Comments on: Opening up Pandora’s box http://www.collegemediainnovation.org/blog/2010/02/opening-up-pandoras-box/ a group discussion about the future of student media Thu, 09 Feb 2012 06:45:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: scmurley http://www.collegemediainnovation.org/blog/2010/02/opening-up-pandoras-box/comment-page-1/#comment-427372 scmurley Thu, 25 Feb 2010 10:53:33 +0000 http://www.collegemediainnovation.org/blog/?p=2721#comment-427372 To clarify, I was speaking about a reporter who was already trained in writing or photography or graphic design, but not doing anything online. And yes, I do mean pick one thing to start with, but I think a student is better served by trying to get good at one thing and then moving on to something else, another area of online reporting. Trying to get a reporter to go from nothing to the entire suite of tools is like expecting someone to go from hammering nails into a board to building a house - it's an overwhelming task that is better accomplished by starting small and adding to the tool kit as you go along. <br> <br>I originally <a href="http://www.collegemediainnovation.org/blog/2008/10/1725/" rel="nofollow">wrote about this concept</a> in October 2008, and should have linked to that earlier post here for further explanation. <br> <br>thanks for the comment. To clarify, I was speaking about a reporter who was already trained in writing or photography or graphic design, but not doing anything online. And yes, I do mean pick one thing to start with, but I think a student is better served by trying to get good at one thing and then moving on to something else, another area of online reporting. Trying to get a reporter to go from nothing to the entire suite of tools is like expecting someone to go from hammering nails into a board to building a house – it's an overwhelming task that is better accomplished by starting small and adding to the tool kit as you go along.

I originally wrote about this concept in October 2008, and should have linked to that earlier post here for further explanation.

thanks for the comment.

]]> By: scmurley http://www.collegemediainnovation.org/blog/2010/02/opening-up-pandoras-box/comment-page-1/#comment-426504 scmurley Thu, 25 Feb 2010 04:53:33 +0000 http://www.collegemediainnovation.org/blog/?p=2721#comment-426504 To clarify, I was speaking about a reporter who was already trained in writing or photography or graphic design, but not doing anything online. And yes, I do mean pick one thing to start with, but I think a student is better served by trying to get good at one thing and then moving on to something else, another area of online reporting. Trying to get a reporter to go from nothing to the entire suite of tools is like expecting someone to go from hammering nails into a board to building a house - it's an overwhelming task that is better accomplished by starting small and adding to the tool kit as you go along. <br> <br>I originally <a href="http://www.collegemediainnovation.org/blog/2008/10/1725/" rel="nofollow">wrote about this concept</a> in October 2008, and should have linked to that earlier post here for further explanation. <br> <br>thanks for the comment. To clarify, I was speaking about a reporter who was already trained in writing or photography or graphic design, but not doing anything online. And yes, I do mean pick one thing to start with, but I think a student is better served by trying to get good at one thing and then moving on to something else, another area of online reporting. Trying to get a reporter to go from nothing to the entire suite of tools is like expecting someone to go from hammering nails into a board to building a house – it's an overwhelming task that is better accomplished by starting small and adding to the tool kit as you go along.

I originally wrote about this concept in October 2008, and should have linked to that earlier post here for further explanation.

thanks for the comment.

]]> By: scmurley http://www.collegemediainnovation.org/blog/2010/02/opening-up-pandoras-box/comment-page-1/#comment-424924 scmurley Wed, 24 Feb 2010 23:53:33 +0000 http://www.collegemediainnovation.org/blog/?p=2721#comment-424924 To clarify, I was speaking about a reporter who was already trained in writing or photography or graphic design, but not doing anything online. And yes, I do mean pick one thing to start with, but I think a student is better served by trying to get good at one thing and then moving on to something else, another area of online reporting. Trying to get a reporter to go from nothing to the entire suite of tools is like expecting someone to go from hammering nails into a board to building a house - it's an overwhelming task that is better accomplished by starting small and adding to the tool kit as you go along.I originally <a href="http://www.collegemediainnovation.org/blog/2008/10/1725/" rel="nofollow">wrote about this concept</a> in October 2008, and should have linked to that earlier post here for further explanation.thanks for the comment. To clarify, I was speaking about a reporter who was already trained in writing or photography or graphic design, but not doing anything online. And yes, I do mean pick one thing to start with, but I think a student is better served by trying to get good at one thing and then moving on to something else, another area of online reporting. Trying to get a reporter to go from nothing to the entire suite of tools is like expecting someone to go from hammering nails into a board to building a house – it's an overwhelming task that is better accomplished by starting small and adding to the tool kit as you go along.I originally wrote about this concept in October 2008, and should have linked to that earlier post here for further explanation.thanks for the comment.

]]> By: laurenmichell http://www.collegemediainnovation.org/blog/2010/02/opening-up-pandoras-box/comment-page-1/#comment-424923 laurenmichell Wed, 24 Feb 2010 10:13:48 +0000 http://www.collegemediainnovation.org/blog/?p=2721#comment-424923 I'd like to add to this post a bit. I wouldn't necessarily say to learn one thing and be good at it. Journalists need to be jack of all trades, masters of none (well, except the art of story-telling. They should be masters at that, but it manifests through all the other trades). So when you say "pick one thing and learn how to do it well," it really might not be beneficial. What good is a videographer who can't also take stills and capture crisp audio, create supplemental graphic, edit it and export it, tag it and write a good description/headline to accompany? Instead, I'd rephrase your advice to read, "pick one thing to <b>start with</b>, do it well, then the rest will be easier to learn."Specifically in student newsrooms, if each editor/student learns one skill really well to start with (i.e. masters it), then they can be the go-to person on that topic and cross-train each other so that everyone's well-rounded. I'd like to add to this post a bit. I wouldn't necessarily say to learn one thing and be good at it. Journalists need to be jack of all trades, masters of none (well, except the art of story-telling. They should be masters at that, but it manifests through all the other trades). So when you say "pick one thing and learn how to do it well," it really might not be beneficial. What good is a videographer who can't also take stills and capture crisp audio, create supplemental graphic, edit it and export it, tag it and write a good description/headline to accompany? Instead, I'd rephrase your advice to read, "pick one thing to start with, do it well, then the rest will be easier to learn."Specifically in student newsrooms, if each editor/student learns one skill really well to start with (i.e. masters it), then they can be the go-to person on that topic and cross-train each other so that everyone's well-rounded.

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