Slide 1: New York City: June 10, 2003 City Ideas for our changing world
Slide 2: * New York City: June 10, 2003 City SLA/News focus: NEWSROOM technology training: a “cafeteria” model By Debbie Wolfe Technology Training Editor * St. Petersburg Times * and, former news researcher!
Slide 3: Briefly, the legacy ~ milestones in news librarianship ~ as noted by industry SHIFTS in: Power base Recognition Role PERSPECTIVE: News librarians/researchers have been key players in the newsroom technology movement.
Slide 4: early 1990’s: The Indiana conferences MAIN SESSION SPEAKERS included: Trends in a new power base for news librarians • Barbara Quint ... THEME: intermediaries • Nora Paul & Debbie Wolfe co-speakers … THEMES: electronic public records; news librarians are journalists; notion of teamwork between reporters and news librarians is born mid-1990’s: Enter IRE/NICAR & Newslib • 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 • 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 • Newslib listserv is born: membership includes news librarians, reporters, editors & academics … thank you Barbara Semonche, University of North Carolina! • Boston conference: newsroom training gets 2 panels, both are packed … Debbie Wolfe and Diane Weeks are among the audio-taped speakers .
Slide 5: early to late 1990’s: recognition • 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 • Poynter creates seminar for news librarians & senior newsroom editors • 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 team journalism 1993 team journalism synergy 1995
Slide 6: mid- to late 1990’s: shifting job role • mentor (informal) • trainer (formal) • coach (for publication) • cheerleader & advocate • technology training in newsrooms becomes commonplace • news librarians are frequent speakers at IRE/NICAR conferences Collection 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. Changing technology requires increasing skills and knowledge Organization is key to success
Slide 7: In detail, the now ~ a cafeteria model for training ~ “Do what you can today, leave the rest for tomorrow,” -- Deb tomorrow ORGANIZATION – preliminary planning Being realistic Being an example The craft of teaching
Slide 8: Begin by being a realist • What do YOU want? consensus • What does your SUPERVISOR want? • What does UPPER MANAGEMENT want? advocacy • 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 teamwork
Slide 9: You 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!
Slide 10: The 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 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Verbal – linguistic (Maya Angelou) Logical – mathematical (Albert Einstein) Visual – spatial (Pablo Picasso) Bodily – kinesthetic (Kristi Yamaguchi) Music – rhythmic (Paul McCartney) Interpersonal (Eleanor Roosevelt) Intrapersonal (Emily Dickenson) Naturalist (Charles Darwin) • mind mapping: Tony Buzan • mentors for you • self learning • critiques • teaching styles • recharge batteries
Slide 11: the now continued ORGANIZATION – getting underway Training methods Learning paths Courseware Tracking Measurement
Slide 12: 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 it frequently at the St. Petersburg Times. Contact her for further details.
Slide 13: Learning paths Organize and simplify the program with a pyramid and each course with a skills checklist Each checklist is also a lesson plan for group or self-paced learning or both!
Slide 14: Custom courseware for journalists • skills checklists can also be a table of contents …or a deadline reference tool Tracking … who has taken what, when and where • use Excel for your own documentation purposes • encourage staff & supervisors to track training on their own
Slide 15: Measurement methods (A) of a course / session • skills checklists • have participants answer open-ended questions like: 1. identify and explain strong points 2. identify and explain weak points 3. If you were doing the training what would you do differently? (B) of a program • 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
Slide 16: more on the now ORGANIZATION – keeping the momentum Follow-up training Celebrating successes Mentors Beta testers Training culture
Slide 17: Follow-up methods • “fly by” • phone • e-mail • handwritten note • informal “stop by” • “training moments” • formal, scheduled session
Slide 18: Celebrating successes Printed and mobile newsletter includes: 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 • Excel Level I • managing beat projects • mapping Level I included on Debbie’s FREE training CD-ROM
Slide 19: Mentors Beta testers • “ready-reference” • short sessions • follow-up to classes • detail oriented • all skill levels • different each time A healthy newsroom training culture • develops after years of nurturing, so be patient • requires a team committed to goals • lead and they will follow So, get started!
Slide 20: nuts and bolts THE 10 HANDOUTS – using existing wheels Training course outline: Recipe for success Pyramid learning path and hands-on course descriptions Courseware for Coyote: electronic archive (library) writing / editing “ears”
Slide 21: nuts and bolts continued THE 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
Slide 22: more nuts and bolts THE 10 HANDOUTS – mag wheels Ideal math class for journalists included on Debbie’s FREE training CD-ROM detailing 6 hyperlinked PDF toolbox cards ready for use on an intranet • Tech Talk in Plain English -- one year of story ideas (index) -- tech camp: outline & application included on Debbie’s FREE training CD-ROM SLA version how to create your own detailed technology questionnaire sample full-text questionnaire will be posted on Debbie’s Web site: Fall 2003
Slide 23: saving yourself from going nuts! Percentage & percentage points are NOT the same thing! BACK TO BEING REALISTIC mix it up – don’t be solo act! -- mentors -- conferences / workshops -- consultants: I’m happy to help! BACK TO BEING AN EXAMPLE unplug! Debbie learns about wicked good “lobstah” at camp in Maine
Slide 24: training-related ANNUAL 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!
Slide 25: freebies WHO SAID NOTHING GOOD IN LIFE IS FREE?! Debbie’s technology training CD for SLA is packed with FREE tip sheets some of which are NOT available on her Web site, yet! 10 people have “free CD” business cards in their packets more CDs will be given away in a few minutes
Slide 26: you continue the legacy What are YOU going to contribute? What choices will YOU offer? How are YOU going to get involved? When are YOU really 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!
Slide 27: more training resources LISTSERVS • Newslib (tip of the hat to: Barbara Semonche for this classic) • Newscoach (private list hosted by Poynter; contact: Betty Headley bheadley@poynter.org to join – Tell her Debbie Wolfe sent you!) • NICAR-L (hosted by IRE/NICAR) treasure-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)
Slide 28: you are not alone CONTACT INFO FOR: Debbie Wolfe e-mail: dpwolfe@aol.com 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