Press Play: Hackforge’s Student Data-Journalism Hackathon

February 4, 2015

In celebration of Open Data Day, Press Play: Data-Journalism Hackathon brings together local post-secondary students around government open data. Starting Sunday, February 15th at Windsor Public Library, teams made up of one journalism student and one computer science student will be given assignments with unique local data sets. They will have one week to create an interactive visualization using Windsor data.

Interactive visualizations bring complex data to life. The reader is able to explore facts and figures in a way which merges technology and design. Digital content is becoming increasingly fundamental to news institutions. Interactive visualizations utilize the potentials and creativity of the online medium. Check below for a few examples.

The hackathon aims to partner students from the University of Windsor and St. Clair College. Students will experience real world deadlines and assignments. Mentors are made up of local professional computer programmers, journalists, and graphic designers. Students will have various opportunities to learn from and network with them.

Press Play is brought to you with support of the Ontario Trillium Foundation and is organized by University of Windsor Journalism Student, Lauren Hedges and Hackforge.

Registration is free and open to any post-secondary student with an interest in either journalism or computer science.

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN.

The Details:

Start date:
Sunday, February 15, 2015
2-5 PM
Fred Israel Room, Windsor Public Library Central Branch (850 Ouellette Ave)
Includes round table discussion from industry professionals on data journalism and the role of open data in Windsor.

You have week to complete the interactive visualization.
Teams are made up of two post-secondary students: one team member for coding, the other for journalism.
If you don’t have a teammate in mind, you will be paired up on February 15th.
There will be three assignments to choose from with varying degrees of difficulty.
All assignments involve open data about Windsor, Ontario.

Reveal Day:
Sunday, February 22, 2015
1-3PM
Windsor Star Green Bean Cafe (300 Ouellette Ave)

Get Inspired: Interactive Visualizations

Interactive 2016 U.S Proposed Budget
Interactive: Global Emissions by the Washington Post
50 Years of Change: LGBT Civil Rights by Rashauna Mead
Behind the Bloodshed: the Untold Story of America’s Mass Killings by USA Today
Out-of-School Children by UNESCO Institute for Statistics