by Rafiullah Nikzad | 12 May 2023 | Asia, Educators' Catalog, Human Rights, Journalism
For 20 years Afghan journalists could report without fear or favor. With the Taliban in control they are out of favor and under intense fear. Many have fled. Afghan journalists attend a press conference of a former president Hamid Karzai in Kabul, Afghanistan, 13...
Guest writer Rafiullah Nikzad shares his experience as a journalist forced to flee Afghanistan after the Taliban retook control in 2021. This article underscores the importance of a free press, in line with News Decoder’s mission to amplify voices that are under-reported and under-heard.
Exercise: Read the article together as a class, then launch a discussion on the importance of a free press. What does independent journalism bring to a country? Why might some governments seek to censor what is published? What are the social, political, economic and legal frameworks that underpin a free press? Have students investigate the level of press freedom in your country, using the Press Freedom Index from Reporters Without Borders. You may consider having students conduct a comparative analysis of several country case studies.
by News Decoder | 22 Apr 2023 | Contests, Environment, Journalism
News Decoder and Global Youth & News Media challenged teens to find and profile people working on systems-level solutions to climate change. They stepped up. Photo illustration by News Decoder. A profile of geologist Florin Stoican — who established the Romania’s...
by Skyler Kelley Duval | 20 Apr 2023 | Educators' Catalog, La Jolla Country Day School, Media Literacy, Politics, United States, Youth Voices
When the business model for news corporations depends on blurring the lines between fact and opinion, how can we move from partisanship to problem solving? Photo illustration by News Decoder. In 2017, the political landscape collectively scoffed at Donald...
With news media inundating our feeds with content, youth guest author Skyler Kelley Duval dissects the blurred lines between fact and fiction. Central to being able to responsibly consume media is investment in critical thinking and media literacy education in schools. Are your students media literate?
Exercise: Read the article with your class, then introduce the CRAAP test to your students as a tool to evaluate media sources. The CRAAP test assesses sources for Currency, Relevancy, Authority, Accuracy and Purpose — with a goal of determining trustworthiness. You can find an example of the CRAAP test here. Consider analyzing a media source together as a class using the test.
by Marcy Burstiner | 3 Apr 2023 | Journalism
Journalists are in danger in many parts of the world. Young people must be taught why we should protect and support the news media. Illustration by News Decoder The deadline for nominations for the 2023 Press Freedom Teaching Award has been extended. The new deadline...
by Joyce Yang | 29 Mar 2023 | Faculty in the Spotlight, News Decoder Updates, School Year Abroad
Daniele Gatti of School Year Abroad in Italy wins this month’s Faculty Spotlight award for his commitment to youth literacy and News Decoder’s local-global mission. News Decoder’s SYA Italy faculty point person, Daniele Gatti. (Daniele Gatti) Daniele Gatti is a...
