Official blog of #clarkclass, Twitter for Media class at UCO Mass Comm Department

Friday, December 19, 2014

Today's agenda

@dezhill
--Christmas break project--interview
  • --About 5-10 minutes, showing their page, reporting answers to your questions.
  • --one page outline to Clark
  • --be ready Jan. 5--we will do at least five a day
--we meet at 9:30, Jan. 5
--also, check @stevelackmeyer --who is he, what does he do?

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Inspiration and energy from a free spirit and twitter

From @okieprof, #clarkclass

The joys of this job are the students, present and past, and my current students in twitter for media today were energized and inspired by a former student, Heide Brandes, @HeideWrite.
Heide is a free spirit who lives life to the fullest. She's succeeded as a community journalist and a PR professional, and now as a freelance writer and professional belly dancer.
Her talks with the class are off the wall, like her, wide open where everything can be discussed, and so full of practical advice about life and living, in addition to her careers.
When I asked the class general impressions before we began our debriefing, one female student , Chandler Murphy @cmurphy119 just said, "Wow."
For the record, Heide is the student who appeared in an ad with me promoting UCO. Yes, she's also a belly dancer and owns a belly dancing school. Energy personified, in her very early 40s.
Here, recorded by current student student Alyssa Ramsey @alyssaramsey13, a photography major are my students' debriefing impressions of Heide.
  • Cool how she doesn’t really care and she is honest and upfront about her work. She is professional, but in her own way
  • Makes me want to quit my job and just do what I want to do for the rest of my life
  • Freelancing is really cool and if you can make it work it would be a really cool job to have
  • She said “always tweet with value, don’t tweet when you’re pissed off.” If more young people did that on social media we would all be better off
  • If you can help people on twitter do it. It shows that you’re engaged.
  • Don’t be afraid for what you want. The worst thing you can do is not go for it
  • She made a blog post that was about how to clean up your digital footprint
  • She used hash tags to research things on twitter
  • She said don’t try to fit in. Stop trying so hard and be your own person
  • Be genuine but also be careful. You can get a long way being yourself
  • Huge thing for people to realize that fighting with others on twitter will really reflect in your personal and professional life
  • If you say something about a specific political party, you never know what your future employers' beliefs will be; it could hurt you in the long run.
  • Posting pictures getting wasted or posting things while under the influence will hurt you
  • It's not the end of the world if you make mistakes, you always learn from your mistakes
  • Be engaging--if you see something someone said that you like tell them. If people mention you reply
  • If you want to be an excellent writer be an excellent reader. It gives you a sense of credibility
  • It's good to have boundaries of what you won’t write about
  • 30 to 40 stories a month is a lot of stories and she is still free-spirited and doesn’t let it bog her down--she is very positive
  • should know, need to know, want to know
  • If you don’t ask you’ll never know. Twitter helps with that now it makes it easier to contact people.
  • Twitter is your business card
  • She gets a lot of leads and jobs from hashtags on twitter
  • Talked about how exciting her life was being a freelance writer
  • Hashtags will tell you what's important and what people are talking about
  • Who she follows is very important because that’s how she gets news stories and resources

Here's the newspaper ad we appeared in together, thanks to her talking to my administration.

Today's Agenda

@HeideWrite !
Research @dezhill on Coffee with Clark, and tweet one question to her by 5 pm today
tweet one thing about these four items, by 8 am tomorrow:

    8)    Boost traffic with quotes--http://boostblogtraffic.com/tweetable-quotes/
    9)    Internships that pay $84 K--http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2014/11/24/tech_internship_salaries_they_will_destroy_your_sense_of_self_worth.html?wpsrc=sh_all_dt_tw_top
    10)    twitter equals GOP election success--http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/17/politics/twitter-republicans-outside-groups/index.html?sr=sharebar_twitter
    11)    Twitter and Instagram--http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/09/fashion/on-twitter-and-instagram-hiding-in-plain-e-sight.html?smid=tw-share&_r=0

search @daverhea
blogging4jobs
who you follow on #clarkclass

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Ambassador, storyteller, journalist

