Not Another Quiz An Approach to Engage Today’s Students in Meaningful Current Events Discussions

Journalism professors are concerned with how effectively students understand current news events and engage with mainstream news sources. This essay is based on a survey administered to students in a newswriting course and analyzed the kinds of current news that students followed in weekly assignments designed with a digital, interactive approach. Some outcomes indicated that students’ grades improved, breaking news and crime were the stories students followed the most, and students appeared to engage better with news sources through the interactive exercise. This essay also discusses practical implications for educators who are searching for innovative ways to boost media literacy and current news discussions in their classrooms.