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