Dates: April 20 to July 20 2012

Duration: 4 months

Location: online

Introduction

Penplusbytes’ innovative global course in ICT Journalism provides a unique online training opportunity for journalists in the exciting area of ICT Journalism. Participants will be exposed to the wider context of ICTs assisted journalism including how these technologies are impacting on the world of journalism, how to harness the power of ICTs in producing high quality impactful stories, and how to manage change process in using innovative ICT tools. This course provides skills and knowledge within a practical interactive learning environment with the main goal of strengthening capabilities in both multimedia and online news production while increasing understanding of the rapid changing environment in newsroom operations due to opportunities and challenges Information and communication Technologies revolution brings. After successfully completing the course, each participant should be able to produce and implement a variety of creative solutions for online news operations.



Course Description and Goals

At the end of the course, the participants will learn five main sets of skills and knowledge

· You will learn and understand the broad spectrum of ICT tools changing the face of journalism

· You will learn how to research and publish content online

· You will learn how to leverage the power of social media in news settings

· You will learn that despite the proliferation of technology for journalism the fundamental principles of journalism still apply.

· You will learn to undertake digital story telling

Course Outline

The course is divided into eight modules:

1. ICT Journalism – concept, theory and definition

2. ICT tools for Journalism – online production, social media, content management system, online newsroom management and publishing platforms

3. The role of information and knowledge management in the newsroom

4. Writing for the web

5. Online Security

6. Online Research

7. Data Journalism

8. Business Models of Online Journalism

Prerequisites

This course does not have any special prerequisites though participants will need to have basic computer skills such as sending and receiving mails, managing files and browsing the Internet. The course assumes participants are practicing journalists who have mastered journalism skills. Applicants should exhibit a passion for news, interest in the use of technology for the improvement of journalism and speak and write fluently in English.



Class Meeting

Participants are expected to meet online via group discussion weekly, it is expected that each participant must devote at least five hours per week online.



Materials

Participants will be provided with regular resources throughout the duration of the course, these resources will mostly be available online.


Grading

Participants are expected to undertake weekly assignments, participate in online discussions, create and publish content using ICT tools and produce a final project work to be published on www.penplusbytes.org

Certificates

All participants who complete the course successfully would be awarded a certificate.



Important Dates

· Closing date for receipt of application and statement is 29th February 2012.

· Notification of acceptance: 5th April 2012

· Course starts on April 20th 2012.

Application
To apply, go to http://www.africanelections.org/email_form.php to fill out application form and upload documents required

Requirements

1. Application form

2. Letter of Motivation (250-300) explaining how this course will contribute to your professional growth and development; how you plan to implement knowledge and skills gained from the course and strategies of sharing knowledge and skills with members of your organization.

3. CV

4. Letter of consent from your editor or supervisor

For more information send an email to training@penplusbyes.org

Visit course blog: http://mediaictrain.blogspot.com

Join our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/groups/7775446390/ and join our network of ICT Journalists at http://penplusybytes.ning.com/

Follow us on twitter at www.twitter.com/penplusbytes

Engaging, informative, and high-quality online training course created and offered by www.penplusbytes.org

Online training opportunity for journalists in the area of ICT Journalism. Participants will be exposed to the wider context of ICTs assisted journalism including how these technologies are impacting on the world of journalism, how ICT can be used in producing stories and how to manage change process in using innovative ICT tools.

To enquire about this course, send an email to training AT Penplusbytes.org

Rhodes University's Highway Africa programme and its partners are pleased to announce the opening of the nomination process for the prestigious Highway Africa New Media Awards.

For 11 years these unique awards within the profession of journalism on the continent, have been rewarding pioneering, innovative and creative use of technology in journalism and the media. The Awards were established reward and recognise African innovation in the area of digital media and to highlight the role that digital technologies play in journalism and the media at large.

The Highway Africa New Media Awards are in three categories:

Individual – awarded to individual persons who design or appropriate new affordable applications of communication technologies to overcome the limitations of existing infrastructure and / or capital resources.

Not – for – profit – awarded to users of appropriate media technology to advance and assist communities and persons limited by infrastructure and / or technological access.

Corporate – awarded to corporate groups for creative and appropriate adaptation of technologies within the continent to complete effectively in the wider environment.


Submissions can be made electronically to awards@highwayafrica.com copied to m.letlhaku@ru.ac.za and b.jacobs@ru.ac.za.
The closing date for entries is August 2011, 16:30 South African time.


The winners will be announced at the prestigious SABC-Telkom-Highway Africa New Media Awards gala dinner on the evening of 18 September 2011 during the 15th edition of the Highway Africa Conference.


For more information contact Bronwyn Jacobs (b.jacobs@ru.ac.za ) or Visit www.highwayafrica.com to download entry forms.
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International Institute for ICT Journalism
www.penplusbytes.org

tools of our trade - topics

1. Introduction to ICT tools for journalism
2. Digital Convergence
3. Media Convergence
4. Computer Assisted Journalism
5. Using Geographic Information System in Journalism
6. Publishing platforms
7. Content Management System
8. Database Management System
9. Maths and Stats for the newsroom


then tools of our trade(part two) looks at some online tools


1. Website, chat, email and instant messaging
2. Feeds – RSS, Widget, New Tracker, Content Tracker
3. Blogs
4. Wiki
5. Podcasting
6. Twitter – twitter pic, twitter chats, saving twitter as pdf, hash tags (power point)
7. Video sharing (power point)
8. Infostructures and Social networking (power point)
9. Online documents, Online Collaboration tools and communications