Reporters in the Field

Background

Digital Natives The Digital Natives project is collaboration between the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard Law School and the Research Center for Information Law at the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland Digital natives, a term made popular by Marc Prensky, are young people whose use of technology is completely ingrained in their lives -they have grown up always-on and constantly-connected. The project’s goal is to better understand young people’s experiences with digital media, including Internet, cell phones and related technologies. By gaining insight into how digital natives make sense of their interactions in this digital landscape, we may address the issues their practices raise, learn how to harness the opportunities their digital fluency presents, and shape our regulatory and educational frameworks in a way that advances the public interest. This project focuses on the key legal, social, educational and political implications of this generational shift and the changing relationships between people and information that comprise it.

Reporters in the Field Digital Natives Reporters in the Field are essentially Berkman interns who are researching, reporting and producing audio and video clips for an ongoing media series published on the Digital Natives website. These interns can be professionals, graduate students, college students, advanced teens and pre-teens. They often want to produce a piece of media on digital life, but they don't necessarily know what to do or even where to start. This raises several issues for the Berkman Center and this document will address them.

Berkman’s Role for how to structure and deal with the various levels of media producers who approach Digital Natives. "Reporters in the Field” should have a coordinator. This position would be responsible for the creation of content, through interns for the Reporters in the Field program. Refer to Reporters in the Field Coordinator Job Description. First, The Berkman Center must decide if it wants to take on the role of ‘client’ and request that productions are created for specific purposes, such as focusing on chapters of the Born Digital book, or be more involved in the potential learning opportunities that this project might create. Both scenarios are outlined below.

1) As client, the Berkman Center will not be as involved in the production process and communication with the producers would be minimal, limited to reviewing drafts. Additionally, Intern producers will be paid for their efforts. Interns working for less than $600 must complete the “Contractors Submitting Invoices” form and submit an invoice. Interns working for more than $600 need to create a contract with the Berkman Center. The end reseult would be semi-professional audio/video productions with specific content related to an overarching theme developed by the RiF manager.

2) As a production coordinator, the Berkman Center positions itself as being able to create learning opportunities for digital natives and other interns to create content and reflect on the contribution they are making while concurrently becoming familiar with concepts of media education. To do this the manager would be responsible for responding appropriately to various production requests, from both experienced and first-time producers. More advanced producers might be paid a stipend or asked to work for college credit. Young, first time producers can also be paid, but that process becomes slightly more difficult for producers under 18.

Topics

Identity As a first project for applicants who don't have significant examples we would ask them to create a segment on Identity. it would sort of act as a testing ground to test their video-production skills, but also to perhaps ultimately make a compilation on what "Digital Identity" means for youths/DNs around the world. Kind of like how "The Ballad of Zac McCune" had 3 parts, only this would be different creators/with different stories. What is Digital Identity? This project can be done as a Digital Story, making it accessible to younger producers with tons of support documentation on the web.

Interviews - Check out the Best Practices for Interview

Documentary - For more advanced producers, like graduate students or professionals. These can be related to the topics/chapters in Born Digital.

Narrative

Abstract

Compensation

Compensation should be based on the experience of the producer and the intended product. We've already seen that payment to producers under 18 can be problematic, so that should be taken into account. For contractors with an ongoing relationship with the Berkman Center and/or one of its projects, or in situations where an individual will be paid more than $600, a contract will need to be signed before work commences or any invoices are processed.

What sorts of compensation should we provide to producers under 18? Is a book enough? Can we streamline the process for payment of $100 or $200 for works that merit it?

Participants

Reporters in the Field Coordinator note to matt: i'd like this to lay out the different options for grade levels, countries, etc. I'd also like there to be links to our youtube channel.. specifically stuff that has been made by our reporters.. RIAA part II and Digital Dossier and How I learned to type. We might also want to list past interns here. We can let them put bios up if they want. It is here where folks need to think about if they've got the skills and the resources to do this. DN Reporters in the Field Production Interns The internship requires 5-10 hours a week. Must be proficient in Final Cut and camera/audio equipment. Ideal candidates can set-up interviews, get clearance, record, edit, post and produce. This internship is great for independent self-starters who have stories to tell.