Newsroom: NLP launches NewsLit Nation, the News Literacy Educator Network
Nationwide community of teachers, librarians and administrators will be advocates for news literacy education
WASHINGTON, D.C., Feb. 3, 2021 — To work toward reducing the harmful effects of misinformation on young minds, the News Literacy Project (NLP) is launching NewsLit Nation, the home of its News Literacy Educator Network. NewsLit Nation members will advocate for news literacy education in their school districts and states and support educators helping students navigate the complex digital news ecosystem.
With educators on the frontline of the fight against misinformation, NewsLit Nation provides resources and know-how for this urgent and important work. The network also organizes at the local level to enable educators to push for a curriculum in their schools and communities that includes news literacy training.
“We’re building an army of news literacy educators to mobilize their peers and create a future founded on facts,” said Ebonee Rice, NLP’s vice president of the educator network. “We’re here to empower educators with the tools they need to actively teach students the abilities to become equal and engaged participants in our democracy.’’
Advocates for news literacy
Through the network, NLP is training teachers, librarians and school administrators across the country to advocate on behalf of a news literacy curriculum, help find opportunities for local partnerships and build channels of communication for their communities as local news literacy champions. NewsLit Nation also includes a network of ambassadors, who are educators working to create a sense of community in their local and regional school districts. There are now 13 news literacy ambassadors in 10 cities across the country.
It also provides access to exclusive professional development opportunities, webinars, other training and additional support through online forums and message boards for educators in their schools.
“Our goal,” added Rice, “is to encourage educators to learn from one another in a shared space, gain a sense of belonging, exchange best practices with others in the field and enjoy perks and incentives to support their work in the classroom.”
Educators can easily join the network by registering here.
About the News Literacy Project
The News Literacy Project, a nonpartisan national education nonprofit, provides programs and resources for educators and the public to teach, learn and share the abilities needed to be smart, active consumers of news and information and equal and engaged participants in a democracy.