Tiny Assignments Can Assess Big Curricular Goals

In the “old normal,” I would assign a web-based portfolio as the final for the spring semester, but this year we were told to “do only the essentials” and “lighten their load in the stress of COVID-19.” 

I dropped those plans. I think many of us dropped or revised many a lesson plan in these last 60 days of quarantine.

So how do we create a quick assessment of essential digital journalism skills without a massive, multi-week, end-of-the-year project? 

Here’s two eLearning assignments I gave students to close out this semester of Journalism 1 Broadcast and Journalism 1. 

In J1B, I wanted them to share all the skills of video production including lighting, anchor presence, poise, pacing, graphics production, editing, etc.: http://www.jeadigitalmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/SignOff.pdf

In J1, I wanted to see their writing with clarity and brevity, plus design skills: http://www.jeadigitalmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/6WordStoryandDesign.pdf