From @okieprof #clarkclass
The Oklahoman Sports Editor Mike Sherman @MikeSherman spoke to #clarkclass today. The UCO grad came in wearing his bronze and blue UCO neck scarf, and within minutes began an hour and a half storytelling session, impressing my students with his humility and humanity, changing their views on the people who work in media, challenging them with questions and quotes, and his wide range of knowledge and reading.
This is what education is about, to me...providing students with opportunities to see the world in a different perspective, helping them to learn how to think and adapt.
After Mike left, we debrief, and each student comments on what made an impression, what stood out. They still don't take enough notes for me,  and I kept wanting to interrupt and say "Get that quote," but I didn't. This is the fourth time Mike has spoken to the class--and he looks forward to it, made #clarkclass a verb ("I've #clarkclassed it"), and he's always a hit.
Here are some of his comments and  reactions today, recorded by student Alyssa Ramsey @alyssaramsey13, a photography major who will be interning at the Oklahoma in January.

    •    You have to distribute your own content
    •    You're your own paperboy
    •    Rapid thought process for problem solving and his willingness to do whatever it takes for the problem to be solved
    •    "Prospecting is another term for creeping."
    •    (On posting on Twitter) "You're opening the window and shouting out of it, don't get mad at me if I hear you."
    •    "God's not finished with us. We're all still learning."
    •    Liked the “What’s the Headline” and the use of reader involvement
    •    Need to make sure you are educated when you go out and say things on twitter
    •    Staying connected and getting connected is important
    •    Conversation is the most important technological medium
    •    The newspaper should be called the understanding papers and its not really just news; it's about understanding what’s going on
    •    Humility in admitting when they were wrong
    •    Twitter is a deciding factor in who to hire
    •    You have not because you ask not. A good reminder to not be afraid to go out and try and ask
    •    The world is flat. Thomas Friedman. A lot of jobs are getting narrowed down to one person jobs with technology. You don't want to be flattened.
    •    It is important to be close to the people you work with, and twitter is a good way to see how people interact with others
    •    Twitter is one of the greatest listening devices of all time and one of the greatest search engines
    •    People that get angry for things that are said about them. If you put something out there on the internet you can’t be mad when it is used against you. It’s out there for the world to see.
    •    The Oklahoman uses twitter to get information and get leads from what people are talking about
    •    After "Mr. Unreliable," he went on twitter and asked the public what ideas were for headlines, admitting they were wrong to lighten the mood about the situation
    •    The paper is a way of answering questions for the people that can’t ask them themselves
    •    Old school vibes and he is still himself even with all the new and upcoming media. Still likes conversation and phone calls. Not always about the new media.
    •    When you’re wrong don’t debate, always apologize


Today's agenda

@MikeSherman
Debrief
Questions for @HeideWrite
Who are you following on twitter for presentation? Comment below by tomorrow.

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Twitter questions for a sports journalist

One of my  favorite classes--certainly the one I have the most fun in, is my twitter for media class, #clarkclass. Blog is http://clarkclassuco.blogspot.com/.

