Back to SRL Storymaker Resource Library

Project | 2-4 weeks

Engineering: Our People, Our Planet - How We Shape Our World

Overview:

engineeringourworld

What do the iPhone, the internet, the Hoover Dam and genetically engineered mosquitoes have in common? They were all created by engineers. Engineers are people who can imagine a reality that does not exist, think through how to bring that vision into being, and design and execute their designs in reality.

Engineering is about the imagination, creativity and incredible focus that allows humans to create the future.

In the words of MIT President Reif, as engineers we are “restlessly reinventing” ourselves to make a better world. The notion of making a better world is not sloganeering. It’s what we do. It’s what we have always done.

  1. Who is engineering in our community?
  2. Why is it important/newsworthy? Is it exciting to you?
  3. Will this be visual enough to work with as a subject?
  4. Can you get the access you need when you need it?

Go HERE to complete the full assignment.

Learning Outcomes:

  • Understand how to report using tenets of SOLUTIONS JOURNALISM
  • Understand how to record VIRTUAL and/or IN-PERSON INTERVIEWS (following all public health guidance)
  • Understand how to capture B-ROLL, solicit it from subjects, and/or get it from other sources
  • Understand how to TRANSCRIBE recorded footage
  • Critically think about interview content and identify NEWSWORTHY soundbites

Understand how to EDIT together a series of SOUNDBITES and B-ROLL sequences to form a cohesive narrative

Resources

Journalism

Journalism is the activity of gathering, assessing, creating, and presenting news and information.

Source: American Press institute

Trust

Belief that someone or something is reliable, good, honest, effective, etc.

Source: Merriam Webster

Media

Media refers to all electronic or digital means and print or artistic visuals used to transmit messages.

Source: NAMLE

News Media

All forms of media created with the purpose of informing the public and delivering news through specific mediums such as radio and broadcast stations, digital news organizations and others.

Issue

​​A subject or problem that people are thinking and talking about

Source: Cambridge Dictionary

Community

A group of people who live in the same area (such as a city, town, or neighborhood). It can also be a group of people who have the same interests, religion, race, etc.

Source: Merriam Webster

Human Interest

People are interested in other people. Everyone has something to celebrate and something to complain about. We like unusual stories of people who accomplish amazing feats or handle a life crisis because we can identify with them.

Story Angle

In news, it’s a story’s point or theme. It's the lens through which the producer or writer filters the information they have gathered and focuses it to make it meaningful to viewers or readers.

Source: ThoughCo.

Audience

The people who read, watch and consume news. Often, journalists think about audience and newsworthiness in similar ways. How will the news story serve their local or national audience? Who am I writing the story for and why?

Story

An account of past or current events. In journalism, stories are presented with a combination of people, facts, and typically includes a beginning, middle and end.

Script

A document with transcribed (written-out) soundbites and voiceover narration. A VIDEO script is a two-column document with the audio (soundbites and voice over) in the right-hand column and a description of what the audience sees (visuals) in the left-hand column.

Topics
Levels

Intermediate

Advanced

Materials
Estimated Time

2-4 weeks