For the second year we as Dataninja, in collaboration with European Data Journalism Network, are launching the new edition of our Data Journalism Training Program (👈 visit the page to know more about it!): the complete online course to step into data for journalistic and storytelling purposes.
The course is part of a project funded by the European Commission, which is why we offer it entirely free of charge for all participants.
The subscription to the waiting list is still open, you can join by filling out the questionnaire at 👉 this link
Here you can find the 5 reasons why we recommend you join this free, high-level training opportunity if you plan to integrate data into your work. Let’s get started!
1. The importance of data in journalism
Data are becoming increasingly important in investigative journalism in any field (environmental, scientific, political, etc.). They are useful to explore a topic, a case or study, a complex phenomenon and its effect and impact on people and society. Good data visualization skills can also make it easier for readers to understand the message.
Unfortunately, training as a data journalist is not as easy as it may seem. There are only a few courses, usually included in structured university programs. Many data journalists are self-taught, as they have learned to use data from experience, regardless of their educational background.
This is also what emerged from the report on the State of data journalism 2022, which we discussed in depth with author Simona Bisiani in one of our Dataninja Talks.
2. Flexibility, constant support, and super-friendly schedule
The training format of this program is hybrid, consisting both of:
➤ self-paced training modules
➤ live in-depth workshops with key industry players
➤ a community on Slack with colleagues and lecturers always there to help you.
This way you will never be left alone along the way!
We have actually already started with the workshops: below you can catch up with the last one that featured guest speaker Luciana Maruta from Divergente, a Portuguese digital media specialized in narrative and visual journalism. The project they presented focused on the phenomenon of abstentionism in Europe and saw last year’s students directly involved in the data collection and cleaning phase.
The waiting list is open and, from mid-July, it will be possible to complete the registration.
Content will be delivered from mid-September 2023 until July 2024 in a self-paced format, while workshops will be announced to enrolled students from time to time.
New this year: the enrollment is open for the entire duration of the course, so it will be possible to join the course even after the official start in September.
How to complete the course?
There are two graduation dates: one in February and the other in July; you can decide which session to enroll in according to your needs. To graduate, you will have to have completed all modules and a final individual project called Data Pitch before one of the two deadlines.
3. A comprehensive teaching
Self-paced courses are divided into 4 modules:
➤ Module 1: Finding data 🔍
➤ Module 2: Cleaning data 🧤
➤ Module 3: Analyzing data 👩💻
➤ Module 4: Visualizing data 📊
Through the weeks of this training, you will build the technical and critical skills needed to navigate the world of collecting, analyzing, and presenting data.
The tools we will use are: Google Spreadsheets, Datawrapper, and Flourish.
If you have any doubts or specific questions regarding the teaching, you can download the course brochure in pdf format here, or ask us directly at [email protected].
4. Learn how to create a perfect Data Pitch!
At the end of the program, you will produce a final project called Data Pitch, certifying your ability to collect and present your results.
In February and July there will be two closing ceremonies in which you will have the opportunity to present your final project in front of colleagues, tutors, and industry stakeholders.
Below you can find the recording of the closing ceremony of the last edition, to get an idea of the variety of topics tackled by our students (ranging from mapping the names of the Moon, to a survey on the state of cinema after the pandemic and one on femicides in Turkey…).
5. An international environment
Finally, a note of context: our Data Journalism Training Programme aims to involve as international an audience as possible (we already have applications from every continent!) which is why the course is delivered entirely in English.
We believe it can be an added value and a way to contribute also as Dataninja to the sharing of data knowledge across national borders.
If we have convinced you to be part of the 2023-24 class of our program, all you have to do is join the waiting list so you don’t miss out on updates on the next steps, events, and initiatives related to the world of international data journalism!