Looking for new ideas for the next 100 years
By Jeanne Acton | Tuesday, January 12, 2010 11:43 AM
As you might have noticed, UIL is observing its 100th anniversary this year, which reminds me: if you haven’t purchased a copy of Bobby Hawthorne’s history of the League, you absolutely must.
At any rate, in preparing for the various celebrations, I find myself reflecting on the UIL and, specifically, the journalism contests.
A few years ago, a journalism adviser told me he loved the UIL journalism contests. “The contests provide a wonderful journalism experience for kids,” he said.
“They do,” I replied, and we shared a “good for us” moment.
Now, after a little more thought and experience, I am not sure I completely agree.
Don’t get me wrong. I love the UIL journalism contests. I do believe they offer students a unique writing experience in a deadline-driven atmosphere.
But they don’t offer students a true journalism experience. Students do not develop the story idea. They do not research the topic. They do not track down the subjects. They don’t interview them.
All of those steps are essential to journalism.
Instead, we hand-deliver the situation, the quotes, the who, what, when and where, and then tell them the story must be finished in 45 minutes or an hour. Certainly, students must have competent writing skills and must be able to choose what information to put into their stories and what to leave out.
It’s a fairly artificial journalism experience, albeit the best experience we can provide given the circumstances. I can’t imagine a format where students experience all of the aspects of journalism — except in the classroom (which is why we have the Interscholastic League Press Conference and its contests).
Given how journalism has radically changed in the past 10 years, I wonder if we can or should change/update/create new UIL contests.
The foundation for our contests is solid. Each focuses on precise, concise, clear and correct writing. Regardless of whatever changes occur in the years ahead, good journalism will remain the product of clear thinking and solid writing.
Perhaps we are providing students the best experience we can. Perhaps not. Again, I don’t want to automatically assume that we are. It’s important that we question what we’re doing and how we’re doing it.
The problem is, despite racking my brain for months, I haven’t been able to come up with anything I’d change — except for some minor touches here and there.
Of course, I am no longer involved with students on a day-to-day basis. You are in the trenches, training students every day. So, this is where you come in.
Perhaps you have had an epiphany on the next great evolution of the UIL journalism program. Perhaps you know how we might tweak a contest to improve it. Either way, I want to hear it.
As an organization, the League has occasionally been ahead of the curve, sometimes behind it. The UIL sponsored a slide rule contest long after calculators arrived on the scene. It took us a long time to allow computers at State journalism, but we have them now.
We’re not so much resistant to change, as we don’t see what needs to be changed.
So, here’s your chance. Tell me what you think. Talk with your students. Tell me what they think.
If I get substantial feedback with feasible ideas, I will bring the information back to all of you. Together we can determine how we should move forward into the next 100 years.