Protecting the Watchdog: Using the Freedom of Information Act to Preference the Press

The fourth estate is undergoing dramatic changes. Many newspaper reporters, already surrounded by a growing number of empty desks, are shifting their focus away from costly investigative reporting and towards amassing Twitter followers and writing the perfect “share line.” Newspapers’ budgets can no longer robustly support accountability journalism and pitching fights against the government. And so, while this busier and noisier media environment may have a desirable democratizing effect—more of us are able to participate in analyzing, debating, and perhaps even making the news—it has not succeeded in filling a role that print journalists have traditionally played well—keeping watch on the government. In order to perpetuate its historical role as watchdog, the fourth estate needs fortification. This fortification should come in the form of legal preferences for the press. Providing such preferences is not new, but it arguably has not been done in a significant way since postal subsidies were granted to newspapers in the colonial era. Today, with few exceptions, the law generally treats journalists just like any other citizens and news organizations like any other business. This article proposes a new way to preference the press—one that would not involve direct subsidies or discriminating between old media and new. Instead, it would give journalists a commodity that is fundamental to their work: information. To preference the press, this article looks to the Freedom of Information Act, the law governing when and how the executive branch discloses information to the public. While in theory the law facilitates the press’s access to vast amounts of information in the hands of the executive branch, implementation of FOIA has, since it was passed in 1966, been fraught with problems. Agencies routinely take months and even years to respond to journalists’ requests, making the process incompatible with a news cycle that is spinning ever faster. This article proposes focusing on FOIA’s expedited processing provisions to prioritize journalists’ requests over those of other requesters, expedite agency fulfillment of them, and ease the press’s ability to challenge late, incomplete, or otherwise unsatisfactory disclosures. It argues that any journalist filing a FOIA request seeking expedited processing should presumptively go to the front of the queue. At that point, there would be firm deadlines (where none exist now) for providing the journalist with the information requested. These small but significant changes to an already established provision of FOIA could help the media better serve as a watchdog at a time when that role needs protecting

A Phenomenological Study Exploring the Adoption of Social Networking Platforms to Achieve Digital Literacy for All Learners

The purpose of this proposed phenomenological study was to investigate the perceptions and experiences of teachers, administrators, and instructional technology professionals during integrations of social networking platforms for educational purposes to enhance classroom instruction focused on improved academic achievement and digital literacy. Specifically, the study focused on understanding the experiences of teachers, administrators, and instructional technology professionals within K-12 public school districts responsible for having implemented 21st-century technology skills into classroom instruction with the use of online interviews. This study was grounded on Roger’s Diffusion of Innovation Theory as a framework with social networking platforms being the innovation. The study followed a qualitative phenomenological research design. Data were collected using online interviews and analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) methodology. The four female participants were educators in K-12 public schools responsible for implementing social networking platforms with ages ranging 40-60. Data were analyzed to answer the central question supported by four subquestions: (1) How do K-12 educational professionals’ experiences influence personal beliefs on the integration of social media learning platforms in the classroom?, (2) What are K-12 educational professionals’ experiences of professional development received directing the safe and effective application of social media learning platforms?, (3) What are K-12 educational professionals’ experiences in the use of social media learning platforms as a tool for digital literacy instruction?, and (4) What are K-12 educational professionals’ experiences on the development of safe and appropriate educational use of social media learning platforms policies? The study resulted in nine themes: improving learning experiences, safe social media use, professional development advantage, shift in focus, educator role, development of higher-order skills, digital literacy development, level of educator involvement, and legal and ethical considerations. This study is important because it promotes discourse in the K-12 educational system to prepare globally competitive adults with appropriate academic and digital literacy skills. The study can serve as a source of information and motivation for K-12 public education professionals to adopt and implement social learning platforms as an educational tool while ensuring the safety of students through development and implementation of clear policies

The Rock, Spring, 1998 (vol. 69, no. 1)

https://poetcommons.whittier.edu/rock/1207/thumbnail.jp

Independent - Mar. 1, 2016

https://neiudc.neiu.edu/independent/1510/thumbnail.jp

Deep in the Burbs : a Participatory Action Research Project Exploring How the Social Trinity Impacts Spiritual Formation in Suburban ELCA Congregations

Deep in the Burbs is a participatory action research project that gathered members from three upper-Midwest suburban ELCA congregations to explore how engagement with the social Trinity might impact the research team’s ideation or praxis of spiritual formation. The research team pursued this question through the practice of Dwelling in the Word—specifically in select passages from the Upper Room Discourse (John 13-17)—various modalities of communicative learning, and communicative action projects in the community. The data indicate three major themes that became important to the research team: the essential nature of relationships, the necessity of reflection, and the awareness of the Holy Spirit’s agency in the world. These findings indicate that the process of participatory action research itself is a Trinitarian praxis that empowered the research team to shift from a vertical-personal ideation and praxis of spiritual formation to a horizontal-communal ideation and praxis of spiritual formation. This shift demonstrates the self-transcendence inherent in spiritual formation. These findings also provide practical implications for leaders of the missional church who seek to engage the suburban neighbor in the Gospel of peace—to the glory of God, through Jesus, and in the power of the Holy Spirit

International Conference on Media

UBT Annual International Conference is the 11th international interdisciplinary peer reviewed conference which publishes works of the scientists as well as practitioners in the area where UBT is active in Education, Research and Development. The UBT aims to implement an integrated strategy to establish itself as an internationally competitive, research-intensive university, committed to the transfer of knowledge and the provision of a world-class education to the most talented students from all background. The main perspective of the conference is to connect the scientists and practitioners from different disciplines in the same place and make them be aware of the recent advancements in different research fields, and provide them with a unique forum to share their experiences. It is also the place to support the new academic staff for doing research and publish their work in international standard level. This conference consists of sub conferences in different fields like: Art and Digital Media Agriculture, Food Science and Technology Architecture and Spatial Planning Civil Engineering, Infrastructure and Environment Computer Science and Communication Engineering Dental Sciences Education and Development Energy Efficiency Engineering Integrated Design Information Systems and Security Journalism, Media and Communication Law Language and Culture Management, Business and Economics Modern Music, Digital Production and Management Medicine and Nursing Mechatronics, System Engineering and Robotics Pharmaceutical and Natural Sciences Political Science Psychology Sport, Health and Society Security Studies This conference is the major scientific event of the UBT. It is organizing annually and always in cooperation with the partner universities from the region and Europe. We have to thank all Authors, partners, sponsors and also the conference organizing team making this event a real international scientific event. Edmond Hajrizi, President of UBT UBT – Higher Education Institutio