Journalistic Learning Initiative

Ever heard of the journalism effect? *Students who engage in journalism and media courses earn better grades and test scores in high school and college than their peers. *Journalism students rate higher on social situated learning, intrinsic motivation, and skill enhancement than non-journalism students. *And students with publications experience outperform their peers in college freshman writing assignments and make fewer errors than AP English and Honors students. Journalistic Learning Initiative students create with confidence, communicate with conviction, and take ownership of their learning. Our proven method of teaching uses storytelling to strengthen research, reading, writing, and critical thinking skills for young people, particularly in lower-income communities that do not always have a voice. Student voice is essential in discovering the hidden strengths each individual has within them self, and gives young people a healthy way of processing their environment and taking responsibility for what matters to them. Research indicates that students who believe they have a voice in school are seven times more likely to be academically motivated than those who do not feel they have a voice. One way to engage and empower student voice is to include students within the inquiry process, allowing them to report on their experiences and helping them to critically interpret explanations and offer ideas for change. "We use journalism to make school relevant through the use of emerging technology," says Founder Ed Madison. "Journalism engages students by allowing them to write about their interests," from careers in robotics to reducing animal cruelty. Students interview experts via Skype or in person, and then use multiple types of media to produce and publish stories about what they learn. Middle school students say the training helps them stay motivated, work more collaboratively, and gives them the confidence to ask questions - just like a journalist.