Why do we need student media in our schools?
From Kent Center for Scholastic Journalism
THE VALUE OF SCHOLASTIC JOURNALISM
No one has a magic answer to improving student academic performance, but the Journalism Education Association and Newspaper Association of America Foundation are highlighting some information about the importance of journalism and media courses to your students and to your school system.
This past spring, the NAA Foundation released research by Dr. Jack Dvorak of Indiana University showing that, as the title indicates, “High School Journalism Matters.” Specifically, the research reveals that students who take journalism, or work on high school newspapers and yearbooks:
- Get better grades in high school
- Score higher on the ACT
- Earn higher grades as college freshmen
These statistically significant results mirror Dvorak’s 1987 research. Both were extensive studies with the 2008 version gathering responses from 31,175 students across the nation.
An addition to Dr. Dvorak’s research is “Minority Journalism Kids Do Better,” which demonstrates similar advantages for students of color involved in their school media programs.
In an effort to allow your students to benefit in the same way, JEA and NAAF encourage school systems to support responsible student-directed journalism of all kinds, where students learn by applying the best concepts of decision-making, critical thinking and establishing authentic and thoughtful voices.