Thursday, November 05, 2009

Taking a Route to Reno Through Chicago


CHICAGO-- The much-anticipated Convergence & Society conference at the University of Nevada-Reno is underway, though I am still trying to get there. For now, I am awaiting a last leg of my trip from Alabama to the Silver State from Midway Airport.

For the first time, I have a choice between the chance the airport has free wireless and paying for Internet access at the terminal. Verizon Wireless's mifi wireless hub is working reasonably well. So I can file from the airport. Yeh!

Decked out in my Nevada Wolfpack sweatshirt, I am ready for the grand total of 40 hours I'll be in the Silver State before heading back on Saturday.

Why the Convergence Conference?

"Assessment Models for Digital Reporter Training: Rubric Revelations of Student Perceptions and Journalistic Product Realities"

That's the long title of the paper I'll be presenting tomorrow afternoon. It's a first look at the results of my Rubric for Digital Readiness, which was developed a year ago to measure how well we're preparing students for the multimedia world of journalistic work.

Before sharing the results and the rubric, I'll be talking about my new Journalism on the Go podcast, which went live on University's iTunesU in August. That first presentation is part of a first-of-its-kind "VISUAL POSTER SESSION" that allows people to participate in the Convergence Conference from across the country. Not sure how well it will work.