Journalism Interactive kicked off this morning! Join the conversation on Twitter by following @jiconf and using the hashtag #jiconf. Our official Journalism Interactive publishing partner, AJR, is providing comprehensive coverage of the conference at AJR.org and on their Twitter feed @AmJourReview.

We’ll also be posting video of most of the sessions shortly after they end on our official Journalism Interactive YouTube channel.

Ticket sales reached the maximum capacity and have been halted for Journalism Interactive 2014. With this sold-out conference just five days away, the planning committee is putting final touches on the logistics. Here’s what attendees and speakers need to know:

1) TRAVEL – You’ll receive a final logistics email early this week with additional details on session planning and travel advice. (Travel tip: For the budget conscious, SuperShuttle is the best way to get there from all three airports.)

2) TWO DAYS, TWO BUILDINGS — J/i sessions take place in two different buildings. All Friday sessions are at the College Park Marriott Inn & Conference center. All Saturday sessions are in Knight Hall, the journalism building at the University of Maryland, a short walk from the Marriott. J/i will run a UM shuttle bus in a loop from the Marriott to Knight Hall starting at 8:15 a.m. on Saturday.

3) MOBILE APP — J/i uses the Sched.org app, so be sure to get the mobile web app on your phone before you get there. Details on installing the mobile schedule on your phone are on the J/I mobile page.

3) SOCIAL MEDIA – A student reporting team will write updates from the sessions, to be hosted by J/i’s publishing partner, American Journalism Review, at ajr.org. We invite everyone to live blog and tweet the conference using the #JICONF hashtag, and the reporting team will curate the best in the J/i live blog. Conference organizers will be awarding prizes for “best” tweets in a variety of categories, so don’t be shy. For the latest announcements and news updates during the conference, follow @Jiconf and @AmJourReview.

4) RECEPTIONS — The conference offers plenty of networking opportunities. In recent weeks, J/i has added two networking receptions at the Marriott, which are organized and sponsored by partner organizations. These are in addition to the closing reception, which takes place at 5:45 p.m. Saturday in Knight Hall.

No RSVP necessary for the closing reception in Knight Hall, but we ask attendees to please RSVP if they’d like to attend the two additional receptions at the Marriott. Details:

** CHALLENGE FUND — A Friday evening reception, immediately before the dinner, will take place on the Lower Level Gallery of the Marriott. It is sponsored by the Challenge Fund for Innovation in Journalism Education and hosted by the Online News Association and four funders of the Challenge Fund. Additional reception details are in the post below. Please RVSP using the form on this page: http://challengefund.splashthat.com.

** MEDIASHIFT – A Kickoff reception Thursday evening from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. is sponsored by PBS MediaShift. The location is The Common bar near the entrance to the College Park Marriott Inn & Conference Center, directly across from the J/i Conference Registration Desk (which opens at 4 pm Thursday.) Please RSVP to MediaShift here:
http://www.pbs.org/mediashift/mediashift-mixer-at-journalism-interactive/

We are delighted to announce that the Challenge Fund for Innovation in Journalism Education will announce its first grant winners during the Friday lunch at the J/i conference this year.

To honor the winners, the Challenge Fund is hosting a special reception on Friday evening, right before the dinner at J/i. It is open to all attendees.

The Challenge Fund for Innovation in Journalism Education Reception @ J/i is hosted by the Online News Association, the Democracy Fund, the Ethics & Excellence in Journalism Foundation, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and The McCormick Foundation.

The reception will take place in the Lower Level Gallery in the College Park Marriott Inn & Conference Center. The time is 6:15 pm to 7:15 pm on Friday, April 4.

Please RVSP using the form on this page: http://challengefund.splashthat.com

Please join us for the next Journalism Interactive Conference, which takes place at the University of Maryland in College Park, Md. on April 4-5, 2014. If you have any questions or problems with your registration, or need a press pass, please send an email to lwalker AT jmail.umd.edu.

Key themes for  J/i this year are mobile, engagement, data, video and  entrepreneurship. Schedule and session titles are listed below. The full program is available from the “Program” tab in the menu above. We’re still adding speakers and sessions, so check back soon.

We are still taking applications from attendees who want to participate in J/i’s version of Shark Tank, a live pitch contest in the Saturday morning entrepreneurship session. See details on this J/i Pitch Contest page — and enter for your chance at winning a new Kindle.

MediaShift Mixer Added for Thursday: MediaShift is hosting a networking mixer at the conference hotel, the College Park Marriott Hotel & Conference Center, from 6 pm to 8 pm on Thursday, April 3. Registration for J/I will be open from 4 pm to 8 pm in the same area, so you can register for the conference and then drop by the MediaShift Mixer.  Admission to the mixer costs nothing and includes one free drink; please RSVP in advance through the MediaShift Mixer page.

