Learn coronavirus media coverage with First Draft

First Draft has created an e-learning facility for journalists all over the world reporting activities as regards the coronavirus pandemic.

The online course titled “Covering coronavirus: An online course for journalists” will give journalists the practical tools, techniques and advice they need to tackle the infodemic and produce credible coverage on coronavirus.

The course will also help in controlling misleading or incorrect information about the disease, how it spreads and how we can protect ourselves against it as journalists.

Describing the spread of false news as ‘infodemic’, First Draft said it has designed the course to help newsroom and communication professionals tackle the challenge posed by this infodemic.

The course explains how and why false information spreads and provides tools and techniques for monitoring and verifying information online.

It also offers advice on how those covering the crisis every day can protect their own mental and emotional well being.

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The course includes:

• How to understand information disorder, as wells how and why false information spreads
• How to monitor for coronavirus-related information on the social web
• The main tools and techniques for verifying content online
• Best practices to slow down the spread of misinformation
• How to look after your own mental health while covering a pandemic

The course could be accessed on both mobile and desktop versions.

How to sign up

• Step 1 – Head to covid.firstdraftnews.org and create a free account.
• Step 2 – Once you’re in the landing page, click on the big banner image that says “Register for First Draft Courses by clicking here”.
• Step 3 – Select “Covering coronavirus – an online course for journalists” and click ENROLL.

The courses are designed such that journalist can choose any to start with. It also comes with short video of 2-3 minutes duration.