By Serbino Sandifer-Walker, Texas Southern University
One of the most important aspects of any news story is the lead. It is often the most difficult for beginning news writers to learn to master. It must be well-written, compelling and capture the reader’s attention. The Poynter Institute’s Chip Scanlan said a good lead beckons, invites, informs, attracts and entices the reader. If there is any poetry in journalism Scanlan added, it would have to be in the lead. However, writing a lead that truly captivates a reader can be a daunting task, even for an experienced writer.
Social Media is changing everything. Nowhere is this more evident than on our college and university campuses. Yet there are unique challenges in incorporating social media into an established and tested curriculum.
AEJMC asked teachers to share some of their best practices for incorporating social media into the classroom, including suggested articles, exercises, tools and more. The following is a collection their best ideas and experiences.
Social Media in the Classroom
By Cliff Shaluta, Western Kentucky University
01 / Introduction to Social Media
The business of advertising is being transformed. Consumers are choosing new communication technologies to network with others and to consume news, information, and entertainment on the platforms they choose at the times they want. We are witnessing a seismic shift in consumer media behavior, along with a much slower realignment of advertising budgets. eMarketer projects that spending on digital advertising in the United States will reach $23.6 billion this year, which represents about 14.4% of total advertising spending of $163 billion. Advertising spending exclusively on social networks is pegged at $1.3 billion or about 5% of total digital advertising spending for this year. Advertising on social networks is projected to reach just $1.6 billion by 2013. eMarketer projects that overall spending on digital advertising will grow to $34.0 billion in 2014, meaning that the actual percentage of ad dollars spent on the social networks will remain about 5% of total digital ad spending in the United States.
01 / Introduction to Social Media
The business of advertising is being transformed. Consumers are choosing new communication technologies to network with others and to consume news, information, and entertainment on the platforms they choose at the times they want. We are witnessing a seismic shift in consumer media behavior, along with a much slower realignment of advertising budgets. eMarketer projects that spending on digital advertising in the United States will reach $23.6 billion this year, which represents about 14.4% of total advertising spending of $163 billion. Advertising spending exclusively on social networks is pegged at $1.3 billion or about 5% of total digital advertising spending for this year. Advertising on social networks is projected to reach just $1.6 billion by 2013. eMarketer projects that overall spending on digital advertising will grow to $34.0 billion in 2014, meaning that the actual percentage of ad dollars spent on the social networks will remain about 5% of total digital ad spending in the United States.
Building Personal Brands through Social Media
By David Kamerer, Loyola University Chicago
Students in my public relations writing class are assigned to write 12 blog posts during the semester. While we use many social media tactics in the class, blogging requires the largest time commitment. Some complain about the assignment.
“What should I write about?” ask others.
My answer is that they should write about their professional passion and to do it well.
Students in my public relations writing class are assigned to write 12 blog posts during the semester. While we use many social media tactics in the class, blogging requires the largest time commitment. Some complain about the assignment.
“What should I write about?” ask others.
My answer is that they should write about their professional passion and to do it well.
Using Skype to Teach Live Reporting
By Suzy Smith & Terry Heifetz, Ball State University
Social media has changed the way we interact within our communities. We use it to keep in touch with our families and friends, to connect with people who have common interests, to inform our social and professional groups about upcoming events or happenings, and even to share instant information about our feelings, our whereabouts and even share advice about places to go and things to do.
Social media has changed the way we interact within our communities. We use it to keep in touch with our families and friends, to connect with people who have common interests, to inform our social and professional groups about upcoming events or happenings, and even to share instant information about our feelings, our whereabouts and even share advice about places to go and things to do.
Social Media in the Classroom
By Katie Stansberry, University of Oregon
Because I primarily teach in the public relations sequence, most of my students are preparing for a career in professional persuasive communications. When they enter the workforce, senior employees will look to these fresh-faced young scholars to help lead this industry into a work world increasingly dominated by online communication practices. My students are comfortable, although by no means experts at, using social media tools. There is no need to spend class time walking them through the process of setting up a personal profile or creating a blog. However, they are woefully unaware of the power of social media tools and the potential of these tools to improve the field of professional strategic communication.
Because I primarily teach in the public relations sequence, most of my students are preparing for a career in professional persuasive communications. When they enter the workforce, senior employees will look to these fresh-faced young scholars to help lead this industry into a work world increasingly dominated by online communication practices. My students are comfortable, although by no means experts at, using social media tools. There is no need to spend class time walking them through the process of setting up a personal profile or creating a blog. However, they are woefully unaware of the power of social media tools and the potential of these tools to improve the field of professional strategic communication.
Widgets and Wikis for the Web 2.0 Journo
By Allissa Richardson, Morgan State University
On the first day of class, my students set up their “e-newsrooms.” The technology-shy students usually groan—then ask me what Facebook, Scribd, Twitter and Wordpress have to do with being a journalist. I understand AEJMC begs this question too. Please allow me to share how my affinity for social media in the classroom began and evolved.
On the first day of class, my students set up their “e-newsrooms.” The technology-shy students usually groan—then ask me what Facebook, Scribd, Twitter and Wordpress have to do with being a journalist. I understand AEJMC begs this question too. Please allow me to share how my affinity for social media in the classroom began and evolved.
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