Welcome to the Knight Center's new online course, "Digital storytelling for the next generation of Latinx journalists," organized by the Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas, in collaboration with Microsoft. This four-week online course will be held from June 20-July 17, 2022 and will be open to students who apply and are admitted to the course.
Students will learn fundamentals of several key subject areas, including:
- Branding and exploring identity
- Using TikTok and social media to tell your own story
- Tips and tools to elevate your journalism
- Advice, challenges and inspiration for the future
Watch the video below and read on for more details, including instructions on how to apply for this course.
This four-week online course will be held from June 20-July 17, 2022 and will be open to students who apply and are admitted to the course. Please fill out this application to be considered for enrollment in the course, “Digital Storytelling for the Next Generation of LatinX Journalists.”
To be eligible, you must be a LatinX student enrolled at a college or university or a recent college graduate. If you’re accepted, we’ll notify you as soon as possible prior to the course, and we will send instructions on how to enroll.
Please feel free to contact us at journalismcourses@austin.utexas.edu with any questions you may have.
For the next four weeks, you will learn about:
Upon completion of this course you will be able to:
This module will give you a glimpse into highlights of what the course will cover. We’ll also take a look at some of the tools you will need to complete this course.
This module will cover:
We will discuss branding and creating a digital presence for journalists. Transparency, professional boundaries, use of social media, and personal brand will be discussed. We will also explore aspects of identity and culture, including discussions surrounding the term Latinx. We will also speak to Rolling Stone reporter Tomás Mier.
This module will cover:
We examine how to use TikTok’s format to leverage text, visuals, audio, graphics and create strong narratives. We will also explore how to embrace your own story and explore culture and our roots. We will also speak to Vox audience engagement editor Gabby Fernandez.
This module will cover:
A demo of practical tools to elevate your stories will be featured.
This module will cover:
We will hear a real talk-focused, panel discussion on challenges faced by Latinx journalists and media professionals. Along with that, we will discuss advice and practical tips for those entering journalism. To end our course, we’ll hear some advice from NAHJ members.
This module will cover:
Dr. Amara Aguilar is a professor of journalism at USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. She teaches journalism for mobile/emerging platforms, social media storytelling for Latinx audiences, visual journalism, engaging diverse communities, public relations strategy, and interactive design, among other courses. At USC, she co-founded Annenberg Media’s award-winning bilingual outlet, Dímelo, focused on serving Latinx audiences.
Aguilar has written for the Los Angeles Times, CNN, NiemanLab, and other outlets. She has worked as a designer, visual journalist, reporter, social media engagement producer and consultant. She’s conducted social media, data, and digital journalism training for the Associated Press, ABC News, the National Football League and other organizations. Aguilar earned an Online News Association Challenge Fund grant for Innovation in Education in 2020, was named a TOW Knight Disruptive Educator for innovation in 2018, MediaShift’s top innovative journalism educator in 2018, a Scripps Howard Foundation-AEJMC visiting social media fellow in 2017, and an Apple Distinguished Educator in 2015. Her collaborations at USC include work with ABC7, L.A. TACO, NBC Latino, Snap Inc., Fusion, KPCC, NPR Next Generation Radio, Las Fotos Project, Azteca America, and others. She is also an SPJ trainer on Google News Initiative tools.
At USC she is a regular collaborator and faculty fellow for the Center for Public Diplomacy and has also worked with the Center for Health Journalism. She earned her doctorate at USC’s Rossier school of education in organizational change and leadership, where her research focused on converged newsrooms. She is currently examining the state of Latinas in journalism and writing a book focused on Latinx storytelling. Her co-edited and co-authored book, Reporting on Latinx/o/a Communities: A Guide for Journalists is now available for pre-order: https://www.routledge.com/Reporting-on-Latinoax-Communities-A-Guide-for-Journalists/Puente-Retis-Aguilar-Rico/p/book/9781032079738
This course is open to Latinx college and university students in the United States. Students must apply and be accepted to participate in this course. Those who are interested in learning, as well as strengthening their reporting and storytelling skills for diverse audiences, are encouraged to apply.
First of all, note that this is an asynchronous course. That means there are no live events scheduled at specific times. You can log in to the course and complete activities throughout the week at your own pace, at the times and on the days that are most convenient for you. Despite its asynchronous nature, there are still structures in place for the duration of the course.
The material is organized into four weekly modules. Each module will be taught by Amara Aguilar and will cover a different topic through videos, presentations, readings and discussion forums. There will be a quiz each week to test the knowledge you've gained through the course materials. The weekly quizzes, and weekly participation in the discussion forums, are the basic requirements for earning a free certificate of participation at the end of the course.
This course is very flexible, and if you are behind with the materials, you have the entire length of the course to complete them. We do recommend you complete each of the following before the end of each week so you don’t fall behind:
A certificate of completion is awarded by the Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas to attest to the participation in the online course.
There's no form to apply for the certificate of completion. At the end of the course, the Knight Center team will verify all students and all activities required to qualify for the certificate of completion.
After verifying that students have met the course requirements, the Knight Center will send students a message confirming that they have met the requirements and are eligible for the free certificate.
To be eligible for the free certificate of completion, students must:
There are no formal credits of any kind associated with this certificate. The certificate is issued by the Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas only to certify participation in the online course.