Top digital communities for journalism educators

Facebook, Slack and other platforms can help professors and instructors stay abreast best practices and industry trends.

Short of time, eager to learn and well aware of the ever-evolving media landscape, journalism professors can turn to some broad and specific online communities of practice to help stay sharp. As the platforms grow — as well as the media evolves — different groups may duplicate or approach a topic from a slightly different perspective. All are easy to join, and you can usually quickly discern which are most helpful given your specialty and interests. Here’s a look at some to consider joining; many are closed groups so you may face some screening questions that moderators use to keep the group focused. All are Facebook unless otherwise noted.

ESPECIALLY FOR EDUCATORS

• Online News Association educators group; the Facebook group is closed, meaning coordinators screen for credentials; ONA also has a Slack group for professional members which some member professors find valuable to follow. Contact the ONA for more information.
• Social Journalism Educators and Social Journalism
• Media Entrepreneurship
• Disruptive Journalism Educators Network: A community launched in association with the Tow-Knight Center for Entrepreneurial Journalism has transitioned from closed to open.

JOURNALISM ASSOCIATIONS

• Association of Education in Journalism and Mass Communication and the journal-focused Teaching Journalism and Mass Communication
• Journalism Education Association
• Broast Education Association

SPECIALTY GROUPS OF INTEREST

• Solutions Journalism Hub
• Engaged Journalism
• Mobile Journalism
• Investigative Reporters & Editors
• Gather: An Engaged Journalism Community: On the FYMI platform

MISCELLANY

• 100Reporters
• Society of Professional Journalists
• Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
• Ethical Journalism Network
• Drones used for Journalism and the Drone Journalism School
• Data-Driven Journalism: The Basics
• Journalism Grants
• Future Journalism Project
• Facebook Journalism Project
• Binders Full of Digital Journalists
• Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism
• Journalism That Matters
• Reporting on Health
• Journalism Accelerator
• Renaissance Journalism Center
• Donald W. Reynolds Center for Business Journalism
• Nieman Journalism Lab and Journalist’s Resource
• Knight Foundation
• Tow Center for Digital Journalism
• Tow-Knight Center for Entrepreneurial Journalism

While this list is not intended to be truly comprehensive, more suggestions are welcome.