Scenarios to help teach law and ethics remotely
Teachers could do this as one scenario per day unit or sprinkle them throughout many weeks while addressing other areas as well. Topics covered include both legal and ethical concerns such as copyright, photo ethics, basic reporting, takedown requests, etc.
Objectives
- Students will make a legal or ethical choice based on current knowledge.
- Students will then evaluate that decision based on resources provided
- Students will alter or keep the original decision after examining resources. They will also provide reasoning for the final choice.
Common Core State Standards
| CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.1.a | Introduce precise, knowledgeable claim(s), establish the significance of the claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that logically sequences claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence. |
| CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.1.b | Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly and thoroughly, supplying the most relevant evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience’s knowledge level, concerns, values, and possible biases. |
| CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.2.a | Introduce a topic; organize complex ideas, concepts, and information so that each new element builds on that which precedes it to create a unified whole; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. |
Length
Varies dependent on number of scenarios used.
Materials / resources
Rubric for scenarios
Each scenario has a link to an existing SPRC resource, which has links to even more resources.
If used with student media class, teacher should link to the current staff handbook. Teacher could also link to SPRC’s model handbook for students.
Lesson step-by-step
Activity 1 — Teacher upload, student discussion.
Upload the desired scenario in the discussion area of your course. Students should read and respond to the scenario.
Activity 2 — Teacher post, student re-evaluation
Teacher should upload the SPRC Quick Tip that addresses the scenario. Ask students to read and then re-evaluate their response. They should provide reasoning for either keeping the decision or adjusting their response.
Differentiation
These scenarios are specifically for your course. You should opt for concepts students have struggled with in the past or that you or the students find interesting.
Read MoreRe-examining the student media staff manual
Staff manuals provide student journalists with resources and guidance during times of need. Now is the perfect time to reevaluate (and review) your current guidelines — and maybe even policies. These virtual conversations will not only help students understand what to do, but also what they may want to examine for future.
Objectives
- Students will examine their current media staff manual (if no manual exists, students should work to create one).
- Students will discuss what might need updating or revising.
- Students will write and edit the current manual.
Common Core State Standards
| CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.2 | Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content. |
| CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.6 | Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products, taking advantage of technology’s capacity to link to other information and to display information flexibly and dynamically. |
| CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.10 | Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences. |
| CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.5 | Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 1-3 up to and including grades 11-12 here.) |
Length
Basic level — 6 self-paced discussion board and collaborative doc activities
Materials / resources
Your current staff manual
JEA SPRC resource on staff manual
Rubric for student work
Way for students to collaborate online
Discussion board availability
Computer access
Annotation link for guideline example
Links for Activity 2
Prior review v. prior restraint
What should go into an editorial policy? What should not?
Student media policy may be the most important decision you make
Index of SPRC’s Quick Tips that will be beneficial for talking points for final activity.
Lesson step-by-step
Activity 1 — Mission statement discussion
Teacher should upload the media mission statement found in the current staff manual in a discussion board. (If one doesn’t exist, students should work together to create one.) Teacher will then post the current mission statement of the student media. Ask students what they think might need to be altered.
Activity 2 — Mission statement part two
When students have discussed, teacher could post a sample mission statement such as the one on the SPRC site:
_____________ (school name) student media provide complete and accurate coverage, journalistically responsible, ethically gathered, edited and reported. Student-determined expression promotes democratic citizenship through public engagement diverse in both ideas and representation.
Ask students “what are the similarities and differences between the student media mission statement and the one posted”? What should the current mission statement be? Ask students to recraft as necessary. This could be done on a shared document if that is easier.
Activity 3 — Policy statement
Teacher should upload the current either board or student media level policy statement. Again through a discussion board, ask students to discuss what the strengths and weaknesses of this policy may be.
Activity 4 — Policy statement comparative
Have the students compare the student media policy with what may be found at SPRC as well as look at the Quick Tips listed in the Resources above. Again, ask students to suggest changes to the current policy.
Activity 5 — Student choice
Students should brainstorm areas using a discussion board in which they might want to have ethical guidelines. Let them know that a great place to start is to think through any issues they had during the year. For example, what do you do when someone requests prior review of an article? Takedown request? Who can place an ad? They could also look to the current list in the manual for ideas.
Teacher should form groups prior to Activity 6
Activity 6 — Group work (this step may be repeated if needed)
Ask students to post the current guideline and then examine its language while comparing it to the current language on SPRC. They should not only reexamine, but recraft as necessary using a shared document. This time, students should highlight the text and say why they made these choices. This will serve as a rough draft and starting point for the finalization of the manual.
Guideline example (see annotation here):
Old:
Because student media is consumed by readers under the age of 18, we will not cover content that might be identified by our community as not adhering to common moral standards. The adviser will make the final decision in all cases.
SPRC sample:
Final content decisions and responsibility shall remain with the student editorial board. Student media will not avoid publishing a story solely on the basis of possible dissent or controversy.
New:
The student media editorial board of (high school name here) will make all final decisions of content without prior review and restraint.
The board will not back away from covering a story because of possible controversy or arguments of readers. The goal is to provide the truth to an issue and robustly cover the students and staff of the school.
Extension:
Teacher or editor could compile all the content suggested and rewritten by the students. Using a collaborative document, the teacher should set the share setting to “anyone with the link can comment.” Ask students to comment on one another’s work and ideas. Then, the editorial board could meet virtually to rework and rewrite as needed.
Read MoreShared anecdotes can help New Voices legislation
by Candace Bowen, MJE
Just how bad is the censorship that goes on in today’s student media? Could it be, as one administrator said – and perhaps more have thought –, advisers just making mountains out of mole hills?
