Creating a 21st Century Newsroom for Your High School Journalism Students

I recently set out on a mission to completely revamp our high school journalism space. I realized that to properly prepare my students for the professional news media landscape, my approach to technology had to begin with the end in mind.
by Nathan Ulrey

​I recently set out on a mission to completely revamp our high school journalism space. I realized that to properly prepare my students for the professional news media landscape, my approach to technology integration had to begin with the end in mind. I needed to plan backward from my ultimate goal: producing career-ready, multimodal storytellers (ACE, 2023a). 

That realization led me to draft a proposal for a state-of-the-art Interactive Journalism Lab: a space that functions not just as a classroom, but as a fully operational newsroom, photo/video editing suite, and podcasting studio. 

If you are looking to redesign your own news media space to better serve your students, here is how I approached the design and how you can do the same.

Ditching the Rows (Rethinking the Layout)  
For decades, computer labs have been designed with forward-facing rows of desks. But if you want to foster collaboration, this layout is a roadblock. Research states that traditional, forward-facing classroom designs promote "unidirectional learning, constraining creativity” (Casanova et al., 2023, p. 1). 

When designing my lab, I completely broke away from the standard rows. Instead, I opted for a collaborative, zoned space. I included a central boardroom area where students can roll their chairs together for large-group editorial meetings. Along the perimeter, I placed dedicated PC workstations for video/audio/photo editing, and I even tucked an acoustic podcast recording space into the teacher's office. 

My advice: Don't force your students into a one-size-fits-all layout. By zoning your classroom into distinct areas, you provide "alternatives which increase opportunities for students to learn in different ways" and better support diverse lesson needs (ACE, 2023b, p. 3).

Gearing Up for Professional Production  
It can be tempting to fill a grant proposal with flashy technology, but I quickly learned that you need tools that mirror actual professional environments. To support heavy multimedia production, the core of my lab features high-performance Dell PCs with 32GB of RAM and dual monitors to ensure seamless 4K video editing. I also included broadcast-quality Shure dynamic microphones and hefty Canon DSLR camera kits. 

My advice: When you are advocating for your own budget, be highly intentional. Make sure your hardware purchasing decisions prioritize "speed, durability, and the potential for upgrades" (ACE, 2023a, p. 2). Ensure that every piece of equipment (including the acoustic panels and ergonomic chairs) is clearly tied to relevant pedagogical goals rather than just looking good on paper (Casanova et al., 2023). 

Just a lil more advice: When planning the space and considering the budget, make two or three iterations of your plan. Your dream scenario should spend every penny of your budget. Your realistic scenario might cut a few frills from the dream scenario, but it should spend the majority of your budget while keeping in mind that you'll need to convince your administration that each purchase carries pedagogical importance.

The Real-World Impact  
Ultimately, this process isn't just about acquiring cool gadgets; it is about shifting the learning experience from passive consumption to active, real-world media production. By equipping the lab with industry-standard tools, I was able to remove the technical barriers and slow processing speeds that so often frustrated my multimedia learners. 

Modern physical learning spaces must be intentionally designed to promote active student participation and collegiality (Casanova et al., 2023). When you build an environment where students can seamlessly transition between writing a script, recording audio, and editing video all within the same instructional period, you are setting them up for incredible success.

​Your "So What?" Moment
To properly prepare our journalism students for a competitive, digital workforce, we must provide them with a learning environment that mirrors the professional studios and newsrooms they may soon enter. Outdated layouts simply cannot support the collaborative storytelling required by modern curriculum standards. 

I hope my journey inspires you to rethink your own classroom lab space! 

What does your current journalism space look like? Have you tried implementing different collaborative "zones" in your classroom? Let me know in the comments below! 

References

​American College of Education. (2023). TECH6363 - Technology Use in Educational Environments: Module 1 – Hardware for educational environments. Canvas. https://2571531.kaf.kaltura.com/playlist/dedicated/405157422/1_a76vlnj4/1_5sp8sguo 

American College of Education. (2023). TECH6363 - Technology Use in Educational Environments: Module 1 – Digital education tools. Canvas. https://2571531.kaf.kaltura.com/playlist/dedicated/405157422/1_a76vlnj4/1_c89t0cuu 
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Casanova, D., Huet, I., & Garcia, F. (2023). The experience of co-designing a learning space with teachers and students. Education Sciences, 13, 103. 

Farber, J. (2019). Black and brown wireless headphones [Photograph]. Unsplash. 
https://unsplash.com/photos/black-and-brown-wireless-headphones-gjHmip_Lmg4 

​Hc Digital. (2021). Black and white camera tripod [Photograph]. Unsplash. 
​https://unsplash.com/photos/black-and-white-camera-tripod-5tbq37qDO64 ​

McSkelly, R. (2021). Black Canon DSLR camera on red textile [Photograph]. Unsplash. 
https://unsplash.com/photos/black-nikon-dslr-camera-on-red-textile-E_eRX8Phnto 

Zakharchenko, Y. (2024). An office filled with lots of desks and computers [Photograph]. Unsplash. 
https://unsplash.com/photos/black-nikon-dslr-camera-on-red-textile-E_eRX8Phnto