new york city new york city: june 10, 2003 ideas for our changing world
TRANSCRIPT
New York CityNew York City: June 10, 2003
Ideas for our changing world
SLA/News focus:
NEWSROOMNEWSROOM
technology training:technology training:a “cafeteria” modela “cafeteria” model
By Debbie WolfeTechnology Training Editor *St. Petersburg Times
* and, former news researcher!
New York CityNew York City: June 10, 2003
*
Briefly, the legacyBriefly, the legacy
Power base Recognition Role
~ milestones in news librarianship ~~ milestones in news librarianship ~
as noted by industry SHIFTS in:SHIFTS in:
PERSPECTIVE: News librarians/researchers have been key players in the newsroom technology movement.
early 1990’s: The Indiana conferences
• Barbara Quint ... THEME: intermediaries
MAIN SESSION SPEAKERS included:
• Raleigh’s N&O conference: CAR is coined; spotlight includes roles of news librarians at the N&O -- Lany McDonald, Theresa Leonard and Lisa Van Asch
• Cleveland conference: first newsroom trainers’ gathering organized by Debbie Wolfe, St. Petersburg Times and Diane Weeks, Washington Post
mid-1990’s: Enter IRE/NICAR & Newslib
• Nora Paul & Debbie Wolfe co-speakers … THEMES: electronic public records; news librarians are journalists; notion of teamwork between reporters and news librarians is born
• Boston conference: newsroom training gets 2 panels, both are packed … Debbie Wolfe and Diane Weeks are among the audio-taped speakers
• Newslib listserv is born: membership includes news librarians, reporters, editors & academics … thank you Barbara Semonche, University of North Carolina!
• San Jose conference: Lisa Van Asch’s session is packed … soon afterward 2 worldwide firsts: Lisa’s job role changes to include 1/2–time training; Debbie Wolfe’s job role changes to full-time newsroom technical training
Trends in a new power base for news librarians
.
early to late 1990’s: recognition
team journalism 1993 team journalism synergy 1995
• credit lines become common; bylines begin to appear• news librarians relocating NEXT TO and IN newsrooms• attending daily budget meetings becomes routine• “value-added” shifts to mean both secondary & primary research along with analysis
• role of news librarians in prize-winning stories is emphasized, celebrated• news librarians gain access to analytical tools such as Excel, FoxPro & Access• titles and pay move toward parity with reporters and editors
• Poynter creates seminar for news librarians & senior newsroom editors
mid- to late 1990’s: shifting job role• technology training in newsrooms becomes commonplace
• news librarians are frequent speakers at IRE/NICAR conferences
• mentormentor (informal)
• trainertrainer (formal)
• coachcoach (for publication)
• cheerleader & advocatecheerleader & advocate
Changing technology requires increasing skills and knowledgeCollection of essays by 23 CAR
pioneers on the development of precision journalism: Poynter’s 1999 summit included Debbie Wolfe. Her essay serves as the wrap-up and details future trends like what has
become known as “convergence.” The book is available from Poynter.
Organization is key to success
In detail, the nowIn detail, the now
~ a cafeteria model for training ~~ a cafeteria model for training ~
ORGANIZATIONORGANIZATION – preliminary planning
Being realistic Being an example The craft of teaching
“Do what you can today, leave the rest for tomorrowDo what you can today, leave the rest for tomorrow,” -- Deb
• What do YOU want?
• What does your SUPERVISOR want?
• What does UPPER MANAGEMENT want?
Begin by being a realistBegin by being a realist
• Where are your strengths?
• What additional training do you need?
• Involve the staff in course development: “ownership” vs. “dictatorship”
• Start SMALL, EXPAND with a plan
• Ask for help & delegate: form partnerships
consensusconsensus
teamworkteamwork
advocacyadvocacy
You are the exampleYou are the example• Determine your learning style(s)
• Formalize your own cheat sheets
• Use your tip sheets as you train to demonstrate their value
• Observe how others use your materials & modify as needed
• Once you have a classic, revise it but don’t redesign it!
The craft of teaching -- connectingThe craft of teaching -- connecting• User interface design: What do people really use and how do they use it? What do you use?
• multiple intelligences: Howard Gardner
• mind mapping: Tony Buzan
• self learning
• mentors for you1. Verbal – linguistic (Maya Angelou)
2. Logical – mathematical (Albert Einstein)
3. Visual – spatial (Pablo Picasso)
4. Bodily – kinesthetic (Kristi Yamaguchi)
5. Music – rhythmic (Paul McCartney)
6. Interpersonal (Eleanor Roosevelt)
7. Intrapersonal (Emily Dickenson)
8. Naturalist (Charles Darwin)
• critiques
• teaching styles
• recharge batteries
the now continuedthe now continued
ORGANIZATIONORGANIZATION – getting underway
Training methods Learning paths Courseware Tracking Measurement
Training methods include:Training methods include:• hands-on classroom
• workstations
• interactive VNC* & telephone
• telephone only
• tip sheets (printed)
• intranet (electronic)
• instant messages
• conferences
• e-mail messages
• e-mail attachments
• self-paced modules
• CD-ROMs / datasets
• training camp
• contests
• homework!
• seminars
• consultants*Virtual Network Computing software is FREE open source code. Debbie has pioneered its use as an interactive training tool in newsrooms and uses she uses it frequently at the St. Petersburg Times. Contact her for further details.
.
Learning pathsLearning pathsOrganize and simplify the program with a pyramidand each course with a skills checklist
Each checklist is also a lesson plan for group or self-paced learning
or both!