And what about self-censorship? One principal said, with perfect confidence, “How can you blame us if students assume we won’t let them print a story when they don’t even try?”
Think about that for a minute or two . . . Isn’t that the whole problem?
Read MoreIt’s not rocket science to proactively demonstrate strong quality, integrity, ethics
by Stan Zoller, MJE
As historic events surrounding President Donald Trump continue to unfold, it’s possible, if not likely, his ongoing disdain for and ensuing attacks on the media will reach a more feverish pitch than what has been seen so far during his first term.
While it’s likely, albeit hopeful, that student journalists will be immune from the seemingly venomous attacks, the possibility remains that there could be a trickle-down effect to the nation’s high schools.
That’s not because scholastic journalists are doing a bad job, but because in hostile times people do not delineate one soldier from another.
The unfortunate reality is while it’s a safe guess most high school journalists have not covered the White House and the Mueller hearings and reported on the Pentagon, to many people the media is the media whether it’s The Washington Post or the Washington Advocate at Washington (Missouri) High School.
The failure to differentiate student media from the pros is problematic because the focus, intensity and sheer nature of high school journalism is unlike that of professional journalism. After all, for many high school students, working on student media is little more than an activity.
If there is a bright spot, student journalists don’t have to shout to defend themselves over the din of a helicopter engine.
But what can they do to re-emphasize in the minds of their stakeholders that they are working as ethical, enterprising and passionate journalists?
While it may seem like a daunting challenge, media advisers and their students need to, obviously, work together to ensure that quality, integrity and ethics are job one.
Stan Zoller, MJE
While it may seem like a daunting challenge, media advisers and their students need to, obviously, work together to ensure that quality, integrity and ethics are job one.
This isn’t rocket science, but rather a needed new reality in the world of today’s media.
Job one is reiterating and re-emphasizing ethical practices. The Society of Professional Journalists’ Code of Ethics should be front and center for student media. Make sure copies are posted in your classroom, and if you have one, “pub room.” Encourage students that if they have doubts about a story to raise them before they write it. Any ethical issues should be discussed with the EIC and, if need be, the adviser.
Sometimes student media outlets are their own worst enemy by not telling the world how they operate. Be transparent about your policies and procedures, especially those associated with fact checking. A little proactivity will lead to greater acceptability of the work your student reporters are doing.
Communicate, communicate, communicate. Make sure administrators at all levels know your media philosophy. Also, maintaining the proverbial “open-door” policy will go a long way easing anguish administrators may have about your yearbook, newspaper or website. Conversely, it’s a good idea to encourage the opposite – make sure your administration has an open-door policy so you can foster a dialogue to ensure free and responsible journalism.
Keeping an administration happy can be a challenge.
Just ask the scribes in Washington, D.C.
Read MoreAttending a national convention reaps rewards
by Susan McNulty, CJE The Stampede and The Hoofbeat adviser J.W. Mitchell High School, Trinity, Florida
On Saturday, Sept. 21, 2019, a group of 20 journalism teachers, and advisers met with Kelly Glasscock of the Journalism Education Association and Laura Widmer of the National Scholastic Press Association at the site of the Fall 2020 JEA/NSPA conference.
Planning must begin more than a year in advance because a lot goes into providing a conference for 6000+ students and nearly 1000 advisers.
On a tour of the facility, Orlando World Center Marriott, the group entered vast conference rooms intended for exhibit halls and awards ceremonies; smaller rooms for breakout sessions; and a pool area outfitted with a game lawn, three big screen televisions and a waterfall slide.
We imagined the area crowded with JEA/NSPA members enjoying the Florida sun a year from this November. After the tour, the team got down to business, discussing everything from convention logo and theme to keynote speaker, media tours, student entertainment and registration.
Of the hundreds of break-out sessions offered at national conventions, several speakers cover topics on law and ethics, including First Amendment, libel, court cases important to student media, copyright, plagiarism, reporter’s privilege, ethics, privacy, rights and responsibilities and staff policies.
These topics don’t always receive their due in our busy newsrooms, yet understanding them is vital to responsible journalism. Conferences provide students with a chance to delve deeper into the freedoms and protections afforded to student journalists and to hear from the Student Press Law Center. https://splc.org/
In addition to all the work that the local planning committee puts into the conference, advisers who bring students spend hours in planning. I have taken students from Tampa, Florida to JEA/NSPA conferences in Los Angeles, Seattle and San Francisco.
Each experience provided me and my students with experiences that could not be duplicated in the classroom back home. Students met other journalism experts from around the country, heard from keynote speakers with diverse points-of-view, entered contests at the national level, made friends with students from around the country and visited with vendors in the exhibit hall.
Although taking students out of town or even out of state requires planning, organization and a great deal of fund-raising, the benefits far outweigh the challenges. JEA/NSPA created a PDF for schools outlining why conventions matter. It can be found here:http://www.jea.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/why-conventions-matter%202013.pdf
There are two JEA/NSPA Conferences scheduled between now and Orlando, the JEA/NSPA Fall National High School Journalism Convention from Nov. 21-24, 2019, in Washington, D.C. and the JEA/NSPA Spring National High School Journalism Convention April 16-18, 2020, in Nashville.
It’s not too late to register for the Fall 2019 conference in Washington, D.C. Early bird registration ends Oct. 30. Visit the convention page http://dc.journalismconvention.org/ for more information or to register.
And if you can’t make it there, plan on Nashville or Orlando in 2020.
