We are pleased to present a new series about how Columbia Journalism School has been training its students to become leading climate change reporters. With changes in the climate endangering lives, ecologies, and economies at global and local levels, the work of journalists is vital for effectively and accurately explaining the science and implications of climate change to the public. In this class spotlight, we look at the innovative new Master of Science Program course "Covering Climate: Story and Animation." The class, first offered in the spring of 2019, teaches students how to build the reporting, animation, and visualization skills to cover climate change stories correctly, comprehensively, and creatively.
Taught in spring 2019 by Marguerite Holloway (M.S. '88), Associate Professor of Professional Practice and Director of the Master of Arts Program's Science Concentration, and Benjamin Hirt, "Covering Climate: Story and Animation" offers Master of Science Program students a unique opportunity to learn how to report on the many stories of climate change. Students learn the underlying science—gaining skills and techniques they can apply to reporting on science and environmental issues generally. They also learn how to think about and explore the many ways climate intersects with nearly every aspect of global society, including health, psychology, immigration, and infrastructure. During the 15-week class, students write several stories, largely focusing on New York City and the region. At the same time, they develop the skills needed to produce a visually compelling narrative, using Adobe software such as Photoshop, Premiere Pro, and After Effects. By the end of the course, students have learned elements of design and visual presentation by creating an animated piece that serves as the capstone of the semester. Class members have been encouraged to publish their climate change visualizations.
In July 2019, Veronica Penney, a "Covering Climate" student in the Master of Science in Data Journalism Class of 2019, published her visualization of how climate change threatens the northeastern U.S.'s rail network on The Weather Channel's www.weather.com.
In the video below, Professor Holloway discusses the new class. "Visual storytelling is challenging, but the students did an incredible job," she explains. "All of them did very different kinds of animations and they all found stories or explainers within the realm of climate science that were really extraordinary."
Columbia Journalism School's Master of Science curriculum provides students with several opportunities to take classes like "Covering Climate: Story and Animation," in which they build extensive knowledge about specific journalistic subjects while they simultaneously gain experience using the most cutting-edge storytelling technology and techniques.
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