April 2013

Twenty-five education journalists from 23 national and regional media outlets—including writers for the Hechinger Report, the New York Times, USA Today, and the Washington Post—have been selected by AERA and the Education Writers Association (EWA) to participate in a week-long data journalism fellowship program.

The fellowship features a two-day seminar at the AERA Annual Meeting, April 30 and May 1, titled “Reporting on Education—Using Data at Your Desk,” which provides reporters the opportunity to learn about the breadth of large-scale education data sets, data resources that they can use at their desk, and how to use and access data tools. The seminar faculty will include top scholars known for their use of major national and international data sets as well as for their statistical and methodological savvy.

In addition, fellows will be able to take advantage of related sessions at AERA’s Annual Meeting, where many prominent education researchers will be presenting on major issues under discussion and debate at all levels of education. Participants then can continue with a data-training track and other sessions of importance to reporters at the EWA National Seminar, to be held May 2–4, at Stanford University.

The fellowship program, which is generously supported by a grant from the Spencer Foundation, continues an ongoing partnership between AERA and EWA to help integrate data and research on education and learning into media coverage of key education issues.