The Journalism Courses online learning program from the Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas has hit a major milestone, having served more than 350,000 students from 200 countries and territories – enough people to fill over ten soccer stadiums!
The Knight Center, housed in the Moody College of Communication at the University of Texas at Austin, has offered 170 free and low-cost online courses and webinars since 2012, when it began its pioneering Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) program.
"Reaching this incredible milestone of 350,000 people served through the Knight Center's online training program is a testimony to our commitment to empower journalists and strengthen journalism worldwide," said Summer Harlow, associate director of the Knight Center.
This achievement, Harlow added, reflects the Knight Center’s conviction that quality journalism thrives when journalists have free and low-cost access to innovative training and a global learning community.
“And it's not just journalists– we've helped digital content creators, PR specialists, and all other kinds of communicators, who together can contribute to the defense of freedom of expression," Harlow said.
Courses have covered topics like solutions journalism, editing, newsletters, audio storytelling, artificial intelligence, elections, digital security and content creation. These learning opportunities equip students with the future-proofing tools and skills that are essential for an ever-evolving media landscape.
A dynamic learning community
Tamar Charney is a consultant at Charney LLC and an instructor for audio storytelling courses for the Knight Center. (Courtesy)
The Knight Center has offered 134 free courses that are usually more introductory in nature. Additionally, the program has offered 28 low-cost courses on advanced topics that offer more personal interaction with expert instructors and peers.
All courses from the Knight Center’s Journalism Courses program are asynchronous, meaning they can be completed at the student’s own pace, though weekly deadlines are suggested. Course materials include video lectures, readings, quizzes and participation in discussion forums.
Tamar Charney, consultant at Charney LLC, has taught advanced courses on audio storytelling for the Knight Center.
“It's been so rewarding to teach audio storytelling for the Knight Center as it gave me a chance to reach such a wide mix of people, from college students just starting out to media professionals and even veteran journalists who want to keep up with the latest changes,” Charney said. “Hitting 350,000 students is such an amazing milestone, and it really shows how much these programs are needed!”
On the frontlines of a quickly changing profession, working journalists value the courses' forward-looking programming and accessibility.
Earlier this year, Madeline May, political investigative producer for CBS News, took the course “Prompt Engineering 101 for Journalists” to better understand the technology and explore how it could be useful in her work.
“Training opportunities from the Knight Center are essential as the journalism landscape rapidly evolves,” May said. “It's crucial for reporters to stay on top of new technologies as they emerge. These courses lower the barrier to entry for reporters who may feel intimidated learning new skills.”
Training that reaches the world
With a growing global community, the Knight Center has offered free and low-cost courses in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, French, Guaraní, Russian and more, often reaching journalistic communities with limited learning opportunities.
Madeleine May is a political investigative producer at CBS News. (Courtesy)
This international coverage highlights the Center’s commitment to providing accessible, high-quality, free or low-cost journalism training on a global scale.
The Knight Center’s Journalism Courses program also includes 75 on-demand courses adapted from previous free courses. These on-demand courses are always available and can be taken at any time, making them particularly valuable for journalists with busy routines.
Currently, registration is open for new free learning opportunities, including a six-part webinar series in Portuguese, English and Spanish on climate coverage, and a Spanish-language course on climate solutions journalism.
More than just part of a big number, each member of the growing Knight Center learning community plays a crucial role in shaping the future of journalism worldwide.
“We're now looking forward to when we can say our training has served 400,000 people!” Harlow said.
We’d love to hear how our courses have impacted your work. Share your story with us at knightcenter@austin.utexas.edu