I know I'm a  dinosaur and a geezer, but  I know that journalism is a child of technology, always has been, from the pen and paper of town criers, to the handset type of Gutenberg, to Linotypes, to photo-composition of early offset, to the arrival of computers. (Hint--I have handset type, run Linotypes, Compugraphics and the early and current computers, have run small offset and letter presses). Doesn't matter--challenges to the craft and profession continually change and remain constant--the only objection I make is that newspapers are not dying--those who claim so are ignorant or narrowly focused.
But, that brings me back to twitter, and to what view as another death of journalism. Balderdash.
This class proves the opposite...in fact, it is enlivening print and broadcast journalism, public relations, advertising, photography, almost every profession.
In that spirit, Oklahoman Sports Editor Mike Sherman @MikeSherman, comes to talk to my class tomorrow, as he had three previous times. He's an enthusiastic, positive professional about journalism and twitter. By the way, he's a UCO alum. You can read his previous points on this blog by searching his name.
And my current class is pumped and primed--today, they came up with questions for him to consider. By the way--these are great students--all about the graduate, from many majors, some already with their own businesses. Here they are. Stay tuned for comments.
    •    If he was the one responsible for the Mr. Unreliable article, and if he was how he went about clearing it up.
    •    How does he think twitter has helped him in his career?
    •    What advantages he thinks he has having a twitter over other writers who don’t have a twitter.
    •    What does twitter do for the world of sports?
    •    What form of media does he find most beneficial for his line of work?
    •    What sports do you like to cover most?
    •    If a bad article comes out how do you handle it?
    •    Biggest influences
    •    Does he see twitter as a critical resource?
    •    Does he use social media to find any of his stories?
    •    How does he use social media to promote himself?
    •    Is his favorite comedian Steve Martin?
    •    Where does he make the distinction of what is worth tweeting, such as if it doesn’t involve sports, what is important enough and what catches his eye?
    •    What’s the best way to network through twitter?
    •    If twitter is a new resume, then how do you know if someone is qualified for the job?
    •    At what age he thought was appropriate for someone to have a twitter
    •    What’s the first think you notice when you look at someone’s profile
    •    What makes you turn away or keep looking at a persons twitter?
    •    When did networking for twitter start taking off for his career?
    •    What made him move from Maryland to OKC?
    •    Should I merge business or personal life, or have two different accounts?
    •    Does he use his poll tweets or are the just for fun?
    •    Anything specific to sports news that has improved for twitter
    •    Examples: Ray Rice, Adrian Peterson and Tyreke Hill. Do you believe there is a double standard for Professional athletes and professional entrepreneurs when obstructing the law?

Questions for your twitter interview

We want to find out how a professional uses twitter.
1. Who is the twitter/organization and what do they do?
2. How long have they been using twitter?
3. Why do they use twitter?
4. What are the main ways they use twitter?
5. How has twitter changed, or affected their jobs?
6. What are the advantages and disadvantages?
7. How often do they tweet?
8. Do they use other social media?
9. How does twitter fit?
10. How have they seen twitter change?
11. What do they see in the future for twitter, social media?
12. What is their advice to you on using twitter?

In your presentation you will have a one page outline with name, bio. twitter handle, and basic info--simple.
You will show a screen shot of their twitter page and an example of one of their tweets.

Twitter users


Agenda and Links for day two


 
·      Roll
·      Fact sheets
·      Back over syllabus—paper, interview, presentation--questions
·      Compare 2 speakers, 750 words
·      How's easiest to follow all?
·      Follow me—10 mins, follow all
·      Look at tweet home pages
·      Questions for Mike--you will take notes--we debrief, I quiz you
·      Find something to retweet, favorite
·      Newssource—mashable.com
·      Apps, can’t keep up—
twello--go to and search 15 mins
two people to follow, why

Syllabus guidelines
Ethics and law
Firing review
Terms of use: 
  • You are responsible for anything on your site
  • Must not abuse, threaten, impersonate others
  • Not create or submit unwanted emails to members
  • Observe copyright
  • Will removed content unlawful, offrensive, threatening, libelous, obscene
  • No unauthorized use of trademaark
Links for today:

Assignments--notes from Mike
follow, retweet of value one thing
who to follow professionally
improve profile
check today's links, tweet 2 things learned
tweet one thing learned from each of following items:
5)    Where we tweet -- http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/08/tweet-map_n_6277910.html?utm_hp_ref=tw
    6)    Your content marketing--http://www.quicksprout.com/2014/10/29/the-ultimate-content-marketing-checklist-40-questions-to-ask-yourself-before-you-publish-your-next-blog-post/
    7)    Social media trends--http://blog.hootsuite.com/5-social-media-trends-2015/

Monday, December 15, 2014

"twitictionary"

You need to know these terms.
Contest--10 point award--come up with a new twitter term--class votes, due Friday.
  1. at reply @
  2. auto-follow
  3. bio
  4. bit.ly
  5. blog
  6. direct message (dm)
  7. Fail Whale--when twitter crashes
  8. follower
  9. #FollowFriday
  10. following
  11. hashtag
  12. Hootsuite
  13. link
  14. retweet (RT)
  15. RSS feed
  16. tweeple
  17. tweeps
  18. tweet
  19. tweetdeck
  20. tweeting
  21. tweetup
  22. twebie
  23. twitizens
  24. twitterholic
  25. twitterphobic
  26. twitpic
  27. twitter stream
  28. twitterverse
  29. web widget
  30. vlog

