Jordan Media Institute - Amman
A total of 12 teachers from four public schools took part in an intensive training workshop held at the Jordan Media Institute (JMI) on media and information literacy (MIL) and story production.
The training is part of the “Youth Voice in the Media” project, implemented by the JMI and funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York which supports innovations in education.
The five-day workshop brought together teachers from King Abdullah II Schools for Excellence in Amman, Salt, and Madaba who learned how to produce TV news reports. Teachers will transfer these production skills to students who will be producing their own reports on issues that concern them and the society through student reporting labs that will be set up for this purpose. Participating students, forty in total, will have their reports broadcast on Al-Mamlaka TV station, which offers public broadcasting service, in the next few months.
The training was delivered by a team of trainers from PBS station, which is implementing a similar project in the US. Trainers from the JMI will also help teachers throughout the duration of the project which will continue until mid-2021.
Leah Clapman, who created the Student Reporting Labs in the PBS, said she was extremely happy to work, for the first time, outside the US, noting the importance of giving students the chance to tell their own stories.
Teacher Umaima Atiyyat said the training will help strengthen student skills and motivate them to go out and talk to society members and to look for ways to tackle their concerns. Fellow teacher Abdullah Ziyoud said teaching students interviewing techniques will equip them with essential life skills and boost their self-confidence.
JMI advisor and head of MIL programs Bayan Tal said the project targets students between 14 and 16 years, adding that the JMI will follow-up on the implementation of the scheme in cooperation with the Ministry of Education. Additionally, a summer club for participating students will be set up where students will also learn how to produce educational video games on MIL, she noted.