By Christen DeProto
ONA Convention Online Staff

With new technology emerging every day, universities and journalism schools around the world are racing to keep up with the demands of digital media.

Online journalists attending the Online News Association conference in New York met in two breakfast discussion groups Friday to talk about some of the issues facing J-school educators and journalists.

Rich Hanley, Graduate Studies Program Director at Quinnipiac College in Connecticut, lamented the difficulty he has recruiting qualified faculty for the school’s rapidly growing new media program.

“We are having a hard time finding people with the proper experience, both real world and academic,” he told the gathering of about 15 conferees – some of whom he tried to recruit to teach in his program.

With the demand for new media courses increasing at colleges and universities around the world every year, schools like Quinnipiac College are struggling to find the teachers who will ultimately shape the journalists of tomorrow.

In another discussion circle, Mike Reszler of Knight Ridder Digital sparked interest from assistant professor Amy Eisman of American University and lecturer Leslie-Jean Thornton of Arizona State University, when he talked about the “disconnect” he feels with his interns from the University of Minnesota, St. Paul. He explained that although some of his interns seemed to be skilled in reporting, writing, or technical aspects, they did not possess all of the skills they will need in a digital newsroom.

“There seems to be a lack of understanding in what skills are to be used,” Reszler said. “We need people that are going to know how to use the right skills at the right time.”

After discussing this issue for some time, the group ultimately decided that the “disconnect” was not the fault of students, but rather the mixed messages they receive through their curriculums in J-school. Because of the varying levels of expertise among faculty, and a lack of technological resources, many schools are unable to give a consistent and comprehensive level of training, the group agreed.