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.