A blended programme for working journalists: an online course, a week-long in-person workshop and a data investigation simulation, evaluated before, during and after delivery.
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Working journalists across digital, print, television, radio and freelance media. Most applicants rated their data skills as beginner or no experience; 56% of the cohort worked in digital media and 56% already had some economic reporting experience.
A pre-training survey found the barriers were access and verification rather than motivation: 72% lacked access to reliable data, 64% struggled to verify information and 56% had limited access to expert sources. 80% wanted access to new data sources.
Instructional design lead for the programme. Designed and developed the content of the online course, Navigating Global Development Finance; conceptualised and built the AidData Training Hub that delivers it; designed and delivered The Missing Classrooms simulation during the in-person week. As training lead, I own the work plans, monitoring and evaluation, and quarterly reporting to the U.S. Department of State.
Four modules: Data Foundations, Data Journalism, Data Analysis & Visualization, and International Development Finance & Credit Provision, each closing with a quiz, followed by a capstone project. Participants averaging above 75% earn a Data Journalism digital badge. Average quiz results ranged from 65% to 95% across the four modules.
The course is delivered in partnership with William & Mary’s Studio for Teaching & Learning Innovation. Graduates receive a William & Mary completion credential administered through the Studio and issued as a digital badge on Credly.
View the course ↗ View the W&M credential on Credly ↗A data investigation exercise built on a fictional school-construction programme. Five teams (community impact, construction oversight, financial crimes, geographic justice and procurement) analyse their own datasets, then combine findings into one story. A facilitator memo and quick-reference guide set out the key calculations each team should reach.
Pre-, mid- and post-training surveys alongside module quizzes. Self-rated gains included analysing numerical data (2.6 to 3.8), creating data visualizations (2.7 to 3.8) and infrastructure project financing (2.5 to 3.7). These are self-ratings and quiz results, not independently measured workplace outcomes.
Charts from the cohort’s pre- and post-training surveys. All figures are anonymous cohort totals.
The post-training survey was positive overall. Its weaker results were the most useful: they point to four design changes for subsequent cohorts, while peer review and reporting close the loop.
90% agreed the trainers were knowledgeable and effective, but only 60% agreed there was enough time for practice and questions. More hands-on practice was the most common request.
All respondents were satisfied with the in-person workshop, against 78.9% for the online course. Participants said the online modules were long for the time available.
The Data Analysis & Visualization module drew the most dissatisfaction (17.7% unsatisfied) and the lowest quiz average (65%).
Of 24 respondents, 19 asked for follow-up webinars, 18 for a peer learning network, 16 for story grants and 15 for mentorship.
I demoed the programme's government-official simulations to the W&M Instructional Design Collab. Their feedback targeted outcome alignment, usability for participants at any level of digital skill, and more explicit orientation beyond built-in glossaries and onboarding.
Survey and quiz results go into quarterly reporting and feed the design of the Islamabad and Lahore cohorts.
Simulation source, team datasets, facilitator memo and quick-reference guide
The learning platform that hosts the online course
Video tour of the platform
Public post from the in-person week
Learning strategy, institutional systems and decision practice.