Chicago Journalism, Art and Media Project and Equipment Fund

The Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC), through its new Chicago Journalism, Art and Media Project (C-JAM), is pleased to announce the creation of the C-JAM Educator Equipment Fund. The goal of this fund, sponsored by the McCormick Foundation’s Journalism Program, is to help educators gain access to the technology they need to better integrate journalism and media making into learning. The fund was previously known as the Chicago Youth Media Technology fund and was administered by Roosevelt University’s Communications Department.

This initiative grows out of the McCormick Foundation’s commitment to youth media and news literacy work both inside and outside of schools. Equipment package grants are intended to further Chicago-area educators’ use of media with young people (for news gathering, interviewing, documentary, community exploration, etc.) both in schools and community-based settings.

The grants are available as equipment packages and interested applicants can select the package that best matches their needs and project ideas. Potential applicants are educators who currently incorporate media production in their classrooms or in their youth programs (for example, to produce audio podcasts on community issues or videos on the environment).

The three equipment packages are:
• Video Production
• Audio Production
• Print/Photo/Graphic Production & Design

The C-JAM project team and advisory committee with education, journalistic, and youth media expertise will determine awards based on the stated need and compelling nature of the application. The project team may follow up with further questions.

Technology awarded through this program will be for the use of the applicant but will become the property of the school or nonprofit where applicants work. Winning educators will join a community of like-minded educators from across the metropolitan area for on-going professional development to support their integration of media making. Activities will include workshops on production techniques, digital/news
literacy, curriculum development, etc. Participating educators will have access to an online community to request assistance, post related events, connect with peers in their vicinity and other networking opportunities.

To apply for the Equipment Fund, visit the C-JAM Equipment Fund Application:  http://cjam.edc.org/equipment_fund  You will be asked to complete the application online, it is recommended that you compile all the information necessary to apply before filling out the application.   Deadline to apply is March 21, 2011.
 

Photo credit: Jason Reblando