Top twitter apps--read and apply

twit apps

Wednesday's speaker--@MikeSherman background

Passion for twitter
Twitter advice
twitter advice for life

Firing because of twitter

Denver Post
 17 fired
 PR

tweetdeck--keeping track

Screenshot

Syllabus points you need to know


Twitter for Media
Syllabus

Required: A smart phone. No textbook. Assigned readings online. Notebook--paper or digital. Recommended: Twitter for Dummies, Fitton, Gruen, Poston. Wiley, 2010.
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This is a study and introduction to the way new social media,
Twitter, has transformed the practice of mass communication for professionals in traditional
media to become an essential tool-- digital, print, broadcast, public relations, advertising and
photography. Prerequistes: None.
COURSE OBJECTIVES: Students in this class will explore the operation and impact of Twitter
on all fields of mass communication. The student will set up a Twitter account if not already
existent, and become proficient in its use through daily activity.  The student will become familiar
with the way professionals use Twitter in their major field. Students will select, follow and
interact with professional Twitter users. The student will write a three-page paper on two of the
class speakers. The student will participate daily in a Twitter account set up for the class,
following the example of the University of Iowa School of Journalism and Mass
Communications.
TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING: This course addresses four of the university’s transformative learning goals—discipline knowledge through study of the impact of Twitter in mass communications; leadership, though interaction with leaders in mass communications and a summary paper; problem solving, by understanding and using Twitter effectively; and global and cultural competencies, by becoming competent with the Twitter-cultural change and impact in mass communication around the world.
COURSE and ASSIGNMENT REQUIREMENTS:
• GOOD GRAMMAR. You must be fluent in English or you will flunk.
• Faithful attendance. Because of the condensed nature of the class, if you miss more than
one session--regardless of reason, you cannot pass. Maximum grade with one day's
absence will be a 'B." You cannot make up assignments for the day missed.
• Be on time for class. I take this personally and being late is the quickest way to get on my
bad side. Three tardies equal one absence.
• Adoption of a mass communications professional who uses Twitter, and a
national/international media industry that uses Twitter in your major. Interview and
Tweet to entire class viewpoints for in-class discussion. Information on potential
professionals and industries provided first day of class.
• Three-page summary paper comparing two of in-class speakers with information from
adopted Tweeters. Information on first day of class.
• Daily Tweets on combined class Twitter site about class speakers and issues.
• Final test.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES for three-page paper: No fancy covers. First page includes
your name, date, subject title. Fourth page lists sources contacted. Paper to be stapled in
upper left hand corner. All work, except in class exercises, must be typed, double-spaced,
using Times New Roman or Palatino typeface, on one side of the paper, with 1” or 1 1/2"
margins. Follow Associated Press style. Make sure your toner is readable (dark). Work will
not be accepted unless it complies with these guidelines. E-mail submissions allowed only
on designated assignments.
DEADLINES: Must be met. Absolutely. Period. End of Discussion. Journalism is a deadline
business. Accordingly, late work will not be accepted. Don’t bother to hand it in—you get a
“0” grade. Absence is no excuse.
GRADING SCALE: 100-91--A; 90-81--B; 80-70--C; 60-69—D
·       Daily Tweets on class Twitter site—100 points--20 percent
·       Adoption and posts of professional Tweeters--100 points--20 percent
·       Between class interview of twitter pro, outline and verbal report—50 points--10 percent
·       Paper on speakers--100 points--20 percent
·       In-class assignments--50--10 percent
·       Final Test—100 points--20 percent
·       Total Points--500
All university policies, including grading, grade appeals, academic dishonesty, adding and dropping apply. Check this link: www.uco.edu/academic-affairs/files/aa-forms/faculty/StudentInfoSheet.pdf
Any case of plagiarism will result in a 0 for the assignment. A second case will flunk you for the
course, and probably ruin your future as a journalist.
·       UCO subscribes to the Turnitin.com plagiarism prevention service. Students agree that by taking this course, all required assignments may be subject to submission for textual similarity review to Turnitin.com for the detection of plagiarism. All submitted assignments will be included as source documents in the Turnitin.com restricted access reference database for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of such assignments. In the UCO Student Handbook, there is a process for contesting any plagiarism allegations against you.
• Since this is a class of discovery and living journalism, exact timetables cannot be guaranteed
because of student discussions and individual interests. Flexibility is essential to
transformative education, not rote memory or lockstep schedules. Accordingly, the professor
reserves the right to amend the syllabus, with verbal notice to class, at any time, in order to facilitate your learning.

