What works when learning to code. Lessons from CrossFit.

[ CrossFit: personal training in a group setting using functional movements. ] Learning to code can be done on your own, but much like exercising, only the truly dedicated will reach their goals. By taking the lessons of CrossFit, such as practice, repetition, measurable progress, increasing intensity, testing and retesting, efficiency and community, we can […]

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Using Narrative for Strategy and Solving Social Problems

How do you apply a narrative framework to strategic planning and to create a strategy for reaching any audience and solving social problems? How can teaching narrative (both as a process and a product) also teach critical thinking and an empirical process similar to the journalistic process? How can we teach these skills to citizens […]

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Three Unexpected Ways to Make Your Newsroom More Diverse

tSub: Beyond checking the boxes, this discussion of diversity eschews the obvious questions of race, gender, ethnicity and sexual orientation for a more nuanced strategy for developing the broadness of thought in your newsroom. This panel explains how looking at new hires through the lens of geographic diversity and platform diversity, and to consider increasing […]

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How To Make All The Things Better

Input: Inclusivity, Concerns, an interest in making things better Output: A framework for developing inclusive environments In startup culture you build a team that works well together. Often times that can mean you develop a team that looks only like you. While that’s the easy route, we know that a diverse staff is a better […]

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Think Locally, Dig Nationally: Localizing National Data Sets for Local Reporting

Often, when we think about reporting on big national datasets, we think of state-by-state comparisons or projects that span the country in search of outliers and oddities. But federal data sets can also be a treasure trove for local reporting; it just takes the right set of analytical tools and techniques to uncover those leads. […]

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How your CMS is failing social media and what to do about it

You put out your 5,000 word article about Sevastopol and you feel good about your work but just 2 hours before Circa put out a 300 *character* update and ate your lunch with their 100,000 Crimea story followers. The article format has moved on and social media is the driver of that. The atomic unit […]

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Democracy by Design: How Online News Can Contribute

The Engaging News Project aims to find digital news innovations that promote both business and democratic goals. The project tests web-based strategies for informing audiences, promoting substantive discourse, and helping citizens to understand diverse views. At the same time, we analyze business outcomes, such as clicks and time on page. Systematic testing provides valuable information […]

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WBEZ speed dating: So you wanna start a podcast?

WBEZ is in the business of incubating new ideas for great audio storytelling. We can help with yours. From the technical toolbox to the editorial strategy, over the course of this hands-on session you will get individualized attention to hone your podcast ideas and beef up your audio production skills and social media strategy. We’ll […]

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You are a snowflake: How recognizing your individuality can help you engage audiences more deeply, and keep you from being flamed out on Twitter

Sub: As journalists, most of us are empathetic, curious and concerned with language. This panel will help you leverage those natural inclinations to avoid the kinds mistakes that lead to the traumatization of readers, and sometimes subjects. Through practical, step-by-step advice and reading suggestions, it will also help you find ways to see your audience […]

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