Join the News Literacy Project (NLP), the Star Tribune, MPR News and Sourcewell Technology on June 15 for NewsLitCamp, a virtual teacher-centered day of professional learning featuring breakout sessions with Minnesota journalists.

Sign up today (it’s FREE!) to reserve your seat!

NewsLitCamp is an immersive, free professional development experience primarily for middle and high school educators. It features topical sessions (selected with input from participants) led by journalists and news literacy experts, designed to empower you to teach news literacy.

This event is made possible with support from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and is part of a series of NewsLitCamps led by the News Literacy Project in collaboration with a diverse group of news organizations around the country.

Details: Educators from St. Paul, Duluth and other Minnesota school districts are invited to join us for a day of free synchronous sessions and live interactions with Star Tribune and MPR News journalists and experts from the News Literacy Project: 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1:00-3:30 p.m. CT.

In early June, educators will be prompted to create a Sched.com account to access the related materials and Zoom links. Sched will be the home base for all of the event activities.

Why attend? As an educator, you directly influence how your students process everything they read, watch and hear. You’ll leave NewsLitCamp with new ideas, skills and resources to help your students navigate today’s complex and challenging information landscape. Our goal is to help teachers and librarians develop expertise in news literacy education, share specialized teaching resources and provide a behind-the-scenes view of the newsgathering process — demystifying what distinguishes quality journalism from rumors, hoaxes and other types of misinformation.

Who can attend: This NewsLitCamp is designed primarily for middle and high school teachers and media specialists in Minnesota. Space permitting, we also will welcome school administrators, post-secondary and international educators. Please email newslitcamp@newslit.org with questions.

Bonus Session: You’ll learn about the Checkology® virtual classroom, our free, easy-to-use platform full of engaging news literacy learning experiences. Its 14 lessons can be used remotely or in-person and are easily integrated into variety of subject areas, with lesson topics like:

• Misinformation.
• The standards of quality journalism.
• News judgment.
• Watchdog journalism and its contributions to democracy.
• News media bias.

About Star Tribune Media Company: Star Tribune Media Company LLC is a locally owned, award-winning media company serving Minnesota and the upper Midwest. With the most-visited local news website, the third-largest Sunday and sixth-largest daily circulation metro print newspaper in the U.S., a range of home-delivered advertising solutions, and a growing portfolio of events, Star Tribune reaches more consumers than any other Minnesota media brand. For more information, visit www.startribunecompany.com.

About MPR: Minnesota Public Radio® (MPR) is one of the nation’s premier public radio stations producing programming for radio, digital and live audiences and operates a 46-station radio network serving nearly all of Minnesota and parts of surrounding states. Reaching 1 million listeners each week, MPR and its three regional services—MPR News, Classical MPR and The Current—produce programming for radio, digital and live audiences. For more information, visit https://www.mpr.org.

This NewsLitCamp is presented by the News Literacy Project and is generously supported by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

FAQs:

Do I have to register in advance on Eventbrite?

Yes. This event is open to educators across the state and breakout sessions are capped at 500. Also, registering well in advance gives you the opportunity to provide input on which breakout sessions will be offered.

Do I have to create a Sched.com account?

Yes. Be sure to register with Eventbrite first (also required), and in early June you will receive an email inviting you to create a Sched account. Sched will be your only access point to all of the NewsLitCamp programming: you’ll be able to view the full schedule, speakers, sign up for sessions, network with colleagues, and most importantly, access all the links to each of the Zoom sessions.

What if I can only attend a session or two?

NewsLitCamp is best as a day-long, immersive experience. If you are not able to attend the full day, please consider signing up for one of our free professional development webinars instead, or contact us to provide one for your district!

Will recordings be available?

Sorry, no. However, previous key sessions facilitated NLP staff will be available for viewing on Sched.com the week after the event.

Are certificates available?

Educators that are able to participate for the entire day and submit an end of event survey will receive a certificate of attendance to apply for continuing education credits within their districts.

I am not an educator. May I still attend?

Sorry, no. This experience has been specifically crafted for teachers, librarians and school administrators. If you are not an educator, please refer to our free resources for the general public. If you are a journalist, please contact newslitcamp@newslit.org to discuss options.

What should I “bring” to the event?

Your enthusiasm and energy, and your computer of course. Also bring your questions and ideas; the topics for the breakout sessions with journalists are based on what you most want to learn, so be sure to answer the registration questions about your preferred news literacy topics.

Is my registration transferrable?

Sorry, no. You will need to sign in using the same email address used for your Eventbrite registration.

If you are unable to attend, please cancel your Eventbrite RSVP (or email newslitcamp@newslit.org) so another educator can use your spot.

Questions?

Email Miriam Romais, NLP’s senior manager of education and training, at newslitcamp@newslit.org, Kate Indrelie, Sourcewell Technology’s education technology consultant, at Kate.Indrelie@sourcewelltech.org, or Ann Kaste, Minnetonka High School’s information and digital learning coordinator, at ann.kaste@minnetonkaschools.org

Top photo: Educators at R2i2 for a NewsLitCamp with SCETV and Public Radio in Columbia, S.C., 2020. Photo Credit: Andrea Lin / The News Literacy Project.