Sunday, December 14, 2014

Twitter statistics to blow your mind

 Trends in all social media--demographics
As of July
Twitter facts
As of October
As of now
To increase followers

Assignment--find one more site on stats, and tweet

#clarkclass must reads on twitter--a living textbook

Get started--three a day to tweet about
    1)    Power of twitter--Longmire: http://kingsriverlife.com/12/13/longmire-resurrection/
    2)    History of Hastags--http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/history-of-hashtags
    3)    Advice to twitter users--http://blog.hootsuite.com/advice-give-new-twitter-user-question-week/
    4)    Advice from social media pros--http://blog.hootsuite.com/social-media-marketing-tips-from-the-pros/
    5)    Where we tweet -- http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/08/tweet-map_n_6277910.html?utm_hp_ref=tw
    6)    Your content marketing--http://www.quicksprout.com/2014/10/29/the-ultimate-content-marketing-checklist-40-questions-to-ask-yourself-before-you-publish-your-next-blog-post/
    7)    Social media trends--http://blog.hootsuite.com/5-social-media-trends-2015/
    8)    Boost traffic with quotes--http://boostblogtraffic.com/tweetable-quotes/
    9)    Internships that pay $84 K--http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2014/11/24/tech_internship_salaries_they_will_destroy_your_sense_of_self_worth.html?wpsrc=sh_all_dt_tw_top
    10)    twitter equals GOP election success--http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/17/politics/twitter-republicans-outside-groups/index.html?sr=sharebar_twitter
    11)    Twitter and Instagram--http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/09/fashion/on-twitter-and-instagram-hiding-in-plain-e-sight.html?smid=tw-share&_r=0
    12)    Finding SM influencers--http://blog.hootsuite.com/how-to-find-social-media-influencers/
    13)    How twitter has changed journalism forever--http://www.socialmediatoday.com/content/how-twitter-has-changed-journalism-forever
    14)    Impact of twitter on journalism--https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nl9xI-kAE8A
    15)    SM silences debate?  http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/27/upshot/how-social-media-silences-debate.html?smid=tw-share&abt=0002&abg=1
    16)    Keep your opinion to yourself--http://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/may/22/bbc-editor-election-coverage-ukip-twitter?CMP=twt_fd
    17)    twitter and hong kong protests--http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2014/10/01/hong-kong-protests-how-they-unfolded-on-twitter/
 

Day 1 agenda

Tweet day 1
Roll--student fact sheet
Smart phone
What is your goal
Syllabus
glossary
Lecture
u tube videos
set up
#clarkclass

Rules—
  1. Momma read it
  2. Grammar, spelling counts
  3. Check #clarkclass and blog every day
  4. #clarkclass every tweet you make
  5. Deadline assignments--0 points if not met
  6. You must take notes
  • Hints for set up—short and simple, use name some or nickname
  • Assignments on hashtag
  • Up to date: blog.twitter.com
  • play--find pros
  • find category, add
  • follow #clarkclass and then follow entire class

Today's links--

cartoon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5INQR3EyBAA

A. overviewhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bl-FpuehWGA
B. overview http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIpD7hfffQo
C.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0xbjIE8cPM
D. . . Personally http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddO9idmax0o
E. overview http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIpD7hfffQo
F. hash http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2zh0EVzoo0


sign uphttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h08SlngA2zk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJSoEbNxYKE&list=PLD5831E10E95DE83B&index=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkdXJOpqXOw&list=PLD5831E10E95DE83B&index=

conan http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSSDeesUUsU
Assignments due by 5 pm today
1.tweet what learned today by playing
2. Read three articles on #clarkclassUCO and tweet one thing learned from each

You will also want to follow twitter's blog to state up to date: twitterblog