Teach-A-Thon and Research-A-Thon — Applications are now closed for the Teach-a-Thon and Research-a-Thon. See the list of presenters in the PROGRAM tab above.

Friday, April 4:

See the PROGRAM tab above for more details om each session.

All Friday sessions will be held at the College Park Marriott Hotel & Conference Center.

8:45 am Welcome and opening remarks

9:15 am PLENARY – The Future of Visual Storytelling: Richard Koci Hernandez, UC’s Berkeley School of Journalism

10:30 am PLENARY – Top Tech Trends for Academics: Amy Webb, CEO and founder, Webbmedia Group

NOON—Lunch in Marriott Ballroom. Awards Announcement for the Challenge Fund for Innovation in Journalism Education.

1:30 pm Breakouts:

• 11 Free and Cheap Tools for Interactive Storytelling; Steven King, assistant professor, School of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• Teaching the Social Metrics of News (Panel): Steve Yelvington, vice president of audience, Savannah Morning News; Susan Mernit, ED, Center for Media Change Oakland Local/LiveWork Oakland/hack the hood; Joy Mayer, associate professor, Missouri School of Journalism; Judd Slivka, assistant professor, Missouri School of Journalism (moderator).

3 pm Breakouts:

• 10 Things to Teach About Mobile (Panel): Etan Horowitz, CNN mobile editor; Emily Ingram, mobile product manager,The Washington Post; Beth Parker, reporter, WTTG DC News Fox 5; Mindy McAdams, Knight Chair in Journalism Technologies and the Democratic Process, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications (moderator).
• News Startups and Innovators: (Panel): Rob Malda, chief digital strategist and editor at large, Trove (formerly WaPo Labs); Trina Chiasson, co-founder and CEO, InfoActive; Mark Potts, founder of Newspeg; Leslie Walker, visiting professor in digital innovation, University of Maryland Philip Merrill College of Journalism (moderator).

4:30 pm – 6:30 pm  Teach-A-Thon: Classroom Tips on Teaching Digital Journalism

• Journalism professors from 11 universities present creative strategies and tools for teaching digital journalism in seven-minute sessions each. Moderators: Debora Wenger, associate professor and head of the journalism department at the University of Mississippi; and Matt Sheehan, director of the Innovation News Center, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications.

6:15 pm – 7:15 pm Reception, Lower Level Gallery. Sponsored and hosted by the Challenge Fund for Innovation in Journalism Education.

7 pm DINNER and talk titled “Algorithmic Accountability Reporting”: by Nicholas Diakopoulos, a computer scientist, Tow Fellow at the Columbia University School of Journalism and incoming faculty member at the Philip Merrill College of Journalism.

SATURDAY, April 5

All Saturday sessions take place in Knight Hall, University of Maryland’s journalism building.

9 am Breakouts

• Interviewing Data for News Stories: Derek Willis, interactive developer, New York Times.
• Research-A-Thon: Charting the Future of News with Innovative Research. Moderator: Assistant professor, Director, Media, Self and Society Program, College Park Scholars, University of Maryland Philip Merrill College of Journalism.
• Managing Change in Journalism (Or, Just Put Me Out to Pasture Now!)   (Panel): Brian Boyer, visuals editor, NPR; Lisa Williams, director of digital engagement, Investigative News Network; Matt Waite, professor of practice, University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Journalism and Communications; Gary Kebbel, professor, director of Mobile Media Lab, University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Journalism and Communications (moderator).

10:30 am Breakouts

• Data-Driven Storytelling: Present & Future (Panel): Hannah Fairfield, senior graphics editor, New York Times; Jeremy Bowers, news application developer, NPR; Steven King, assistant professor, School of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (moderator).
• Teaching Entrepreneurship & Pitch Contest: This session explores strategies for teaching media entrepreneurship and includes a live pitch contest in which J/i conference attendees pitch their business ideas. Moderated by Mark Potts, serial news entrepreneur and founder of Newspeg. Panelists include Dan Shanoff, director of audience development at USA TODAY, Amy Eisman, director of Media Entrepreneurship and Interactive Journalism, American University; and Lisa Williams, digital engagement editor, Investigative News Network.
• Teaching Video: Tips from a Pro:: Bethany Swain, a former CNN photojournalist who teaches advanced video storytelling at the Philip Merrill College of Journalism, showcases best practices, top tips and useful exercises for teaching video journalism.

