Lindsay Coppens

Screencastify makes teaching custom maps easy

For this final project I wanted to focus on a skill I enjoyed learning, which could also be accessible and fun for scholastic newspaper staff members. I loved the “Timelines, maps and other cool stuff!” unit and activities in my Digital Media course, so I knew that’s what I would focus on. My publication alreadyContinue reading “Screencastify makes teaching custom maps easy”

Building multimedia stories on Steller is easy

Because life is basically on lock-down due to Coronavirus quarantines and social distancing, I was relieved that our KSU Digital Media professor, Lori King, shifted our assignment from a reporting video to a multimedia Steller story to capture the reality of our lives during this bizarre time. Steller is a free app that allows usersContinue reading “Building multimedia stories on Steller is easy”

A journey through maps, surveys and timelines

I was excited to try my hand at maps, surveys and timelines because I am a junkie for data visualization. Give me a clean and clear chart or graph any day. Make it interactive? Even better. Of course, I understand that the interactive data visualizations I see on professional media are created by talented, experiencedContinue reading “A journey through maps, surveys and timelines”

Tables turn as adviser interviews editor in chief

While I learned a ton more about recording and editing audio while making my second podcast episode, the most valuable part of this experience was stepping into the reporter’s shoes with one of my students as my podcast guest. As teachers and advisers it can be easy to forget how nerve-wracking—and how fun—interviewing can be. Continue reading “Tables turn as adviser interviews editor in chief”

Creating a podcast reveals challenges, fun of audio journalism

Creating and publishing my first podcast reinforced how fulfilling and valuable it can be to learn by doing. I have my scholastic journalists learn by doing do all the time, but it’s been a while since I have embarked on doing something utterly new to me. After a lot of reading through materials, watching tutorialContinue reading “Creating a podcast reveals challenges, fun of audio journalism”

Young and old access news differently, but some buck trends

While it’s important to identify trends in how people of various demographics use technology and access the news, it’s equally important to acknowledge individual differences in a world that is rapidly shifting in terms of news access and mobile technology use. The Reuters Institute’s 2016 and 2018 “Digital News Report” identified key trends in mobileContinue reading “Young and old access news differently, but some buck trends”

Activity: Evaluating our Publication’s Digital and Social Media

Objective: For staff members to understand the concept of an “audience” versus “users,” to identify if our publication’s online presence is geared more toward an “audience” or “users” and to evaluate how well our publication’s digital media, both website and social media presence, engages users. Summary: Because the publication I advise is an extracurricular andContinue reading “Activity: Evaluating our Publication’s Digital and Social Media”

What I’ve learned: The megaphone has changed hands and it’s now a smartphone

As journalists and scholastic newspaper advisers, it’s time stop thinking about “audience” and start focusing on engaging “users” who are active participants in the media they consume. In “Mobile-First Journalism,” Steve Hill and Paul Bradshaw assert we need to shift from the idea of mass media as a megaphone projecting news to its audience. InsteadContinue reading “What I’ve learned: The megaphone has changed hands and it’s now a smartphone”