This course is designed for majors in the New Media track to develop essential social media production skills. Curriculum focuses on practicum in acquiring, producing, editing, distributing and analyzing content, and learning communication theory relevant to structuring content for converged access.
The goal of this course competency in fundamental digital media production in graduates preparing to be content specialists producing and distributing content via social media.
To this end, if you do the activities involved in this course’s curriculum, you will be able to:
1. Create, publish and maintain a blog addressing a specific subject of interest,
2. Create, correct and upload original photographic content to support blog posts,
2. Create, correct and upload original photographic content to support blog posts,
3. Produce and edit podcast content and post to your blog,
4. Produce and edit video content and publish to your blog,
5. Create a social media strategy to cross-promote your blog over at least two platforms,
6. Evaluate the efficacy of your work through data analytics,
7. Adjust and adapt to your audience.
7. Adjust and adapt to your audience.
Item Pool and Course Requirements
These activities are designed to get you discovering different aspects and applications of new media production, develop a working knowledge of specific social media technology and contribute to your portfolio.
Create and Maintain a Blog (Objective 1) 200 Points
Select a topic or subject of which you're passionate or want to know more about. Create a blog that supports your choice that sustains your communication objectives and your targeted audience. Publish a minimum of twelve posts and include pages for navigation such as an About page, an Archive page, and/or a popular post link.
Think of this as outgoing, sharing, reaching out to foster critical thinking and encourage discussion. Link out to other blogs (a blogroll) that speak to your topic to promote and establish your identity and your niche. Use either Google's Blogger or WordPress as your platform.
Create Photographic Content (Objective 2) 200 Points
Shoot. Acquire images that amplify the impact of your content, support your story, and lend context to the theme of your blog post. Edit and digitally enhance your images for clarity and aesthetics. Post your images to your blog, integrating to complement your message.
Produce Podcast Content (Objective 3) 200 Points
Acquire, edit and post a minimum of two podcasts to your blog. Conduct your interviews to the end of getting solid sound bites and natural sound. Record your narrative. Edit your audio to eliminate the extraneous but maintain continuity and to include music and ambient audio to enhance the story.
There are dozens of podcast producing apps out there and as many way to upload content to your blog. Find what works for you and for your blog platform. An iPhone 5 or beyond has plenty quality and capacity to be a production tool for this assignment.
Produce Video Content (Objective 4) 200 Points
Acquire, edit and post a minimum of two videos using YouTube as a distribution engine. Your video content supports your blog's objectives. Shoot and edit video with a smartphone using editing apps or desktop tools. Produce talking-heads, interviews and b-roll, then edit content into a package not to exceed two minutes.
Cross-Promote (Objective 6 and 7) 100 Points
Create a social media strategy to cross-promote your blog over at least two platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Use your existing channels to promote and drive traffic traffic to your blog site.
Gather Data Analytics (Objective 6 and 7) 100 Points
Create a social media strategy to cross-promote your blog over at least two platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Use your existing channels to promote and drive traffic traffic to your blog site.
Gather Data Analytics (Objective 6 and 7) 100 Points
Use inherent or Google Analytics to track your blog’s efficacy and interpret the data.
Course Policies and Resources
Qualification
As a core class for the Bachelor of Communication degree, New Media Track, you need to achieve a C+ or higher as the grade outcome of this class for it to count towards your degree requirements.
Missing Class
Class attendance goes without question. Two absences and your evaluation drops one whole grade. Four absences results in administrative withdrawal or if after the withdraw deadline, failing the course. There is no such thing as an excused absence. You show up or you don’t. The drop date this semester is October 18th.
Plagiarism and Cheating
Plagiarism is the use of another source’s words, ideas or statistics without their permission and/or proper citation. Anyone who plagiarizes material in any activity, blog post or other assignment will receive a grade of zero on that assignment. Proper attribution for all media and content is expected. Please keep in mind that one can be expelled from the college for academic dishonesty.
Electronic Devices
Cell phones will not be tolerated in class. Turn them off while you’re here. First interruption infraction and you're buying everyone pizza and sodas the next meeting. Second infraction and you're buying everyone lunch at Cafe Rio. Lap tops are encouraged for use in class discussion and research. Facebook on your own time.
Submission of Assignments and Activities
All assignments for COMM 2460 are submitted online via your blog which becomes part of my blog list. I'll be notified by following your blog.
I don't accept notifications beyond the posted deadline, nor do I accept technical excuses like a crashed computer or a blogging glitch. Blog content containing typographical and grammatical errors will be severely discounted in points. Proof and submit your best work.
The college provides a free service for students desiring additional assistance with their writing assignments. The Writing Center is located in the Browning Building. Call Barbara Turnbow at 652-7743 for information.
Email Communication
Important class and college information will be sent to your D-mail account. All DSC students are automatically assigned a D-mail email account. Click and select D-mail for complete instructions. You will be held accountable for information sent to your D-mail, so please check it often.
Hostility
I reserve the right to remove any student from this class and/or program based on documentable breech of citizenship such as sexual harassment, hostile environment, discrimination based on race, religion, gender and/or sexuality, as well as plagiarism, misrepresentation, and/or malicious gossip.
Withdrawal and Drop Deadlines
Please consult the semester schedule for withdrawal and reimbursement deadlines. You will be charged a $10 fee for dropping this class.
Students with Disabilities
If you are a student with a medical, psychological or a learning difference and requesting reasonable academic accommodations due to this disability, you must provide an official request of accommodation to your professor(s) from the Disability Resource Center within the first two weeks of the beginning of classes. Students are to contact the center on the main campus to follow through with, and receive assistance in the documentation process to determine the appropriate accommodations related to their disability.
You may call (435) 652-7516 for an appointment and further information regarding the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 per Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The office is located in the Student Services Center, Room #201 of the Edith Whitehead Building.
Library and Literacy ContactsDianne Hirning is the librarian over Communication resources. She is your resource and guide for research within this discipline. You can reach her at hirning@dixie.edu and by phone at 652-7720.
Resources:
- Library - http://library.dixie.edu
- Writing Center - http://new.dixie.edu/english/dsc_writing_center.php
- Testing Center - http://new.dixie.edu/testing
- Tutoring Center - http://dsc.dixie.edu/tutoring/