NOON – LUNCH in Knight Hall

1:30 pm – 5:30 pm -　Skills & Training Workshops

(First-come seating is limited in sessions marked with **)

1:30 pm – 3:30 pm:

• Drone Journalism: Demo and Overview: Matt Waite, professor of practice, University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Journalism and Communications
• Law Clinic for J-School Editors & Teachers: Charles Tobin, Holland & Knight, LLP
• Google Fusion Tables**: Mindy McAdams, Knight chair in journalism technologies and the democratic process, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications.
• Intro to Programming with Javascript, part 1**: Steven King, assistant professor, School of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill .
• Audience Engagement: What “Works” in Social Media?**: Joy Mayer, associate professor, Missouri School of Journalism
• Mobile Newsgathering: Make the Most of Your Students’ Smartphones**: Carl Corry, online local news editor, Newsday *Sponsored by the Society of Professional Journalists *

3:45 – 5:45 pm:

• How to Teach with Google Glass: Jeremy Littau of Lehigh University and Mike Reilley of DePaul University show how wearable computers can be used ethically and effectively in journalism.
• How to Scrape Web Data for Absolute Beginners**: Michelle Minkoff, interactive producer, Associated Press
• Intro to Programming with Javascript, part 2**: Steven King, assistant professor, School of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. (Part 1 is pre-requisite).
• 3 Simple Graphics Tools for the Nongraphic Professor**: Jody Brannon, vice president, Online News Association.
• Video Tagging with WireWAX**: Joshua Davidsburg, broadcast lecturer, University of Maryland Philip Merrill College of Journalism.

5 p.m. – 7 p.m. Closing Reception

Please join us for the next Journalism Interactive, which will be held at the University of Maryland in College Park, Md. on April 4-5, 2014. Space is limited for this two-day digital media conference; it sold out early the last time it was held in Maryland, so don’t delay reserving your seat. (Use the REGISTER button above to reserve your seat through Eventbrite; your registration fee includes two lunches and a Friday night dinner)

We Want Your Ideas! — The planning committee seeks proposals from educators to present digital media teaching strategies and research in the annual 90-minute Teach-A-Thon and new Research-A-Thon.  To apply to participate, use the submission forms at right under “Get Involved.”  Registration fees will be waived if your proposal is selected for one these fast-paced sessions involving short on-stage presentations.

Journalism Interactive convenes educators, journalists, scholars and students to explore the frontier of digital journalism education and discuss new ways of teaching, reporting and producing digital news. The conference features two full days of presentations, networking and hands-on training.

Key themes for J/i 2014:

• Entrepreneurship
• Mobile
• Data
• Video
• Engagement

Sneak Peek at the 2014 Program

Below are a few highlights of the 2014 J/i program; more speakers still to come.

Sample Sessions
J/i will feature dozens of sessions, including keynotes, panels and hands-on workshops  Professional journalists, educators and technologists will present and lead dialogues on topics of interest to educators, journalists and scholars. A sampler of what you’ll see in the auditorium:

• 10 Things to Teach About Mobile, with panelists from CNN, The Washington Post, WTTG-TV Fox 5
• Interviewing Data for News Stories: Derek Willis, the New York Times
• Top Tech Trends for Journalism Educators: Amy Webb, CEO, Webbmedia Group
• Startups and Innovators: Trends in News Innovations
• The Future of Visual Storytelling: Richard Koci Hernandez, UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism
• 11 Free and Cheap Online Tools for Interactive Storytelling: Steven King, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• Teaching the Social Metrics of News: Panel discussion
• Data-Driven Storytelling, Present and Future: panelists from the New York Times, NPR and more
• Teach-A-Thon: Classroom Tips for Teaching Digital Journalism
• Research-A-Thon: Charting the Future of News with Innovative Research

Hands-On Training:
Back by popular demand, hands-on training will be offered Saturday afternoon in the computer labs and auditorium at the University of Maryland’s journalism school in Knight Hall. Among the sessions taught by experts in their fields will be:

• Intro to Programming using Javascript: Steven King, UNC
• How to Scrape Web Data for Absolute Beginners: Michelle Minkoff, Associated Press
• How to Create Web Graphics with Highcharts: Sean Mussenden, UMD
• Law Clinic for J-School Editors and Teachers
• Google Fusion Tables: Mindy McAdams, University of Florida
• Mobile News Gathering: Carl Corry, Newsday

About J/i

The J/i conference was founded in 2011 by the University of Maryland’s Philip Merrill College of Journalism and is organized by a national planning committee of educators from five  universities. The J/i moves to different cities and is hosted by various journalism schools participating in a partnership. In 2013, the University of Florida hosted the second Journalism Interactive in Gainesville, Fla.

Conference Hotel: The conference hotel is the Marriott Inn & Conference Center adjacent to the University of Maryland. The street address is 3501 University Blvd, East Hyattsville, Maryland 20783. A discounted room rate code is available for attendees, visit the TRAVEL page linked on the menu above for the group rate.

We hope to see you in College Park in April! This conference coincides with the National Cherry Blossom Festival held annually just down the road in D.C., so you might want to stay over a day and enjoy the festivities!