Custom courseware for journalistsCustom courseware for journalists
TrackingTracking … … who has taken what, when and wherewho has taken what, when and where
• skills checklists can also be a table of contents
• use Excel for your own documentation purposes
• encourage staff & supervisors to track training on their own
…or a deadline reference tool
Measurement methodsMeasurement methods
• skills checklists
(A) of a course / session (B) of a program
1. identify and explain strong points
2. identify and explain weak points
3. If you were doing the training what would you do differently?
• have participants answer open-ended questions like:
• questionnaire that answers:
1. What a participant knows now
2. What a participant wants to know one year from now
3. What people know by topic
4. What people know by skill level
See Debbie’s tip sheet for creating a detailed technology questionnaire for your newsroom
more on the nowmore on the now
ORGANIZATIONORGANIZATION – keeping the momentum
Follow-up training Celebrating successes Mentors Beta testers Training culture
Follow-up methodsFollow-up methods
• “fly by”
• phone
• handwritten note
• informal “stop by”
• “training moments”
• formal, scheduled session
Celebrating successesCelebrating successes
• Excel Level I
• managing beat projects
• mapping Level I
Web-based, self-paced and interactive training module covers:
• “how I did it” essays
• illustrated with detailed screen shots
• all 9-yards explained step-by-step
Printed and mobile newsletter includes:
included on Debbie’s FREE
training CD-ROM
MentorsMentors
Beta testersBeta testers
A healthy newsroom training cultureA healthy newsroom training culture• develops after years of nurturing, so be patient
• requires a team committed to goals
• lead and they will follow
• “ready-reference”
• short sessions
• follow-up to classes
• detail oriented
• all skill levels
• different each time
So, get started!So, get started!
nuts and boltsnuts and boltsTHE 10 HANDOUTSTHE 10 HANDOUTS – using existing wheels
Training course outline:
Recipe for success
Pyramid learning path andhands-on course descriptions
Courseware for Coyote:electronic archive (library)writing / editing “ears”
nuts and bolts continuednuts and bolts continuedTHE 10 HANDOUTSTHE 10 HANDOUTS – all-season radials
Web Target backgrounding a beat
Skills checklist for Excel
Getting data from the Web for Excel Tip of the hat to: Jen Evert-Smith
more nuts and boltsmore nuts and boltsTHE 10 HANDOUTSTHE 10 HANDOUTS – mag wheels
Ideal math class for journalists
Tech Talk in Plain English -- one year of story ideas (index) -- tech camp: outline & application
how to create your own detailed technology questionnaireincluded on
Debbie’s FREE training
CD-ROM
SLA version
sample full-text questionnaire will be sample full-text questionnaire will be posted on Debbie’s Web site: Fall 2003posted on Debbie’s Web site: Fall 2003
included on Debbie’s
FREE training CD-ROM
detailing 6 hyperlinked PDF toolbox detailing 6 hyperlinked PDF toolbox cards ready for use on an intranetcards ready for use on an intranet
saving yourself from going nuts!saving yourself from going nuts!
BACK TO BEING REALISTICBACK TO BEING REALISTIC
mix it up – don’t be solo act!
unplug!
-- mentors
-- conferences / workshops
-- consultants: I’m happy to help!
BACK TO BEING AN EXAMPLEBACK TO BEING AN EXAMPLE
Percentage & percentage points are NOT the same thing!
Debbie learns about wicked good “lobstah” at camp in Maine
training-relatedtraining-related
ANNUAL CONFERENCESANNUAL CONFERENCES
• NICAR see: www.nicar.org for details as venue and dates vary each year or contact IRE in Columbia, MO “IRE” = Investigative Reporters & Editors
“NICAR” = National Institute for Computer-Assisted Reporting
• NewsCoach at Poynter in Florida call: Poynter’s Betty Headley for details Also, Poynter subsidizes costs!
freebiesfreebies
WHO SAID NOTHING GOOD IN LIFE IS FREE?!WHO SAID NOTHING GOOD IN LIFE IS FREE?!
10 people have “free CD”
business cards in their packets
more CDs will be given away in a few minutes
Debbie’s technology training CD for SLA is packed with FREE tip sheets some of which are NOT available on her Web site, yet!
Psst: You can also get a FREE CD packed with electronic tip sheets and other newsroom technology training materials by either giving me a business card and/or sending me an e-mail request.
you continue the legacyyou continue the legacy
What are YOU going to contribute?What are YOU going to contribute?
How are YOU going to get involved?How are YOU going to get involved?
When are YOU When are YOU reallyreally going to start? going to start?
These and other questions will be addressed
in the workshop immediately following this session.
More of Debbie’s FREE training CDs will be available too!
What choices will YOU offer?What choices will YOU offer?
LISTSERVSLISTSERVS
• Newslib (tip of the hat to: Barbara Semonche for this classic)
• Newscoach (private list hosted by Poynter; contact: Betty Headley
[email protected] to join – Tell her Debbie Wolfe sent you!)
• NICAR-L (hosted by IRE/NICAR)
more training resourcesmore training resources
treasure-trove WEB SITEStreasure-trove WEB SITES
• www.nicar.org (tip sheets & datasets: nominal fee)
• www.ibiblio.org/slanews (SLA / NEWS: FREE materials)
• www.notrain-nogain.org (FREE tip sheets by newsroom training editors/coaches)
• canyonwolfephoto.com (Debbie Wolfe’s most up-to-date FREE tip sheets)
you are not aloneyou are not alone
CONTACT INFO FOR:CONTACT INFO FOR:
Debbie Wolfe
e-mail: [email protected]
HINT – put “Debbie” in the subject line
Web: canyonwolfephoto.com
INCLUDES FREE tip sheets,
consulting info, resume & more
direct line: St. Petersburg Times
727-892-2919
“Toothpick” by Debbie Wolfe