask, “How does this conflict with what you might do if you were a public relations professional?”
- Small group activity (15 minutes)
Teacher hands out a recent adult-created school publication or piece of content or has students access the school website’s news section. Students look through the content and consider what it has in common with their own student news publication (focus on the school, writing may be journalistic [depends on publication], may use infographics and strong images, shouldn’t include false information) and what might be different (no differentiation between news and opinion, no articles or photos that cast the school in a negative light, use of adjectives/adverbs or exclamation marks).
- Class Discussion (20 minutes)
Teacher draws a Venn diagram on the board with “School Public Relations” on one side and “Student Publication” on the other. The class fills in the circles to synthesize their conclusions about similarities and differences in small groups.
Discussion questions:
- What is the audience and purpose for public relations? Why is it important for a school to have a public relations team?
- What is the audience and purpose for scholastic journalism? Why is it important for a school to have a journalism program?
- Is journalism better than public relations? Worse? Just different?
- What should the student publication staff’s relationship be with the school’s publication relations staff? How can you remain independent? Should you ever collaborate with them?
- How does this give you insight into your own student publication policies to not use school staff’s photographs — even with permission — unless there is no other option?
- What would your response be if the school requests the use of student work created for your school publication? Do you have a policy in the staff manual for this situation?Assessment (15 minutes)
Students will go through a recent editing of a student publication and find two stories that probably wouldn’t be featured in school public relations publications and discuss why they are good journalism stories, but not good public relations stories. They can share these stories verbally or write about them.
Extension
Discuss how these same principles apply to professional media outlets as well. Can students identify when what they read takes a PR slant? What are the dangers of media outlets running a press release word for word
Read MoreWhat should go into an editorial policy?
What should not? QT3
Editorial policies are the foundations for your journalism program. Often short, these statements address forum status, who makes final decisions of content and prior review.
Think of it this way: a strong policy is prescriptive. It says what students will do. A policy is like a constitution and sets the legal framework for student media.
We strongly discourage the inclusion of ethical guidelines or procedures and process in policy documents because ethics and staff manual procedures are suggestive. That means topics like byline suggestions, font choices and how to handle unnamed sources should not be same document as policy. Topics, procedures and details do not have the same purpose as policy.
These points and other decisions about mission statement, forum status and editorial policy should be part of a Foundations Package that protects journalistically responsible student expression and anchors staff manuals.
Question: What should go into an editorial policy? What should not?
Editorial policies are the foundations for your journalism program. Often short, these statements address forum status, who makes final decisions of content and prior review.
We recommend this wording as a basic policy statement: “[NAME OF STUDENT MEDIA] are designated public forums for student expression in which students make all final content decisions without prior review from school officials.”
Other models could include more material and wording to explain the value of student decision-making, historical or educational reasoning.
[pullquote]Quick Tips are small tidbits of information designed to address specific legal or ethical concerns advisers and media staffs may have or have raised. These include a possible guideline, stance, rationale and resources for more information. This is the third in the series[/pullquote]
A guideline is a stance on an ethical topic. A guideline is more open to change by student staff to staff.
Beyond that, SPRC suggested models could include editorial guidelines (although we recommend several as ethical process and procedures) like:
- Role of student media
- Ownership of student content
- Handling death
- Advertising decisions
- Handling letters/comments
- Policy consistently applied across all platforms
A procedure is a way to do something. These might include how students answer the phone in the room or how they check out a camera. Procedures are how students carry out the policy and implement ethical guidelines. All are part of the staff manual but are clearly separated from policy so their roles are clearly distinct.
Stance:
Think of it this way: a strong policy is prescriptive. It says what students will do. A policy is like a constitution and sets the legal framework for student media.
We strongly discourage the inclusion of ethical guidelines or procedures and process from policy documents because ethics and staff manual procedures are suggestive. That means topics like byline suggestions, font choices and how to handle unnamed sources should not be same document as policy. Topics, procedures and details do not have the same purpose as policy.
Resources: The foundations of journalism: policies, ethics and staff manuals
JEA Scholastic Press Rights Committee
Related: These points and other decisions about mission statement, forum status and editorial policy should be part of a Foundations Package that protects journalistically responsible student expression.
Read MoreTips for training ethical reporters
by Candace Perkins Bowen, MJE
What’s the best advice you can give your beginning reporters? What’s going to help them enjoy what they are doing because they’re doing it well?
Columbia Journalism Review had an outstanding article in mid-August by Adeshina Emmanuel and Justin Ray. “Top journalists reveal the best reporting advice they have received,” which covers a wide range of suggestions from keeping lists for future story ideas to starting at a small news outlet so you can make your mistakes there. (Maybe that applies to student media, too?)
But to me the best suggestions are those that warn young reporters not to have preconceived notions when they start to write an article. It’s hard to get at the truth that way.
An exchange with student reporters that always raises my hackles:
Me: How’s your story coming?
Cub reporter: I just need one more quote.
No! She may need a quote to show an expert view or make the article more lively, but the thing she really needs is more information – and not necessarily when she thinks she should go out and get.
In the CJR article, The Washington Post’s media columnist, Margaret Sullivan says she’s not sure where she learned this – maybe “Reporting 101,” but she still finds it helpful. “Report against your own biases. That is, include the reporting that has a chance of proving you wrong, not just confirming what you already think or think that you know. At the very least, this will allow you to know in advance what the objections to a story might be. It tends to make reporting more fair—and more bulletproof.”
The underlining is mine because this may be the most important lesson to learn about ethical journalism. Any reporter who approaches a story convinced about what he or she will find is going to miss the real story out there. Sixteen- and 17-year-olds can be so sure what’s right and wrong, real and false, they make assumptions that destroy their reporting.
So, the most important thing they need to learn is probably not AP Style or where to put the commas – it’s starting out with an open mind that will allow them to find and write the truth.
***********************
Note: Another CJR article full of good suggestions and a link in this same CJR piece is “Eight simple rules for accurate journalism,” by Craig Silverman, written in 2011 but very true still today.
Read More