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Test-takers’ tweets

Posted by on Apr 11, 2010 in Blog, Law and Ethics, News, Scholastic Journalism | 0 comments

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Studying for tests is rarely enjoyable, but the JEA Certification Commission is trying to make CJE (and even perhaps MJE) review as painless as possible. In fact, content will be coming your way 140 characters at a time.

That’s right. Twitter is the commission’s new study tool. Beginning this week, specific info or links to helpful materials will appear as tweets on JEAcertified. Each of these will be tied to the organization’s Standards for Journalism Educators so you know they will cover the whole range of topics all good media teachers should know.

If you’re taking the Certified Journalism Educator test (or even the Master Journalism Educator test) in Portland, this will give you some insight into what to expect. The study guide does that, too, but the Twitter version might be a nice change of pace.

Besides, others who want curricular suggestions or additional background about everything from law and ethics to design to writing and reporting and more can benefit from the commission members’ posts.  Look for the #CJE hashtag or follow us on Twitter at jeacertified … and expand your skills needed to be a top-notch educator!!

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Credibility may mean less censorship

Posted by on Aug 30, 2009 in News | 0 comments

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Although we’ve walked around the edges of this topic, no one has ever done good quantitative research on the correlation between credibility and censorship. Maybe it’s time someone did to prove my point….

If your students can use AP style and know the difference between a pica and a pronoun, do they have more freedom to publish what they think is important for their audience to hear? If your administrator thinks YOU have a good handle on the basics of journalism, know something about law and ethics and can model vital interviewing skills, does he or she stay out of the publications room?

Granted, some recent high-profile cases seem to indicate no matter how much experience or how many degrees the teacher/adviser has, some principals and school boards are not happy with hard-hitting coverage. But I’m still willing to bet that a little credibility goes a long ways to hanging onto student First Amendment freedoms. If nothing else, it helps bolster the argument that students are learning solid lessons and not simply filling publication pages with fluff. Administrators DO want students to learn more, right?

With that in mind, it may be time to consider showing what you know by earning the Certified Journalism Educator or Master Journalism Educator designation from the Journalism Education Association. These don’t replace whatever credentialing the various states require, but they just might be a little boost to show your bosses you know what you’re teaching.

Oct. 1 is the deadline to apply for the new and improved CJE test to be offered in Washington, D.C. in November.  To find out more, check the Certification Commission pages on the JEA Web site.

Clearly, there’s a good reason JEA has both a Scholastic Press Rights Commission and a Certification Commission. Each in its own way works to support journalism teachers and media advisers.

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