eLearnAfrica
A Reporter’s Toolkit for the Digital Age
The University of Kent
  • Start Date: 04 Jul, 2022
  • 4 weeks
  • Study Content: Videos


Learn essential skills and useful tools to help you become a reporter in a social media and digital era.

Course Fee: Free
Certificate Cost: See Fees and Eligibility
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Course Description

This course is made available through the eLearnAfrica and FutureLearn partnership.

Enhance your skills as a news reporter


With so much of our news now consumed online, it’s important to know how digital journalism differs from traditional forms.


On this four-week course, you’ll increase your understanding of the essential ingredients for good reporting and how to apply this to online journalism.


This practical course will take you through a variety of exercises including how to pick the best stories for different target audiences, how to write a news story from information and quotes, and writing other forms of journalism to build your skills.


Explore the value of community news


You’ll examine what it means to have different communities reflected in the news and the impact this has on society.


Drawing from your own experiences, you’ll discuss how far you have seen various communities represented in the news before learning how reporters create this type of story.


You’ll also have the opportunity to create a story about your community or area of special interest.


Examine the power of social media in reporting and journalism


Social media has undoubtedly changed the way we report and consume news.


You’ll explore how news platforms use social media in reporting and what makes an engaging post without being ‘clickbait’.


As well as this, you’ll examine how news outlets use social media to pick up stories, interviewees, and case studies.


Explore the realms of digital journalism


Finally, you’ll explore the power of the personal story.


You’ll examine the attraction and also the danger of people telling their own stories before taking the opportunity to create your own piece of personalised journalism.


This course is designed for anyone with an interest in media reporting.


It will be of particular interest if you are an aspiring journalist or writer.


If you want to further your subject knowledge, you may also be interested in these courses. They’re from the same provider and share similar overall learning outcomes:



Certificate cost may vary. You will be redirected to the host page for cost and payment options.

The University of Kent

The University of Kent, the UK’s European University, is one of the country’s most dynamic universities. Established in 1965, it now has 19,850 students studying at its various campuses including Canterbury, Medway and Tonbridge in the picturesque south-east of England (close to London) and its European sites in Brussels, Paris, Athens and Rome.

The University is a major educational, economic and cultural force throughout its region and has well-established external networks and partnerships with leading universities in Europe and around the world, providing students with opportunities to study and work abroad.

Ranked in the Top 20 of UK universities (16th in the Guardian University Guide 2016), Kent has an established reputation for the quality of its research; confirmed by its excellent performance (17th in the UK) in the most recent Research Assessment Framework (REF) where all its academic schools were found to be engaged in research of international and world-class standing.

Students consistently rank Kent as offering one of the best student experiences in the UK and it achieved an overall satisfaction rate of 90% and above in the National Student Survey.

 

This institution is available on eLearnAfrica through partnership with FutureLearn.

You may be able to download course materials after enrolling in this course. If not, all of the necessary course materials provided by the course instructor will be available on the provider's course page.
COLLABORATION POLICY

By enrolling in a course on or through eLearnAfrica, you are joining a special worldwide community of learners. The aspiration of eLearnAfrica is to provide anyone with an internet connection access to courses from the best universities and institutions in the world and to provide our learners the best educational experience internet technology enables. You are a part of the community that will help eLearnAfrica achieve this goal. eLearnAfrica depends upon your motivation to learn the material and to do so with honesty and academic integrity. In order to participate in eLearnAfrica, you must agree to the Honor Code below and any additional terms specific to a class.

ELEARNAFRICA HONOR CODE PLEDGE

By enrolling in a course, program, or degree hosted on the eLearnAfrica App or Site, I agree that I will:

  • Complete all tests and assignments on my own, unless collaboration on an assignment is explicitly permitted.

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  • Not engage in any activity that would dishonestly improve my results, or improve or hurt the results of others.

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  • Abide by any and all requirements of the eLearnAfrica Participants as may regard the expectations of civil or academic behavior or of community standards.

VIOLATIONS

If you are found in violation of the Terms and Conditions or Honor Code, you may be subject to one or more of the following actions:

  • Receiving a zero or no credit for an assignment;

  • Having any certificate earned in the course withheld or revoked;

  • Being unenrolled from a course, learning program or degree program; or

  • Termination of your use of the App and/or Site.

  • Additional actions may be taken at the sole discretion of eLearnAfrica and eLearnAfrica course providers. 

No refunds will be issued in the case of any corrective action for such violations.

Honor code violations will be determined at the sole discretion of eLearnAfrica, the Partners, or Members. You will be notified if a determination has been made that you have violated this honor code and you will be informed of the corresponding action to be taken as a result of the violation.

CHANGING THE HONOR CODE

Please note that we review and may make changes to this Honor Code from time to time. Any changes to this Honor Code will be effective immediately upon posting on this page, with an updated effective date. By accessing the App and/or Site after any changes have been made, you signify your agreement on a prospective basis to the modified Honor Code and any changes contained therein. Be sure to return to this page periodically to ensure familiarity with the most current version of this Honor Code.

Effective Date: September 22, 2016