Twitter for Media
#clarkclass
“I wonder what the
President is tweeting tonight?”
(“I wonder what the king is doing tonight?”)
--Camelot, by Jay Lerner & Frederick Loewe, 1960
Syllabus
MCOM 3990, CRN 14678—Fall, 2018
Dr. Terry M. Clark, professor
@okieprof
tclark@uco.edu
Class
Location: Com 211 - Class
meets: TR, 2-4:30, Oct. 16-Dec. 6, 2018
Required:
· President Donald
J. Trump, @realDonaldTrump
· A smart phone,
tablet or laptop. No text.
· Assigned readings
online. Notebook--paper or digital, for notes.
COURSE DESCRIPTION: Students in this class will explore the operation and impact of Twitter
on all fields of mass communication. 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
and business to become an essential tool of communication in all fields--
digital, print, broadcast, public relations, advertising, government, business.
COURSE and
ASSIGNMENT REQUIREMENTS:
Why you are taking this class: 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.
•
Faithful
attendance. If you miss more than two
sessions--regardless of reason, you cannot pass, because of the condensed
nature of the class. Maximum grade with two absences will be a 'B." You
cannot make up assignments for the days missed.
•
Every
assignment has a deadline. Late assignments earn a “0.” Misspelled speakers’
names earn a “0.”
•
GOOD
GRAMMAR. You must be fluent in English or you will flunk.
•
Be
on time for class. I take this personally and being late is the quickest way to
get on my bad side. Three times late equals one absence. Those who leave early
will be assessed full absence.
•
Daily
tweets and notes on in-class speakers.
•
Adoption
of a mass communication or other professional who uses twitter in your major or
area of interest, and presentation to class at end of semester, with visuals. Information
on potential professionals and industries first day of class.
•
Three-page
summary paper comparing two in-class speakers with information from
•
adopted
tweeters. Information on first day of class. Possible speakers: Jill Castilla, Heidi Centrella, Jenny Grigsby, Dez Hill, Mike Koerth, Adrienne Nobles, Mike Sherman, Lauren Vargas, Scott Williams.
•
Daily
tweets on combined class Twitter site about class speakers and issues.
•
Daily
discussion of President Trump’s daily tweets in relation to communication—not politics.
•
No
video games in class. Automatic F.
•
All
tweets should include #clarkclass, @UCO_MCOM
•
Final
test.
COURSE SCHEDULE--Each class will
include daily tweeting about class subjects.
NOTE:
I do not use D2L. Essential portions of this syllabus are on the class blog.
·
Oct.
11—Mass Comm Days, class preempted
•
Week
one (Oct.16)--Course introduction, data sheets, cell phone IDs, Twitter survey,
setup; video. Interactive syllabus amendments and questions. Twitter perspective
lecture and issues. Professional adoptions. Paper details. Bit.ly. Tweetdeck, other
apps. Class blog.
•
Weeks
two-six (Oct. 23-Nov. 30)—Adoption progress. Guest speakers, on-line readings,
daily tweeting, writing,
•
Week
eight (Dec. 4,6)—adoption presentations, paper due, lessons from speakers,
adoptions, evaluations.
•
Final exam: 1 - 2:50 p.m. Thursday,
December 7.
Why it matters: 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.
